Handheld Value

Acceptance of new technologies across a retail enterprise, particularly by store-level associates, can make or break the effectiveness of a rollout.

Beall’s Department Stores, a subsidiary of Bradenton, Fla.,- based Beall’s, Inc., has equipped its entire portfolio of 85 stores with wireless handheld devices. Following a pilot of wireless handheld technology that was begun in 2004, Beall’s outfitted the majority of its stores with four to five units per location.

Store associates enthusiastically embraced the new technology and requested more units, driving a corporate decision to double the average number of units per store. Today, Beall’s has successfully implemented more than 685 wireless handhelds, giving each store an average of eight units.

“The stores love the system, evidenced by the fact that after they were in use store operations requested the additional units,” confirmed Louann Brekhus, VP store systems at Beall’s. “The benefits included operational efficiencies, [improved] fulfillment of Internet orders and on-the-floor access to inquiries such as returns.”

“We especially liked that the browser allowed us to interface directly with hardware features [such as the scanner] and that it has the ability to generate tone-based feedback within our applications for our users,” she continued. “The use of these audible signals results in greater efficiencies since it eliminates the need for a visual check of the data.”

The browser-based handheld applications operate on a widearea network, providing on-line access to Beall’s merchandising systems. “All associates in the stores can use the handhelds for various item or pricing inquiries, plus standard stock-taking applications,” said Brekhus. “Promotional-pricing inquiries and ad-setting are heavily used.”

The retailer selected a wireless handheld system from Denso of Southfield, Mich., because the display was crisper and it offered more control over the browser. Additionally, Beall’s was able to work with its existing infrastructure because the CE.NET device allowed the retailer to port its existing applications with few programming changes.

“The Denso units communicate with the previous wireless access points on the same network,” explained Brekhus. “However, we found it desirable to move to a wireless printer solution at the time of the implementation.”