The path for physical retailers after the pandemic seemed almost a sure shot win-win. Free of two years of isolation, consumers were expected to hit the high streets once again, craving to spend. Boosted by the renewed spending and their recent adoption of technology, the forecast was positive for traditional brick and mortar stores, with an upwards period of recovery and growth.
The expected ‘normalisation’ of life also coincided with the Great Resignation. Many employees decided to discover the great unknown, to experiment with career choices and relocate from urban areas.
Projections for the retail sector have also unfortunately been offset by a global cost of living crisis, reduced consumer spending and increased energy overheads for businesses.
So, in a challenging scenario, how can retailers manage labour shortages and retain their star performers? In part, the answer lies in automation. Glory’s cash automation solutions relieve retailers of some crucial yet automatable everyday tasks. Whether it is through our self-checkout or kiosk solutions, we help increase staff efficiency, speed and security by decreasing the dependency on people to carry out tasks that are not inherently human.
Cash automation solutions can help address staff shortages faced by retailers. Here are 5 ways how:
It’s all about choice
When you don’t have the staff you need, automating parts of the customer journey can keep your store open without sacrificing your customer’s experience. Self-checkout solutions in a store give retailers the choice of where to deploy staff to ensure smooth day-today operations, whether that’s helping customers, keeping shelves filled or coordinating with suppliers.
Customers first
Taking out repetitive manual tasks means your staff can be reassigned to customer facing, service-oriented roles. With Glory’s front and back-office cash automation solutions, retailers can better utilise their resources and function smoothly with fewer staff.
Eliminating risk
Cash automation solutions eliminate the need for staff to handle cash, whether at the POS or the back office. For retailers, this can also dramatically shorten start and end of day processes and remove cash shrinkage concerns.
Less stress, less turnover
Tasks involving handling cash are often a source of stress for many employees, especially when it comes to till drawer preparation and end of day reconciliation. In the long term, this can also lead to higher turnover rates as staff leave for other opportunities. By automating these tasks, cash automation solutions and self-checkout counters remove this burden and help retailers maintain staff morale and productivity.
Reduced training
A fluid workforce means that the time spent on staff training for till and back-office processes can end up wasted and repeated every time a new staff member is onboarded. For retailers who take advantage of Glory’s cash automation solutions, the level of training for many of these tasks can be greatly reduced. This means newly hired staff members can be on the shop floor, delivering great service to customers faster.
Over the years, Glory’s portfolio of cash automation solutions has helped retailers increase their efficiency, enhance security, and release staff to focus on delivering great retail experiences.
To find out how Glory’s cash automation solutions can help you manage labour challenges in your retail business, read our ebook, or contact us at info@uk.glory-global.com
