Retail staff are struggling to deliver exceptional shopping experiences for customers due to limitations with the current technology, a recently released report has stated.
According to a report titled "Frontline Retail Revealed: Tech Pains and Gains" by Scandit, half (50 per cent) of 2,000 global retail store associates surveyed want features that enable scanning in challenging conditions, while 45 per cent want faster scanning capabilities, especially in volume-intensive workflows like grocery stores (21 per cent ranked it as their top priority) for tasks such as inventory management or price checks.
Advanced capabilities like ID scanning (51 per cent) and multi-barcode scanning (48 per cent) are more desired than newer technologies like AI (35 per cent). This suggests store associates value practical tools that reduce manual data entry and tedious tasks, especially given the number and frequency of items that need scanning.
Across all daily tasks, technology is seen as most helpful for shelf management (84 per cent), customer service (83 per cent), and order picking for online orders (81 per cent).
The research revealed that store associates struggle to provide a smooth customer experience, due to limitations in their current technology. The biggest issue lies in access to useful data, seen in the top three frustrations- having to leave the customer waiting to check information (68 per cent), the inability to answer questions effectively (48 per cent), and not having an easy way to access relevant, up-to-date information (35 per cent).
While 17 per cent of store associates reported their devices have no impact on the customer experience, nearly a quarter (22 per cent) say these devices actually hinder their ability to deliver better service, indicating a need for improvement.
76 per cent of store associates agree that their device plays a part in reducing manual tasks, freeing them up to spend more time with customers. However, retailers may be driving customers away by providing a poor experience due to inadequate technology, states the report.
“It’s clear that store associates are struggling to deliver exceptional shopping experiences for customers, and our report shows that this often stems from the limitations with the current technology available to them, ” said Christian Floerkemeier, CTO and co-founder of Scandit.
“Smart data capture can play a critical role in alleviating workflow frustrations and enhancing daily tasks, which will improve worker productivity, access to insights and be a key driver of future profitability. Our research will help retailers dive deeper into the specific technology desires of their employees to strategically implement solutions that will empower their frontline workforce and ultimately improve the customer experience.”
