Darrel Williams, EMEA regional director of voice technology solutions provider, Vocollect, teams up with CBR to give his five top tips to help retailers cope with the demands of ‘click and collect’ with the use of voice-enabled technology.
In a new survey by Accenture, half of those polled said that they now expect to be able to buy online and pick up their purchase in a traditional store.
Already stretchedby next-day deliveries and other consumer incentives, the online retailer now has to develop and implement new processes that interact with a store’s traditional operationto offer what is fast becoming a standard and expected list of shopper options.
The survey also identifies that 40% of retailers ‘are having difficulty’, integrating back-office technology across all of their channels. It’s clear then thatthese challenges must be overcome by retailers if ‘click and collect’ and other critical shopper experiences are to deliver a consumer utopia.
Yet we could arguethat thefight for business growth and customer loyalty beginsnot in the back office but in the warehouse or distribution centre. Those who achieve accuracy, speed and flexibility here have a massive advantageover the competition. This is why many retailer organisationsnow regardthissector of their business as the top priority for investment.
Traditionally a place of high cost (Inventory, Labour and Space) and low tech, the warehousing function is now the focus of the best minds and the smart money. Any improvement here impacts every single product and every single sale – potentially influencing every single consumer.
As such investment in warehouse management systems and IT infrastructure must be considered as a fully integrated solution – not just with other systems but with the very people who work in this area. Connecting business systems seamlessly with warehouse operatives delivers a huge additional boost on the effectiveness of those systems, and Voice Technology has repeatedly proved to deliver the quantifiable improvement in performance whilst satisfying the (human) needs of the workers. This technology enables warehouse operatives to work hands-and eyes-free, enabling them to concentrate fully on current tasks.
However, after realising the financial and operational benefits of ‘Picking by Voice’ it is imperative that you recognise Voice Technology as the disruptive technology that it can be – a real game changer!
Here are five tips to help optimise investment in these systems and, as a result, improve customer service, nurture loyalty and show a return on financial investment in months rather than years…
