IDC PlanScape Report Highlights Need for Retail Workforce Optimization Technology

In today’s retail environment, shoppers are increasingly selecting products or making final purchases online — but still heading to brick-and-mortar locations to check out products in person, enjoy hands-on experiences, or find personalized shopping opportunities.

The pandemic is bringing shoppers online faster than ever before, and that trend is making workforce optimization a top priority for retailers as they pivot into new hybrid business models.

To make the most of this opportunity — even as labor force issues make it harder to attract, train, and retain qualified frontline workers — retailers need a smarter approach to managing their workforce.

That’s where YOOBIC comes in: according to the latest IDC PlanScape: Workforce Optimization in Retail^[1] report, YOOBIC is now a key partner helping many retail leaders to boost store efficiency, drive employee engagement, and deliver customer excellence in the post-pandemic era.

According to IDC, workforce optimization solutions are crucial because they empower employees to immerse themselves in the customer experience, while using artificial intelligence to provide real-time data that can improve online sales and employee performance. The result is more satisfied customers, less employee turnover, and a better experience for everyone.

Providing frontline workers with the proper tools can free them from less satisfying tasks and refocus their efforts on meaningful work that enhances the customer experience. Such tools include phone apps that allow users the ability to self-schedule, manage tasks and track inventory. Companies that have employed this strategy have enhanced their metrics, seeing higher productivity, reduced turnover and improved customer service.

“Due to Covid-driven changes in the workforce, store labor is less experienced, lower skilled, and more expensive than before,” IDC’s analysts state. “To deliver the excellent customer experiences that will create lifetime loyalty, future-ready retailers must put in place digital workforce optimization tools that streamline store operations, improve communication and employee retention, and enhance associate training and customer satisfaction.”

IDC’s report cites YOOBIC’s use by Boots, the iconic British pharmacy and retail chain, as a key example of the power of workforce optimization technology partnerships.

Choosing a partner that can deliver both strategic value and mobile-first solutions, as well as a full ecosystem of integrated retail-specific workforce tools, has never been more important, the report notes. 

By digitizing in-store processes, YOOBIC is helping Boots to streamline workflows across its 2,500 stores, easing the burden on frontline workers while ensuring a consistent customer experience.

Digitized task management enables Boots sales associates to complete critical tasks via a single mobile app, with easy access to daily and weekly checklists, safety logbooks, and merchandising resources. YOOBIC also provides real-time feedback and visibility on task execution for regional offices and national HQ, helping ensure compliance and enabling store teams to gain timely feedback and guidance.

For more information on how YOOBIC helps retailers level up workforce optimization, read these success stories!

^[1] IDC, IDC PlanScape: Workforce Optimization in Retail, August 2021, IDC #US46599020