Tech Guest Viewpoint: Make Your Move to Mobility the Right Way
The same freedom and flexibility that mobile devices bring to our everyday lives can also be leveraged in the retail environment. Most retailers are inherently aware of these benefits; yet many are still not sure of how or what to implement.
But this is no reason to delay or avoid deploying mobile technology. By adhering to a few basic principles, retailers can successfully integrate mobility into their daily operations, and reap significant benefits as a result.
Commit to Training First
A common mistake with many retailers, who have implemented mobile communications to less than stellar results, is often the result of not committing to fully orienting and training the workforce in how to apply these innovations.
When employees are fully prepped and instructed in how best to leverage mobility to maximize its potential, the freedom and flexibility this technology affords can dramatically improve the team’s ability to service customers quickly and completely.
Mobility doesn’t just accelerate resolution, it increases store associate “presence” — giving staff the ability to cover more ground, and become more responsive. When their phones are physically with them, associates become always available, which means leaving fewer callers on hold for less time.
Establish Wi-Fi Readiness & Reliability
This point may seem obvious at first blush, but it often goes overlooked. For mobility to work seamlessly, and not present a whole new set of technology problems that can erode customer patience and confidence, the retailer must first ensure that a sufficiently robust and reliable wireless infrastructure is put in place.
If a retail business model that is enhanced by mobile communications is introduced to customers — but conversations break up, calls drop, and overall voice quality suffers as employees move in and out of Wi-Fi weak spots — then, from a customer service standpoint, it would have been better for the retailer not to have attempted to implement this capability at all. [pb]
Integrate Fully to Legacy Telephony
Another inadvisable approach is to introduce an independent mobile communications platform that is not integrated to the main phone system. One major problem of including disparate add-ons in this fashion is that the second system’s mobile handsets are never “twinned” to their main system counterparts.
This means that these wireless handsets, though mobile, end up operating differently than the rest. Most times, they can’t even offer the familiar functions employees have been using all the time, even down to such basic services as voice mail or call forwarding. This not only frustrates the user, but can also annoy the customer on the line whose needs are not being met.
However, a fully integrated mobile version that mirrors the functions of the existing premise system extends basic and familiar call services throughout the rest of the store.
Moreover, integrated mobile devices can also introduce powerful new efficiencies that go beyond voice, such as instant messaging, texting, running onboard applications, such as POS and mobile point-of-sale tools, and receiving and sending customized alerts.
Stagger Deployment to Ensure Best Practices
After identifying the right mobile communications system to implement, do so in staggered phases. Pick a pilot store that can benefit most from this new functionality, and deploy the system there first. Get everyone on board early on and commit to the implementation fully.
Test the system thoroughly and work out all the kinks. Utilize all functions and explore all possible application scenarios, so that this pilot store can then teach the rest of the team what it needs to know. This will allow you to deploy the system throughout the rest of the chain with best-practice results, both from a functional and a technical standpoint.
Safeguard Network Security
Protect network assets and information by limiting the access of mobile devices solely to those resources and databases that are essential to the task. Be sure to have a formal protocol in place to maintain the security certificates of these newly added mobile devices.
Going Further, Faster with Mobility
Last but not least — and where most successful mobile implementations actually begin — is to have a comprehensive mobile communications strategy conceived and then thoroughly conveyed to all key stakeholders before moving forward.
Mobility is much more than just freeing employees to move about the store; it’s about doing so with specific operational purposes and business objectives in mind: faster service, better sales support, and an enhanced customer experience.
By assuring that the mobile communications strategy is aligned with the individual retailer’s business strategy and goals, the stage can be set for a more successful and profitable mobility deployment — enabling you to take your retail operation further, a whole lot faster.