In this episode of Telaid Tech Connect, host Beth Bergmann is joined by Martyn Jones, Chief Commercial Officer at VoCoVo. Martyn explores the power of voice communications to elevate operations and customer service and expounds on use cases in retail and the results VoCoVo customers have already seen.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [3:25] What challenges did you see in the marketplace that inspired VoCoVo to reinvent the way retail teams communicate on the floor?
• [6:11] How can VocoVo streamline operations? What are some before and after examples of VoCoVo deployments?
• [9:17] Can you provide an example of an innovative use case of VoCoVo in stores?
• [10:25] What are other integration examples that amplify the power of VoCoVo?
• [14:02] Why is the retail environment different than the office environment when it comes to voice communications?
• [15:10] Are there any use cases in other areas like safety or loss prevention?
• [19:40] Where do you see this kind of technology five years from now?

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• As humans, the primary communication we have is voice. But in retail environments, associates are all over the store, disconnected from others. VoCoVo allows associates to put on a headset and tap into every other individual on a specific "conference."
• With VoCoVo, if a customer approaches an associate and asks a question, they can retrieve the answer quickly, reducing wait times. If a customer is standing at a counter with locked merchandise, they can push a button and instantly connect with an associate in the store rather than waiting or wandering around the store in search of help. All of this improves the customer experience and reduces cart abandonment.
• One retailer has integrated VoCoVo with their in-store cameras and people-counting systems combined with AI. The system notifies associates how many more registers they need to open in how many minutes to accommodate traffic currently in the store.
• VoCoVo is API-driven, so there's a lot of flexibility to connect with other systems. We've seen retailers connect it to their workforce management systems to assign tasks to associates on the floor, or with CRM systems to notify associates when a particular customer walks in the store.
• VoCoVo can help deter crime and loss. Associates feel connected with the headsets. Our headsets can have a panic function put into them, which can dial into a police or monitoring center.
• The next generation of headsets will have a new set of features including app integration. This is important because we see lots of apps becoming voice enabled. Voice communications are becoming increasingly seamless.

LINKS MENTIONED

LinkedIn – Martyn Jones

VoCoVo

BIO:

Martyn is Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at VoCoVo where he is responsible for growing the company's partnerships, alliances and customer base, as well as expanding its presence across core markets in the UK, EMEA and North America. Martyn joined VoCoVo in October 2018 and has been instrumental in the growth of the business and the acquisition of its impressive portfolio of clients including Tesco, ASDA Walmart, Primark, Co-op, Morrisons and B&Q.

A sales and marketing expert with a proven track record of helping brands formulate and implement international growth plans, Martyn has previously worked as a freelance business consultant working with both large corporates and early-stage start-ups. He has also held a number of Head of Sales, Marketing and Product roles within the technology and industry sectors.

In this episode of Telaid Tech Connect, host Beth Bergmann is joined by Thom Schmitt, VP of Sales at ComplianceMate. They explore the value of IoT for complying with food safety regulations as well as achieving greater operational efficiency and reducing shrink.

IN THIS EPISODE: 

• [1:48] What major problems were foodservice operators facing?
• [2:28] What are some environmental or sustainability challenges?
• [3:25] How do all these technologies come together to help mitigate loss and support food safety and sustainability goals?
• [5:55] What is the operational role of IoT sensors?
• [7:25] What are some successful use cases?
• [8:35] What are some applications in c-stores?
• [9:51] What are some key points that we can arm operational leaders with to bring the solution to their executive teams?
• [15:15] What does food safety tech look like in next 5 years?

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

• Operators need to ensure they are complying with food safety regulations, while also reducing waste.
• We have temperature monitors that monitor temperature 24/7, automatically generating notifications if the temperature has fallen outside the specified range. The tool also digitizes any type of checklist that goes on within an operation to ensure employees are doing what they are supposed to be doing, when they are supposed to be doing it.
• IoT is not new – the biggest things measured are temp and humidity, but IoT ecosystem offer the opportunity to expand into measurement of many more elements.
• IoT devices also provide data over time, so when the health department comes in, the operator can present them with documentation that shows them temperatures in coolers over time.
• ROI on this solution is very quick because operators keep thousands of dollars of product in coolers and if one breaks, all the food is lost. Coolers are mechanical devices, and they break down about once every 60 months.
• In the future, we'll see sensor technology measuring elements we have not yet considered as well as advancement through the development of AI and predictive analytics.

LINKS MENTIONED

LinkedIn – Thom Schmitt

www.compliancemate.com

BIO:

Thom Schmitt serves as Vice President of Sales at ComplianceMate, bringing over 30 years of experience directing sales of SaaS Solutions as well as consumer/industrial electronics. Thom joined CM Systems, LLC in 2011 having previously worked for over 20 years at Hitachi Electronic Devices USA. Over the course of his career, Thom has forged longstanding relationships with his customers, including Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Chick-fil-A, and several other nationally known restaurant concepts. Thom has also worked with several leading retailers and grocers including Hy Vee and Roche Brothers. Thom holds a BA from the University of Iowa.

In this episode of Telaid Tech Connect, Eric Dalton, Operations Leader at Walmart joins Beth Bergmann to discuss Walmart's IoT dashboard initiative in the deli and bakery departments. Eric explores the growing use cases for IoT and automation in facilities management and beyond.

IN THIS EPISODE: 

• [2:05] What was the genesis of this IoT dashboard project at Walmart and what were some of the challenges the different departments were facing?
• [7:07] What is the vision for the "smart store" and how does it work?
• [8:40] What is the role of IoT in energy conservation?
• [9:37] What challenges have you encountered with this project?
• [12:04] What KPIs are you tracking to assess the success of this project?
• [15:09] Are there any unanticipated use cases you've come across along the way?
• [17:30] What technologies do you see revolutionizing retail in the next 5 years?

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

The start of this IoT initiative goes back to facilities management. We were seeking ways to deliver maintenance at a lower cost, respond more quickly to maintenance requests and send the right responder to the right place with the right part to resolve the problem quickly. We found associates in the deli and bakery reporting "my oven does not work," but there was no additional detail available, so the technician generally made one trip to troubleshoot and then another trip to repair. We knew embedded IoT could provide information about the reasons for failure, as well as the make and model of the equipment so the technician could take the right part.

We realized along the way that there was also valuable operational data available that could help associates increase efficiency and better serve customers.

Our vision for the smart store is that we leverage IoT wherever we can to pull disparate data into one place and make decisions on systems as a whole.

IoT is a powerful tool for energy management because there are so many systems operating at once and synthesized data provides context. So if a door is left open and it notifies you but it's not a priority, but then you notice the HVAC system kicks on, you know to go close the door to stop wasting energy.

The IoT dashboard project was bigger than expected. We want to have all data in one place to better operate the building as a system. Connectivity and scalability were two of the major challenges we faced.

To evaluate the success of the project, we will be looking at KPIs like increased uptime, the number of work orders, and sales increases connected with decreased downtime.

LINKS MENTIONED

LinkedIn – Eric Dalton

BIO:

Currently serving as Senior Director, Facilities Management at Walmart, Eric Dalton is an operations, global facilities and supply chain management leader. He has a passion for strengthening operations through vision, strategy and technology and is currently responsible for building a team and processes dedicated to supporting the growing number of robotics, automation, and IoT systems and technology solutions at Walmart.

Prior to joining Walmart, Eric worked with other Fortune 500 companies including FedEx, where he provided technology support for FedEx's shipping solutions. Eric's career began in the US Navy where he developed a global perspective and developed team leadership skills as a nuclear power technician.

Focused on building organizational capability and excellence in execution, Eric continues to spearhead new automation initiatives.