Retail surgery: How mobile tech helps retail operations

Efficient retail field operations are crucial for a successful retail business as a web of communication, store visits, reviews, reporting, and task management takes place daily.

Achieving brand consistency – a primary function for retail field operations – is imperative and can be costly if unsuccessful.

Through in-store Wi-Fi, low-cost mobile devices for field and store staff, and availability of easy-to-implement cloud-based applications, retailers will improve efficiency, visual merchandising compliance and brand consistency.

Technology provider StorIQ founder Peter Wake, explained: “Area managers bridge head office with visual merchandising and stores.

“They’re responsible for ensuring all policies and procedures are followed.

As they spend considerable time preparing and conducting store visits a mobile toolset designed to optimise this time is extremely valuable.”

Enabling fast changes

The ability to implement high quality change at pace is essential.

Consider a seasonal campaign where guidelines are distributed by head office, interpreted and implemented by store managers then reviewed by area managers.

Even with a well-structured operations process this can take weeks, and visual marketing teams are already on their next campaign.

Contrast that to online campaigns which are rapidly launched with immediate review capabilities.

Wake continued: “With the right platform, stores can implement campaigns and use mobile technology to take pictures, which can be accessed by head office in real time. By using a built-in task management system brand consistent campaigns can be implemented quickly and effectively.”

Wake concluded: “Retail field operations and brand consistency have a direct impact on the retailer’s ability to deliver an enjoyable consumer experience.

“Software built specifically for operations communication and task management, provides a collaborative platform that enables rapid feedback, driving brand continuity, best practice, and competent execution across the estate.”