Retail marketing is currently focused on improving the customer experience, but merchants should also consider how retail technology can benefit their employees. Not only do happier workers usually lead to satisfied customers and bigger profits, but technology can empower workers to be more productive and provide better service.

When choosing retail management systems and devices, such as mobile point of sale solutions, retailers should focus on improving their employees' workflows. After implementing retail tools, merchants should train their staff and adjust business processes to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by these resources. Here are a few ways that retail technology can impact employee performance:

• Increased productivity. According to Gulf Business, companies can use the analytical capabilities of management systems to assess productivity factors, such as hours for shifts and tasks for particular groups of employees. Then, they can adjust their processes and change variables like the layout of their warehouse to make operations run more efficiently. Technology can also help employees to complete tasks more quickly and automate processes that workers previously had to perform manually.
• Easier scheduling. Tools like mobile apps can be used to make it simpler for workers to schedule and track their hours. Managers can more easily see information about their employees' shift preferences and be notified if staff members have worked too many hours in a row without taking a break, the news source noted.
• Access to information. By allowing store clerks to instantly look up product or inventory data, retail technology empowers employees to provide customers with the same kind of information they seek online. Instead of leaving customers to check the back store room, for example, clerks can immediately provide shoppers with accurate responses.
• Mobility. Mobile POS systems and other technology give employees the ability to leave the cash register while still being accessible when customers want to make a purchase. In fact, they can even help to move sales along by reaching out to customers in the aisle. According to Business Wire, mobile POS is the top priority for retailers, ranking even higher than security in the January 2014 mPOS Tracker report.
• Improved communication. Technology can help employees communicate and collaborate better. This can range from simple messaging services to innovative ideas, such as The Container Store's novel "Siri without a phone" employee communication system, as Retail Systems Research reported. The store implemented technology that allows workers to broadcast messages to specific coworkers, reducing the noise that typically attends walkie-talkie conversations.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Tuesday, February 25th, 2014 at 7:13 am .