Employee Mobility in the Retail industry

Retailers have been quick to realize that the profile of customers is rapidly changing, and that they are now highly empowered. The proliferation of mobile devices has been the key enabling technology behind this shift. Retailers have begun addressing these omni-channel customers, by providing a seamless experience across all shopping channels, and by communicating and addressing the customers via their preferred channels, including mobile devices. However, while the industry has made considerable progress in engaging with customers through mobile solutions, retailers have lagged behind in using these solutions to engage with the workforce.

This is set to change. As retailers recognize that effective labor management processes can be a strategic competitive differentiator, and given the way mobile technology has transformed just about every facet of our lives, retailers are giving greater priority to mobile workforce management (WFM) solutions. This was further confirmed by our retailer survey in May 2012, where we polled retailers about key elements of their approach to workforce management, including productivity, execution improvement, and top strategies for 2012 and beyond.

We asked retailers to tell us which technologies they plan to deploy by the end of the year or start of 2013. For future deployments starting in 2012, mobile-enabled technologies rank second (30.8% for task management software with mobile device support) and fourth (23.1% for mobile device apps to request associates in store). Read more about our study in the article, 'Mapping Omni-channel WFM.'

Mobile workforce management can be beneficial for all labor management tasks within an enterprise, including scheduling, time and attendance, and training and development. Mobile solutions can be used to drive greater collaboration between employees, who in turn can provide improved service quality to the customer. Staff communication, shift scheduling, work scheduling etc. may be communicated to the employee on his/her mobile device, saving time spent in tracking down employees. By communicating with the employees via their chosen communication channel, employee satisfaction and productivity improve. Training programs may also be delivered via the mobile device, and the employee can watch these presentations at a convenient time, further enhancing productivity and satisfaction.

With all the relevant data available on the mobile device, the sales staff has inventory, pricing and product information, etc., at its fingertips, and need never leave the customer's side. The store manager is freed from his/her desk, and can be on the retail sales floor to keep a finger on the pulse of the store. Mobile workers will be empowered to respond to customer and shop floor needs in a dynamic manner.

These are just some of the ways in which mobile solutions can be used to empower the retail employee, leading to increased productivity and satisfaction. This, in turn, will lead to a positive customer experience, which is today the number one, key differentiator of a successful retail organization.

About the Author

Hari Shetty is part of the senior leadership team at Wipro and heads the Retail vertical across the globe. As head of Retail, he is responsible for strategy and execution of Wipro's business plan within the industry segment. Hari has been part of the Retail vertical since its inception and today Wipro is among the top 7 Retail technology service providers across the globe and provides services to 10 out of the top 20 retailers.

Hari has over 20 years of consulting experience in the industry. His experience spans across multiple functions in retail and he has worked with some of the best-in-class retailers on cross channel strategy, business transformation, simplification, predictive analytics, and technology transformation. Prior to his current role, he was responsible for technology and architecture in Retail and Consumer Goods industry groups.

Hari has multi-disciplinary background in technology, management, finance and law.

He is an evangelist on multi-channel retailing and strongly believes social media and a connected customer experience will change the face of retail.

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