Why Connected Employees are Key to Retail Differentiation in 2022

| Retail

Why Connected Employees are Key to Retail Differentiation in 2022

Retailers have a lot to think about in 2022. With consumers getting accustomed to the ease, choice and convenience of shopping online, physical retail stores are upping their game. Bringing the benefits of e-commerce into stores, while leaning into the elements of in-person shopping that can’t be replicated digitally. And the key to delivering these differentiated experiences and service levels? Connected and effective store associates.

However, attracting, training and retaining skilled associates is a major challenge for retailers. In the US alone there are over one million vacancies. One way to tackle this gap? Equip store associates with Samsung smart devices and Scandit Smart Data Capture software. It’s an ideal combination to turbocharge retail employee onboarding and operational efficiency by giving staff a modern, multi-functional device that makes work simpler and more satisfying.

Watch how a busy day in the life of a store associate is enhanced, tackling any task with a rugged, multi-functional Galaxy XCover Pro smartphone, speeding through workflows with smart data capture and wowing customers with augmented reality capabilities.

Do more with one device, anywhere in store

In a fast paced retail environment, enable employees to use a single smart device that fits in their pocket, to empower them throughout their shift.

A Galaxy XCover Pro rugged smartphone was made to work anywhere – there’s no need to reach for a bulky dedicated scanner when heading for the back of house. It’s equally at home in tough environments, like receiving shipments on the loading dock, as it is when serving customers on the shop floor.

When employees are equipped with Samsung devices paired with Scandit Smart Data Capture powered-apps, they can operate with ultimate efficiency in the most challenging conditions. The best scanning performance is assured, even in low light environments, at angles, distances or when barcodes have been damaged.

The Scandit Smart Data Capture platform enables innovation that unlocks further time and efficiency savings for busy staff, capturing multiple barcodes in a single scan with MatrixScan (which captures multiple barcodes in a single scan) to speed through previously tedious and time-consuming operational tasks, like shipping and receiving.

Connected employees are effective employees

Employee satisfaction is essential if retailers want to retain talent and boost productivity.
Consolidating from multiple devices into one multi-function smart device helps achieve both.

Signing in for your shift? A quick tap on your smartphone and work mode is engaged.

Need to contact a colleague? No need to reach for a radio, when the Galaxy XCover Pro has a push to talk button that makes communication effortless.

Picking online orders? No need to pick up a scanner from the shared pool, pull a Scandit-enabled smart device from your pocket and scan with speed, accuracy and a satisfying ergonomic experience.

And when the orders are picked with top performance, you are also instantly updating backend systems in real-time to ensure the smoothest possible e-commerce experience – whether it’s a collection from a store or a home delivery.

Equip employees with insights in the aisles

Consumers have become used to ease and ready access to product and stock information when shopping online. To keep pace with evolving shopping expectations, retailers need to replicate the benefits of the e-commerce experience in brick and mortar stores, understand what triggers or prevents a purchase – and tackle these issues.

One common customer frustration when shopping in a store? When an associate is unable to answer a question or has to wander away to the backroom to check whether the requested product is available in the right size or a different colour – leaving the shopper standing and waiting or even walking away empty handed.

With a scanning-enabled smartphone in hand, even a new or temporary associate can scan any product or even ask the Voice Assistant to access information or check stock data from the backend systems – all without ever leaving the customer’s side.

Transform clienteling with augmented customer experiences

With the same device and smart data capture platform, you can elevate the customer further with augmented reality to deliver a really impactful experience.

During the clienteling process, by hovering the Galaxy XCover Pro device over a product’s label on the shelf, employees can show product information visually displayed on screen or help customers compare product specs to make an information purchasing decision with Augmented Reality (AR).

Now the customer has made their choice, with Scandit MatrixScan employees can scan every item on the shelf simultaneously to quickly locate the product in the correct size, colour or spec – which is shown with an AR overlay.

With the product in hand, you can still eliminate further friction from the interaction and ensure the sale is made with a mobile Point of Sale (mPOS) app on the smartphone performing the purchase process on the spot with the same device. For the employee, they don’t need a bulky scanning sled to scan items into the mPOS. For the customer there is no need to go and find a till, no queues and no delay.

Innovate retail employee and customer experience today

With a smartphone and data capture-enabled apps, associates are ready for anything and customers can enjoy a smooth, frictionless and differentiated experience in store.

As an added bonus, employees can also be enabled to enjoy their sleek smartphones for personal use after the shift has ended to boost staff satisfaction.

Get in touch to find out more about how Scandit and Samsung are transforming retail experience and making employees more connected and productive.