Sears ‘hears’ need for better picking with Honeywell voice-directed solution

No matter how good a retailer’s seamless experience is, without the correct product it falls apart.



Sears Holding Corp. is trying to ensure the right products are picked for the right customers with new Honeywell Vocollect voice-directed picking solutions. The retailer is working with Speech Interface Design (SID) to implement the solutions in two of its regional specialty distribution centers (RSCs) and its largest retail distribution center (RDC) in the coming months.



This engagement comes after successful deployments by SID in January 2015 at two of Sears Holdings' retail replenishment centers (RRCs). SID also performed consultative analysis work for Sears Holdings to project the value and ROI for voice picking solutions in its RSCs and RDCs. Additional RRC and RDC sites are currently targeted for implementation in 2016.



"Sears Holdings has recognized the benefits of voice within two of our RRCs through increased picking accuracy and productivity, reduced worker training times and enhanced worker satisfaction," said Steve Rutkowski, senior director of logistics systems at Sears Holdings. "Speech Interface Design played a key role by providing expert help implementing voice as well as consultations related to systems/operational issues."



Voice-directed picking holds the potential to let Sears achieve higher customer service levels while reducing operating costs by replacing paper and pick-to-light-based systems. They also help support a fairly sophisticated omnichannel strategy that has yet to produce the sales Sears has hoped for. However this initiative turns out, give Sears credit for recognizing how important accurate fulfillment is to broader retail success.