As Ireland’s market leading DIY, Home and Garden Retailer, Woodie’s is committed to continuous improvement and growth. An investment in Quail Digital’s wireless headset systems has not only radically improved communication between its store associates - and hence availability of staff resources - but also provided a hands-free, lightweight solution to deliver better service levels across the entire shop floor, revolutionising Woodie’s overall in-store experience.
Providing friendly and knowledgeable staff, short wait times and good communication is absolutely critical for retailers, especially for those trading in the hardware sector, as they continue to rise in popularity amongst homeowners. With 35 stores nationwide, Woodie’s is one of the leading destinations for paint sales in the country. From power tools to gardening, the hardware retailer sells in all the main DIY categories and has recently entered into the kitchens market.
Given this demand for services, efficiency and reliability are key, which is why Woodie’s has implemented Quail Digital’s single channel headsets to ensure communication and proficiency is covered across every category, catering to the consumer desire for a quick and informative service.
Gavin Lambkin, IT Director, comments: 
“We found that our store associates were making a lot of journeys to and from the front to back of the store. While we’ve trialled other solutions such as walkie talkies, smart badges and tannoy speaker systems, we were unable to find an in-store communication solution that wasn’t outdated and would be suitable for our growing customer base.”
In order to enable staff to work effectively in an increasingly complex store environment, hardware retailers need to deploy a connected store model which will not only empower store associates to check stock and customer queries with each other, but will allow managers to reallocate in-store team members to specific areas as required - reorganising garden displays, replenishing paint samples, and so on.
And as Gavin confirms, the new system has helped staff to work more fluidly, offering an efficient service for the shopper:
“In the past, if a product failed to scan at the till because the barcode was damaged, a store associate would have to leave their post to go and find a replacement product. With the wireless headsets it’s very easy to just remotely ask a team member to get the price of the product - this quality of support and speed of resolution is fundamental.”
As a large store, Woodie’s can particularly feel the positive effects of this system during peak periods. The ability to contact every member of staff across the shop floor is a huge benefit for the retailer as it manages the busy rush of customer queries and product requests.
Gavin comments:
“During busy periods we get a large number of customers coming in-store looking for specific help or a particular product. Now that our staff are equipped with headsets, the store associate at the customer service desk is able to contact a category expert and ask them to come and help with the customer enquiry. This is such a time-saver, helping us to efficiently use all our resources and provide a better customer experience”
And while catering to the needs of the customer is paramount, it is also vital to Woodie’s that their in-store staff are well looked after.
Gavin says:
“We have a number of staff who are in the back office working on their own all day. With the introduction of the headset systems, these store associates no longer feel isolated because they have multiple people on the other end of the line. It’s a great solution for improving staff wealthfare and for injecting a bit of fun into the working day.”
In addition, the retailer has found that the implementation of this system has had a positive impact on the reduction in theft. By connecting the team via headsets, shoplifters are deterred from committing crimes out of fear that it will hinder their ability to get away easily.
“This is another unique benefit of these wireless headsets, providing our staff with the ability to react quickly to these situations, helping them to feel more secure,” says Gavin.
Gavin continues,
“We’re delighted with the results of Quail Digital’s headset systems and are looking forward to rolling them out in more of our stores. Connecting the team through headsets has allowed them to offer a more personalised, friendly and forward-thinking service. We believe our personal touches differentiate us from our competition, and it is clear that these headsets have helped to emphasise these touchpoints, supporting our goal of continuous improvement.”
Tom Downes, CEO, Quail Digital concludes:
“We’re pleased to be working with Woodie’s, they’re an innovative retailer where customer service is at the fore at all times. I’m delighted that our Pro7 headset system has met their requirements and is making a solid contribution to their in-store operations.”
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