Anyone who works retail will tell you that no two days are exactly the same. For this reason, software that enables lightning fast, crystal clear, real-time communication can make or break a retail team’s ability to successfully manage exceptions.

Zello enables frontline and back-room employees to quickly communicate to solve the problems that could otherwise lead to a negative customer interaction and hurt the company’s bottom line.

Let’s take a look at three ways that Zello’s push-to-talk technology helps retailers thrive every day.

1. Retailers use channels to resolve problems fast

Globally, retailers use Zello to speed up their work and meet customer expectations of fast delivery of goods and excellent service.

For instance, let’s say an excited customer arrives at a large furniture retailer in Florida as soon as the store opens to pick up a custom chair that she pre-ordered. 

However, when the customer arrives at the service desk, the worker notices on the computer that the particular chair isn’t in stock as it should be.

Rather than disappoint the customer with the news, the worker tries to quickly solve the problem before the customer can get anxious. First, the customer service worker taps her iPad that’s loaded with the Zello app. 

Next, she speaks into her headset to ask the warehouse to locate the chair. Because Zello runs on Wi-Fi or cellular, there are none of the same sound quality issues that occur with systems that run on radio signal; in fact, with Zello, the sound quality is reliably excellent.

Behind the scenes, the warehouse staff quickly sends a message over a Zello channel that has been set up to connect the inventory managers at more than a dozen of the brand’s stores in the region. 

One of those managers confirms that their store has been delivered accidentally to them. The manager says he can deliver the chair to the customer’s home that afternoon.

Now the warehouse manager taps Zello, contacts the customer service desk on the floor, and reports the solution. 

In minutes, customer service is able to relay the good news to the customer, who leaves satisfied with the resolution before she even knew there was a problem. She will have her chair today!

No matter the exception, retailers who use Zello benefit from lightning fast, crystal clear communications and channels that can be configured any way they choose.

2. Retailers can communicate without customers hearing

When managing exceptions, it’s common that retailers don’t want the customers to feel anxious about whatever problem might arise. With Zello, communications among leaders is as discreet as possible. 

At a large, upscale food retailer in Europe, everyone on the floor and in the backroom uses Zello for quick communication. All workers wear headsets that are wirelessly connected to iPads loaded with the Zello app. Every department in the store, from meats, to dairy, to takeout, has its own Zello channel, and there is also a channel for department leaders as well.

According to one store leader, the latter channel came in especially handy a few months ago when the fries caught fire! The person at the fries station called the fire department. He needed all the store leaders to come help immediately, but he didn’t want to alarm the customers; using Zello, the manager at the fries station put out a call for help.

As the fire department extinguished the flames, the leaders were then able to assist with an orderly evacuation from the store.  

“In the past, we would have had to call customer service and have them make an announcement. All the customers would have heard. This way, with Zello, it’s more discrete,” the leader said.

Thanks to the fire department and Zello, the leadership team was able to calmly move shoppers out of the store and manage a tremendous exception while keeping customers safe and preventing panic.

3. Retailers can help frontline workers stay secure

Zello helps retailers feel more secure while also increasing their ability to prevent losses.

Many employees who see a theft in progress are reluctant to intervene in the moment due to fear for their own security. However, Zello enables workers to silently and instantly send a photo of an offender to a security officer on the premises. 

Zello also equips frontline workers with an emergency alert button. If a worker feels threatened, they can press the button on their device. This will instantly alert either a security detail or leadership team that there is trouble. By equipping frontline workers with Zello, retail leaders are letting their employees know they are never truly alone.

How Zello Helps Retailers Manage Exceptions

Every day, Zello is helping retailers across the globe manage the exceptions that threaten customer satisfaction and the company profits. 

With Zello’s digital push-to-talk technology, backroom and frontline workers can instantly connect, and so can teams within one store or across multiple retail locations. 

Retailers are using Zello to speed up problem solving and enable discrete communications among store leaders while managing exceptions. Retailers are also using Zello to increase security of their employees and prevent losses.

Find out more about how Zello helps retailers excel at their jobs.