Lowe’s has announced a new effort to make it simpler for its employees to help customers by arming its store associates with 42,000 iPhones that can complete transactions and will replace the traditional scanners.
The iPhones have already started to be implemented by the home improvement retailer in its American and Canadian stores, and the company anticipates the completion of the rollout by the fiscal year’s close. Using the iPhones to replace the scanner guns lets employees answer customer queries more easily and assist them in completing their purchases.
According to Abby Buford, a spokesperson for Lowe’s, the iPhones will allow Lowe’s associates to check store inventory, use the retailer’s official website, and view how-to videos. She added that “We will continue to add functionality to the devices over time, but this will allow for a simple and seamless transition between customers and employees.”
Buford explained that the goal of this initiative is to make it easier for customers to take on home improvement projects and for Lowe’s employees to help them with those projects.
Lowe’s isn’t alone in its implementation of mobile devices. A number of retailers are providing their employees with them for similar reasons. For example, Home Depot, a competitor of Lowe’s, gave Motorola devices to their employees last year.
The iPhones being used by Lowe’s employees will eventually allow the store associates to text message, email, and make mobile calls, as well as process debit and credit card transactions. Moreover, it has been speculated that Lowe’s may also have intentions to integrate these mobile point-of-sale devices into its wider mobile marketing strategy.
