Q&A: Create Efficiency, Delight Customers

By Carin Stuart, Integrated Solutions For Retailers magazine

In today's economy, improving the customer's in-store experience is important, but it's not enough to create a win for retailers. Investments in technologies that improve the customer experience must have multiple — and measurable — points of ROI. Handheld devices provide a classic example. In the hands of store associates, they're an enabler of customer experience improvement. With the right applications, handhelds facilitate the endless aisle concept, for instance, saving sales and delighting customers at the same time. But you can also improve efficiencies by arming sales associates with inventory data across store locations, providing insight into replenish dates and allowing for checkout of merchandise in the aisles. What's in store for retail-oriented handheld devices in 2010? How have the devices evolved? I addressed these questions with Mike Kearby, president at handheld device manufacturer AML.

Used with permission from Integrated Solutions For Retailers magazine.