Introduction
The current retail landscape is a combination of brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce. While online shopping offers convenience, several people prefer shopping at brick-and-mortar stores owing to the personalized experience. To further amp their customer experience, retailers are seeking technologies that can help streamline their in-house operational efficiency. Push-to-talk apps are gaining traction in the retail industry as they help retailers simplify their inter and intra-store communication and enhance their customer service.
The retail industry is brimming with competition and modern consumers expect nothing less than fast services and a best-in-class shopping experience. This is why most retailers are keen on streamlining their operational efficiency. Walkie-talkie radios have been used by retailers to drive connectivity between their in-store staff for years. But, walkie-talkie radios are turning outdated and they no longer support the dynamic needs of the retail industry.
Why Are Walkie-Talkie Radios Not Ideal for the Modern Retail Environment?
Several retailers consciously avoid walkie-talkie radios because they are not aesthetically pleasing and do not go with the store ambiance. The first-generation walkie-talkie radios present massive background noise resulting in unclear communication and offering connectivity over a limited range. Sales executives assist your customers from the time they step into your store and require quick, hassle-free and reliable communication with their team members.
Unfortunately, walkie-talkie radios do not deliver the desired efficiency. However, walkie-talkies are evolving to suit modern communication needs and we now have push-to-talk apps available in the market that allow users to convert their smartphones into walkie-talkies and connect with anyone, anywhere over cellular networks.
What Are Push-To-Talk Apps?
Push-to-talk or PTT apps are tools that can help users to leverage walkie-talkie-like push-button and half-duplex communication from their smartphones. Unlike walkie-talkie radios, these push-to-talk apps, also called walkie-talkie apps, enable push-to-talk over cellular (PoC) networks. They are easily compatible with Android and iOS smartphones and do not require special licenses or permissions.
How Do Push-to-Talk Apps Help Retailers Thrive?
Walkie-talkies, although outdated now, have helped retailers to empower their in-store staff with instant connectivity to ensure operational efficiency. Modern-day communication methods such as phone calls, emails and text messages are impractical for retailers since most of the retail staff are involved in public-facing activities.
Thankfully, push-to-talk apps are designed keeping in mind simplified and reliable communication which is why they bring not push-to-talk, but several other capabilities to improve in-store communication and provide enhanced customer service.
Here’s how walkie-talkie apps help retailers thrive:
1-1 and 1-Many Communication
With push-to-talk apps, your in-store staff can quickly connect with their colleagues individually, or conduct group calls to make fast and informed decisions. Customers visiting the store need to be provided with appropriate assistance and solutions at the earliest. PTT apps let you create open and closed channels based on various teams, locations and departments. You can connect with your warehouse team, employees at the stockroom, billing counter or other retail outlets within seconds, without making your customers wait for too long.
No Need to Carry Bulky Walkie-Talkie Radios
Walkie-talkie radios are bulky devices that may not go with the theme of every retail store. Push-to-talk apps integrate seamlessly into sleek Android and iOS smartphones which can make in-store communication look less clumsy. Your sales executives can go hands-free and help your customers with the right products instead of juggling around a large and noisy radio device.
Global Coverage & High-Quality Audio
Push-to-talk apps leverage cellular networks such as 3G, 4G and WiFi networks to offer crystal clear and encrypted communication. Your staff can connect with anyone in-store or even communicate instantly with remotely located teams. For example, your sales executives can instantly connect with the warehouse to check for stock availability or connect with the headquarters to confirm discount details.
Multi-Media Messaging
Push-to-talk apps enable your employees to leverage capabilities beyond voice communication. You can share images, videos, and business-critical documents such as receipts, invoices, contracts and purchase orders. You can get rid of bulky paperwork and opt for an environment-friendly and time-saving method to exchange information.
Location Sharing
Retail outlets could be as small as a tiny kiosk, or as large as thousands of square feet of area. With newer trends coming up such as omnichannel retail, just-in-time, and same-day deliveries, it gets complicated to keep a tab on the distributed retail teams. Modern-day PTT apps allow retail managers to keep a track of their employees’ locations. You can leverage GPS-based location tracking or create geofences to monitor your employees’ whereabouts without having them call you 10 times a day to report their activities.
Team Monitoring
Most professional push-to-talk apps allow retailers to gain deep insights and analytics on a comprehensive dashboard to assess their employees’ performances. You can track your staff’s daily clock-ins and clock-outs, attendance, average working hours and much more.
Push-To-Talk Apps: More Than Just Walkie-Talkies
Push-to-talk apps go beyond the walkie-talkie-like press-button connectivity and allow the retail industry to leverage extensive communication capabilities. Powerful PTT apps like NuovoTeam allow retailers to not only connect with anyone, anywhere but also keep track of their distributed teams. Your employees situated at the headquarters or backend can easily make PTT calls and connect with the frontline staff straight from their desktops or PCs using the Desktop PTT. You can also help your distributed teams stay connected on the go by syncing your organization’s corporate directory for easy contact management.
Why struggle with age-old walkie-talkies or settle for tedious phone calls to connect with your team members? In retail, time is of the essence and push-to-talk apps help speed up communication and deliver reliable connectivity thereby facilitating first-class customer service.
