Solving retail communications with VoCoVo smart technology
Almost half of retail colleagues believe that smart technology is the key to faster customer service. Here’s how you can take advantage.
Today’s customers expect immediate answers to their questions. Thanks to VoCoVo’s voice communication technology, they won’t be disappointed.
VoCoVo recently carried out a survey of colleagues and retail decision-makers from across the UK, the USA and Germany. The aim of this survey was to discover the main reasons for in-store delays and find out how VoCoVo smart technology could help stores speed up their service. The results are now in, and they give a clear picture of what’s slowing stores down, including:
- 40% of colleagues are struggling with staff shortages
- 76% are being forced to juggle multiple tasks
- 30% don’t feel that they’ve received adequate training to use in-store technology effectively
Since the pandemic forced millions to shop online, customers have come to expect immediate service, and instant answers to their questions. This puts tremendous pressure on colleagues, especially when stores are short-staffed. Luckily, VoCoVo can help. VoCoVo’s voice communication technology allows retailers to improve colleague knowledge and reduce customer waiting times. Here’s how it works.
Colleagues want effective communication
The research shows that colleagues are facing several problems at once. A lack of staff has forced them to multitask, leading to a decline in overall efficiency. At the same time, customers have become more demanding, expecting employees to have accurate information at their fingertips.
This is a tricky situation, but there is an answer. 43% of colleagues said that smart technology would help them to serve customers faster. When asked for specifics, almost a third of those surveyed said that portable communication devices were the best approach. Enter VoCoVo…
Effective training solutions
The best way to avoid delays is to make sure that colleagues don’t have to search for information in the first place. That’s why it’s vital to offer comprehensive training to new recruits. This has traditionally taken place in a classroom, forcing you to remove an experienced colleague from the shop floor to lead the session. Now, there’s a better way:
VoCoVo headsets can be used to provide hands-on training to multiple colleagues. Experienced team members can perform their normal duties while simultaneously explaining them to new hires.
According to Morgan Philips, this kind of training has been shown to speed up onboarding by 87% and to improve colleague retention by 50%.
Less walking
No matter how good your training is, there will still be times when colleagues are stumped by a question. In order to avoid customer frustration, you need to make sure that colleagues can find this information as quickly as possible. For this challenge, VoCoVo has the answer:
Colleagues can use VoCoVo headsets to find information without leaving the customer’s side. If a customer has a question about stock, the colleague can contact the stockroom at the press of a button. If they want product information, the colleague can call an in-store expert without tracking them down.
VoCoVo’s multi-conference feature allows you to create separate channels for each store department. This allows colleagues to find specialised information by tuning into the relevant channel.
Finding information in this way will save the average colleague 1.4km of unnecessary walking per shift. As well as improving the customer experience, this also translates into a financial saving of over £440 a week.
Bridging the gap between customers and colleagues
Delays aren’t just caused by colleagues searching for each other. There are also instances where customers struggle to find a colleague in the first place. Fortunately, this is easily solved in several ways:
Two-way call points can be placed in the areas of the store where customers are most likely to need assistance. Shoppers can press the call point to speak to a colleague without having to search for them.
Call points can also be placed on customer service and Click & Collect desks, allowing these customers to get help without joining the main queue.
Improving in-store knowledge means less stress for colleagues and better service for customers. To find out how VoCoVo’s smart technology and wireless team communications can help your business, contact us today. We would be delighted to arrange a free demo for clients interested in this incredible solution.
Related
Why VoCoVo?
Teams work better with VoCoVo. VoCoVo is a push-to-talk radio headset system that is straightforward and simple for users. 2826 provides VoCoVo systems from £39 rental per week.
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