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Catering to individual preferences
A human-technology partnership blends staffed tills with self-service options, offering flexibility to suit different shopper requirements. This balance gives customers the option of making a quick exit if they want to, while maintaining traditional tills for those with fuller baskets or who simply prefer human contact. Providing both options helps manage footfall more effectively, reduce bottlenecks and support different shopping behaviors.
Some retailers have started removing self-checkout machines from select stores in response to customer feedback. But rolling back self-checkout deployments doesn’ t mean that technology needs to be rolled back as well. Instead, it should be used more intelligently to improve the experience for everyone.
Wearable headsets are improving coordination between team members, whether they are on the tills, monitoring the self-service checkouts or supporting in the click & collect and returns areas. And it gives an opportunity for customers to see how technology integrations can directly benefit their shopping experience. Shoppers looking for that human interaction can talk to someone if they wish, but know that technology is there to help if needed. For example, if a self-service checkout requires intervention due to a fault, a colleague can call on another team member for help. Or if long queues are starting to form at in-store pickup stations, the
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