3 Things: Container Store: Walkie-Talkies Out, Wearables in

wearables

CONTAINER STORE TO OUTFIT EMPLOYEES WITH WEARABLES TO AID COMMUNICATION


Container Store employees will be going hands-free by the end of July. The Coppell-based retailer is partnering with Richardson-based Theatro to supply some 3,000 Container Store employees with Theatro wearables to replace the walkie-talkies they currently use.

The goal is to improve in-store communications by deploying the devices by the end of July. The wearables will be used initially at 70 of the company’s 80 locations, but eventually they will be employed at all Container Store (NYSE: TCS) locations.

wearables

A Container Store employee wears a Theatro device on her hip while helping a customer. (Photo courtesy Container Store)

“At The Container Store, we are constantly looking for innovative solutions to not only enhance our customers’ experience, but also help our employees work even more efficiently,” John Thrailkill, executive vice president of IT and Business Development for The Container Store, said in a release.

WEARABLES ENABLE HANDS-FREE COMMUNICATION

Thralkill said, “Theatro’s service is an intuitive, hands-free solution that lets us deliver immediate and superior service while seamlessly accessing critical information to help us better serve the customer.”

He said that the device gives Container Store employees immediate access to store resources such as the status of pickup orders and inventory availability via a conversational voice user interface.

Thralkill said the Theatro wearable will create “less wait time for customers and better staff productivity all around..”

The wearable’s apps will enable employees to have one-to-one conversations, share expertise and product information, and guide new teammates in a hands-free manner.

wearable

Container Store will use Theatro’s enterprise wearable. Photo courtesy Theatro.

Theatro provides mobile solutions for companies in the retail, hospitality, and manufacturing sectors by bringing together IoT wearables and new workforce-optimized apps in an SaaS offering.

Container Store is the top national retailer of storage and organization products, originating that retail sector in 1978 with its first store.

Theatro announced earlier this year that Cabela’s Inc., the outdoor outfitter for hunting, fishing, and outdoor gear, will use the the wearable technology. Cabella’s has North Texas stores in Fort Worth and Allen.


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