Woolworths is one of the store chains that is pioneering
wireless technology.
It is implementing mobile technology across its 824 stores in time
for the busy Christmas season to help meet the demands of its
customers and improve service at the till point.
The retailer will be rolling out two to three mobile electronic
point-of-sale terminals per store based on chip and Pin-compliant
hardware to keep on top of the annual Christmas rush.
The main benefit of wireless Epos is the ability to cut queues and
customer waiting time, both of which can be huge problems at
Christmas. It also helps staff check stock availability faster as
the mobile Epos is connected to the warehouse management
system.
Tony Godwin, IT director at Woolworths, said, "We have six times as
many customers at Christmas and we have found that the addition of
traditional fixed tills is not practical in our attempt to minimise
queuing for our customers."
Mobile till technology gives Woolworths more flexibility by
allowing staff to serve customers from anywhere in the store. This
means more customers want to visit the store because they know they
won't have to queue, he said.
Woolworths is using Smart Switch software from Retail Logic and
Xplorer mobile chip and Pin-compliant terminals from Dione with its
own mobile retail management system and Epos platform using the
NordicID RF600 terminals.
This will allow assistants using the handheld devices to roam the
store and complete customer transactions, including scanning
merchandise, card payment and receipt printing.