By Amber Hovious, VP Marketing and Partnerships at Teamwork Commerce
Labor shortage is a pressing concern for the retail industry. According to Statista, 3,053 employees working in retail went on strike in the US last year. Low staff numbers don't just affect retailers directly, they also lead to long queues and slower operations that hinder the customer's shopping experience. To mitigate the impact, retailers need to improve efficiency at the point of sale and serve customers seamlessly even with reduced staff. Technologies like RFID-powered self-checkout and mobile POS help reduce checkout queues, prioritize customer needs, and free up associates' time so they can serve more customers in less time.
Enhancing self-checkout with RFID
According to CapitalOne, 79.3% of consumers use self-checkout regularly, and an estimated 10,000 global retailers will have installed self-checkout systems by 2024. Despite that popularity, plenty of problems keep surfacing: scanning errors, bagging-area weight issues, and product registration failures that turn a process meant to be quick into a source of frustration. RFID-powered self-checkout addresses this directly. Once items are placed in a designated area, RFID readers scan everything in a customer's basket immediately and accurately, letting shoppers complete checkout in 30 seconds or less with minimal staff assistance required. Freed from checkout terminals, in-store staff can spend more time providing value elsewhere, personally assisting customers and building the kind of relationships that boost loyalty.
How mobile POS adds flexibility
For customers who prefer a human-led checkout, mobile POS lets retailers empower staff to serve customers from anywhere in the store rather than being tied to a stationary kiosk. That flexibility means staff can meet customers on the shop floor, answer questions, and complete checkouts on the spot, reducing wait times. Mobile POS also lets staff offer a range of payment options and a more personal service, since inventory data, purchase history, and buying preferences are all available at their fingertips, making it easier to deliver a tailored experience quickly.
The key to operational efficiency
POS technology plays an important role on the shop floor during labor shortages, but retailers also need to streamline wider operations like inventory management and order fulfillment. RFID technology can automate stock counts, freeing hours that would otherwise go into manual stocktakes. RFID-powered stock counters update stock-level records in real time. In-store associates simply wave a handheld reader over inbound stock to near-instantly scan every item-level tagged product, giving retailers the information they need to relocate stock and keep shelves replenished efficiently, and sparing customers the disappointment of out-of-stock items. That same RFID foundation also supports omnichannel fulfillment options like Buy Online Pickup In-Store, Buy Online Ship From Store, and Buy Online Return In-Store, letting customers shop however suits them while keeping each transaction efficient for staff.
Labor shortage remains a pressing challenge, but technology can meaningfully offset its impact. By leaning on mobile POS and RFID, retailers can improve operational efficiency and empower staff to serve more customers in less time, even during the busiest shopping periods with reduced headcount.