Tech innovation often starts small. Mobile Store Associate Tools are no exception. But as we hurtle into the second quarter of the 21st century, shop-floor transactions, inventory checking and smart customer service is no longer a gimmick, it’s essential retail infrastructure.
Untethering In-House Retail Resources
Mobile tools for retail store associates are essential in enhancing customer service, streamlining operations, and boosting sales. These tools enable associates to access real-time inventory data, process transactions, and manage tasks efficiently. According to Forrester’s “The Store Associate Tools Landscape, Q4 2023,” such tools support associates in their evolving roles, improve customer experiences, and drive operational efficiency.
Similarly, Gartner emphasizes the importance of digital transformation in retail, highlighting that mobile tools are crucial for creating hyper-immersive experiences and unifying retail commerce.
Empowering Store Associates to Work More Efficiently
Most store associates are confined to a stationary register, limiting their ability to help customers and stay efficient. They may also face troubles like:Â
- Limited ability to assist customers away from the checkout area.
- Slower response to customer inquiries on the sales floor.
- Reduced opportunity for personal engagement with customers.
- Longer wait times, creating customer frustration.
- Inability to cross-sell or upsell effectively on the sales floor.
mPOS alongside existing counter POS allows the store associates perform tasks directly on the floor, away from traditional registers. This flexibility allows them to check inventory quickly (in real-time), answer customer questions, and complete transactions faster.
For instance, at Cloe Moda, a leading fashion retailer in Mexico, Zoku’s NetSuite mPOS, Zoku Engage, helps sales associates complete customer service transactions on the sales floor, speeding up the checkout process and increasing in-store engagement.Â
Meanwhile, their counter POS stations continue to serve as central points for complex orders and transactions supporting streamlined service in busy hours.
Mobile Tools for retail stores enable store associates to do more, without necessarily increasing their workload. Not only do traditional checkout functions (POS) become untethered from the checkout, but the sales floor turns into a connected customer service hub. Associates can access data across all locations, allowing them to check inventory, find product details, add items to a customer’s cart and complete transactions.
Zoku Feature Highlight: Inventory Management App
Zoku’s Inventory Management app provides retailers with the tools to maintain accuracy, streamline processes, and improve customer satisfaction. This is an ‘out-the-box’ mobile retail feature that can be adapted to suit the specific needs of any retailer. At its core, the app lets store associates:
- Real-Time Inventory Data: Accurate stock levels and product information are instantly available across all locations, allowing staff to make quick and informed decisions.
- Simplified Stock Transfers: The app facilitates efficient transfers between outlets, ensuring that products are available where they’re needed most.
- Automation to Reduce Errors: By automating routine tasks, the app minimizes the potential for human error, reduces manual effort, and allows teams to focus on enhancing the customer experience.
With Zoku’s mobile-first inventory management solution, retailers can stay agile and responsive, ensuring that operations run smoothly and customers always find what they’re looking for.
Improving Customer Service Through Personalization
Thanks to the improved efficiency mPOS offers store associates, they can directly access customer data to offer tailored experiences. At the same time, counter POS systems remain essential for accessing a broader range of customer information and ensuring a consistent and personalised experience across all touchpoints.
The opportunity to access customer data creates natural cross-selling opportunities since store associates will only recommend products customers are already interested in.Â
Research by Deloitte shows that 1 in 5 customers who showed some interest in a personalised product or service were willing to pay 20% more. The same study shows that 22% of customers don’t mind sharing personal data with brands in return for personalised products or services.
Personalisation through Zoku and NetSuite’s omnichannel solution isn’t just about recommending products—it’s about improving the entire user experience, from seamless service to relevant offers that make customers feel valued.
Increased Convenience in the Customer’s Buyer’s Journey
The flexibility of mobile POS when paired with counter POS payment options improves customer convenience. With options ranging from mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay to credit cards and contactless payment, it’s no surprise that customer adoption has significantly increased.
Self-service features like scanning QR codes are another key benefit of mPOS in a customer’s buyer’s journey. For instance, customers can scan a QR code to access product information or browse through online catalogues without assistance.
Driving Increased Sales Revenue
The mobility and efficiency of mPOS help retailers boost sales significantly by empowering associates to access real-time data about stock availability and to suggest personalised products to customers.
Research from Deloitte highlights that when store associates are empowered with mobile technology, they handle more customers and offer a personalised experience. This, in turn, leads to increased sales.
According to a study by Boston Retail Partners, 68% of retailers say mobile POS has had a positive impact on their sales conversion rates, largely due to the ability to offer tailored recommendations and faster checkouts. This is particularly crucial in competitive markets where a little improvement in conversion can boost revenue.
How NetSuite and Zoku’s Unified Commerce Platform Improved Cloe Moda’s Sales Revenue
Cloe Moda saw an 18% increase in unit sales following Zoku’s undefined commerce solution. This uptick in sales can be directly attributed to quicker checkouts, better engagement on the sales floor, and more personalised sales experiences.Â
With the ability to process transactions anywhere and interact more freely with customers, Cloe Moda’s associates were able to close sales faster and more efficiently, ultimately driving higher conversion rates.
How to Integrate Mobile POS into Store Operations for Retailers
mPOS undoubtedly offers great benefits to retailers, but achieving optimal store operations requires operating under a unified system where inventory, product, sales data, customer profiles, and loyalty programs are synced in real time.
Using standalone mPOS systems could create various setbacks for your store operations:
- Limited compatibility with essential peripherals can hinder cashier efficiency, especially for complex orders requiring large screens for quick access and accurate inputs.
- High-traffic stores benefit from POS setups that handle high transaction volumes, with designated checkouts reducing congestion; tablets offer added flexibility for faster peak-time service.
- Tablets offer limited customisation and adaptability.
- Smaller screens and processing power on tablets make multitasking difficult, slowing down service.
- Tablets aren’t suited for high-volume, complex operations needing speed, durability, and hardware flexibility.
- Retailers with existing Counter POS hardware face costs from discarding previous investments.
If you’re mPOS solution is not truly connected with a single source of truth, then it is all too easy to exaggerate inventory tracking issues.
The Modern Consumer On The Shop Floor
Mobile POS tools are upgrades to physical retail environments that allow store associates to meet with modern consumer expectations. For multi-location retailers like Cloe Moda, the benefits are clear: reduced checkout times, enhanced engagement, and a boost in sales.
Ultimately, store associates are motivated to provide the best customer experience possible. If consumers want something they can give, they will make that happen. But if they do not have the tools, knowledge and insight to react to consumer needs.