Retail vacancies are at an all time high, and this is putting a lot of pressure on stores. Managers are facing two major challenges at once: attracting new associates and making the most of the ones they already have. Luckily, we can help with both.
Where have all the associates gone?
The pandemic caused millions of people to reevaluate their priorities. Having got used to spending time with their families, many were reluctant to return to work. 47 million US workers quit their jobs in 2021, and one in four plan to resign in 2022. This has led to over 10 million job vacancies, or 1.8 jobs for every worker.
Labor shortages have hit the retail sector especially hard. As well as losing existing associates, retailers are at a huge disadvantage when it comes to recruiting. More than half of job seekers want to work from home at least some of the time, and stores simply can’t offer this option. This has left them out of step with the demands of modern employees.
Customers have become less patient
The pandemic didn’t just change associates’ priorities. Millions of customers got used to shopping online, and this shifted their expectations for physical retail. Having experienced the speed and convenience of ecommerce, customers now have little patience for in-store delays:
- 93% of customers have frustrations with in-store shopping
- One in four are frustrated by checkout queues
- Over a quarter of customers will leave a store if they haven’t been served within five minutes
Breaking the cycle
Stores are in a difficult position. Customers expect immediate service, but there aren’t enough associates to provide it. This puts even more pressure on your team, further increasing the risk of resignations.
The only way to break this cycle is to attract new associates, but this won’t happen overnight. In the meantime, you need to find ways to ease the pressure on the ones you already have. This is where we can help. Our system keeps colleagues connected at all times so that you can do more with less:
- Headsets let colleagues find information and check stock levels without crossing the store. This reduces daily walking distance by an average of 1.4km per colleague.
- The hands-free design allows colleagues to share information while continuing to perform manual jobs. This increases daily task efficiency by up to 105 minutes.
- Two way customer call points let customers speak to a colleague without searching for them. Colleagues can answer questions via their headsets, saving time for themselves and the customer.
- Checkout keypads allow colleagues to call for assistance without leaving their position. Colleagues can continue to serve while they wait for help to arrive, preventing queues from getting out of hand.
How VoCoVo can speed up the self-checkout process:
The ability to communicate instantly over long distances means that associates do not feel rushed off their feet, even when numbers are tight. It also reduces waiting times for customers, leading to a better experience for everyone:
- Associates at British Hardware chain B&Q were able to resolve customer queries 25% faster with VoCoVo
- British pharmacy chain Boots found that customers were 150% happier with waiting times
By reducing pressure on associates, we hope that VoCoVo can make your store more attractive to job seekers. In the meantime, we’re here to support you when numbers are tight. Give us a call to find out more.