Mobile apps take customer service to a new level
With stiff competition from online retailers, brick-and-mortar stores need to focus on improving customer service and the overall shopping experience. Delivering exceptional service can be challenging; insufficient checkout resources at peak times often lead to long lines, frustrated customers, and lost sales. However, a mobile app can help resolve these issues and elevate the
customer experience.
For example, a water testing database that is integrated into POS software can prevent staff from interrupting a lab technician who may be assisting a customer to view the test results from another customer. A live mobile application allows employees to use mobile tablets and smartphones to access the same data anywhere on the retail floor. Being able to help a customer with readily accessible information at any terminal or on any screen in-store improves service and builds an incredible amount of customer loyalty.
Retailers can also provide better and faster service to customers with the ‘line buster’ feature, which allows clients to avoid waiting in queue. Staff can use a tablet, integrated magnetic strip reader, or pocket barcode scanner to complete sales transactions, process credit cards, and e-mail receipts.
Further, staff can work the floor and perform inventory searches and access customer history or profiles instantly. Another popular trend many consumers have grown to expect is mobile shopping, where customers can purchase products on their phones and checkout in-store.
Better reporting, enhanced customer service, and increased profits
The integration of databases gives business owners the ability to view customer or employee reports, which informs them of any earned or lost profits from their water test printout sales. These figures can help businesses take immediate action to remedy the situation and target areas where sales staff need assistance to increase their numbers. Companies will no longer need to struggle with multiple reports from different systems to see what is happening in the business.
Being able to react quickly during the busy summer months is key, especially to ensure one can take control of their business and keep operations headed in the right direction. Specialty retailers using an integrated software system can place recent water testing customers in a POS queue. This not only saves time in the lab, but also at the cash register.
Further, management reports can keep owners connected to their business via smartphone or tablet—anywhere, any time. The software also allows access to charts and figures of booked and delivered sales, deposit totals, and employee work shifts. For these reasons, many managers keep their reports screen open at all times for instant access to daily snapshots of business operations.
