Categories: Trends

How Technology Helps Retail Staffing

Smiling businesswomen using cell phone during break in office

In a large retail company, technology has become essential for organizing freelancer staff and their schedules. Staying on a consistent schedule helps to keep everyone balanced and lets managers forecast future needs during certain seasons, months, weeks or even hours of the day. Inconsistent customer service and scheduling can leave sales on the table, something that no business wants.

Managers have enough responsibilities to handle within the workplace so a well-designed mobile or computer app can be a major stress reliever. This way, all information can be documented in one place, and the entire staff can see their weekly schedule.

In a competitive work environment, efficiency is essential for lasting success. Proper training and understanding of certain methods will help to make a manger’s entire process smoother. This can translate into more accurate outcomes for the company. Everyone is looking for a cost-cutting, faster way of operating in the retail industry. With the right mix of technology, data analysis, and input from managers, organizations can create more optimal schedules.

According to a recent McKinsey & Company study:

A data-driven approach to scheduling and budgeting can improve customer service and produce between 4 and 12 percent in cost savings.
The most effective types of scheduling systems balance human needs, customer needs and business needs in a fair and transparent way.
The best types of scheduling services involve both managers and software, but to inform them on how optimal schedules stack up against predicted forecasts.