Q&A: Iceland head of IT on how tech tie-up is improving in-store security and efficiency

Iceland has joined forces with VoCoVo, the company responsible for designing a headset specifically for retail use. It helps colleagues communicate with each other at the push of a button, while also facilitating a better customer experience.

The Series 5 Pro headset has recently been rolled out across all of Iceland’s 900 plus stores. VoCoVo is also working with the likes of Dunelm and Asda.

With more retailers exploring in-store tech and looking to improve the shopping experience, Tysoe and Robinson discuss how the rollout is impacting so far and consider other tech that can help boost operations.

How are these headsets improving the experience of staff?

Emma Tysoe: “We have an internal Facebook group and some comments on there reflected that colleagues felt safer. It’s also definitely supporting our drive to reduce theft and stock loss, and colleagues are able to call each other for support easily, if needed.

“The headsets act as a deterrent (to crime), they save time, and if a colleague needs help at the checkout or help with a delivery, they can quickly get it rather than having to walk around. And it speeds up customer service as colleagues can quickly ask somebody in the back area if we’ve got a product.

“I also spoke to our heads of stores, and the thing I didn’t expect was that they felt it helps aid coaching of colleagues. So if the store manager is in one of the aisles and there’s a problem, they can deal with it there and then in the moment, rather than thinking, ‘Well, when I see so-and-so, I’ll then speak to them about that’.

“So, loads of really great feedback from both our store colleagues and our heads of stores.”

How does this benefit customers?

Olivia Robinson: “When you put the headset on and the customer has a question, the answer is always at the push of a button. We’re now used to getting an Amazon delivery sometimes the same day, so customers are no longer willing to wait, and so we try and empower the colleagues to give that same experience to keep customers coming back to the store.

“When customers come to the store, generally speaking, it’s for the experience, and it’s all about making that experience as seamless as possible. So I’d say that’s one of the benefits on the customer side as well.”

What other plans does Iceland have in terms of tech?

ET: “From our perspective, the first thing that we’re looking at is the Application Programming Interface (API) notifications. We’re at trial now in half a dozen stores with notifications for delivery partner orders – where there’s a driver there within minutes of the order being placed.

“As soon as an order is placed for one of those delivery partners, it notifies the colleagues in that store to go and pick the products.

“While we want to add more tech, we want to be really conscious that we don’t make it too ‘noisy’. I think finding that balance going forward is going to be interesting because there are so many use cases.”

Why did Iceland want to partner with VoCoVo?

ET: “Times have changed and there are various factors that have meant that this has had to go up in priority. The security of our store colleagues being one of them. But also in terms of connecting the store colleagues; it’s far more efficient if you’ve got a few colleagues in the store not having to walk to the back area to find someone if you need to get that customer support.

“So if you wanted two reasons why we did it, it’s to improve the efficiency and collaboration of the store and the security of store colleagues to make them feel safer.”

OR: “The S5 Pro headset that we’re referring to here is the first retail-built headset on the market. It can be used across both the supply chain and manufacturing sites. It depends on the use case, but we have had a couple of retailers that have taken us backwards into that supply chain and into manufacturing sites.”