Monday, May 30, 2011

First Phone Helps Home Depot Customers

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Home Depot's First Phone is a Swiss army knife for employees, multi-use technology that enables people to check stock and answer customers' questions from the home improvement retailer's aisles.

The hand-held device functions as a phone, walkie-talkie and mobile cash register, in addition to an inventory management and business analytics tool, and is a far cry from Home Depot's alternate technology offering. In the past, the company had between three and five computers on carts that were pushed through the aisles, and employees carried walkie-talkies in their orange apron pockets.

The previously tech-shy Atlanta retailer now is embracing mobility and using it to enhance customer service.

"That has been a tremendous benefit in speeding up checkout," said Marvin Ellison, Home Depot executive vice president of U.S. Stores, of the First Phone in the company's first-quarter earnings call. "We're going to continue to put a big emphasis on it this year."

ajc story

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