Staying ahead in retail—and potentially becoming the disruptor instead of the disrupted—requires constant attention to what people want. Figuring out how to meet those expectations must be the foundation for strategies. Leaders should decide on the needed end results and then plan how to get there. Technology is often the answer, but be careful. Avoid the temptation to go out and buy a shiny new toy without thinking through if it'll actually deliver the intended ROI.
Shoppers aren't following the old "rules" of retail anymore. They're not shopping at stores just because they happen to be where certain products are distributed. Customers won't tolerate clunky digital experiences either. Expectations have never been higher. They want seamless experiences between digital and brick and mortar that are easy and fast.
With smartphones, they're used to a large amount of information at their fingertips wherever they are. They like buy-online pickup in-store (BOPIS), but that creates new challenges for retailers when they don't come inside—meaning they're not considering and buying adjacent merchandise.
At the end of the day, most customers want simplicity, value, speed, and helpful service. Things like mobile-friendly, omnichannel, plenty of choices, personalization, and self-serve options can be differentiators that put one company ahead of another.
How Mobile Is Transforming Retail Staffing and the Shopping Experience Post Covid-19: In-store and Beyond
Retailers who want to create great customer experiences and empower associates are turning to mobile technology while keeping them safe.
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Labor challenges are a major issue in retail. It's one of the industries most affected by the "Great Resignation." When you consider that it takes an average of about 40 days to hire someone and the average cost of recruiting that person runs around $4,000, it's an issue companies can't ignore.
Working in retail has always meant long hours on your feet, random schedules, and lower pay, but many associates now also cite difficult customers and feeling unsafe as reasons for walking away. Today's employees are mostly young and highly digital, and they've no patience for old and cumbersome technology. New tech can't solve all the labor challenges in retail, but giving people easy-to-use devices that allow them to be more productive and helpful makes them more likely to be happier. They deliver better customer experiences, contribute more to profitability, and stay in jobs longer. For large organizations, even hanging on to workers a few months longer—on average—has a significant impact on the bottom line.
It's not just customer and employee expectations challenging retailers. Supply chain problems and rising inflation are also top of mind. Companies need to find solutions that:
A key component of success is also data. You need it to determine where potential solutions will be the most effective and evaluate them after launch. Without data, you can't see trends, track consumer behavior, or find new efficiencies. Many retailers are still using legacy point-of-sale (POS) systems that don't collect much data—and even that is often siloed.
Retailers need technology that does all of the above yet isn't too expensive or difficult to deploy. It has to be easy and scalable. One way to achieve that is using versatile mobile devices like Samsung smartphones, tablets, and wearables that feature Android operating systems, which users are already familiar with.
Managing Labor Shortages and Other Ways Mobile is Transforming Retail
Retailers face challenges at every turn—from the pandemic to supply chain issues and labor shortages. In this episode, Joe Hasenzahl, Senior Manager of Retail Mobility at Samsung, talks about the trends he's seeing and how retailers are using mobile solutions to tackle current challenges and create the experiences customer's demand.
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