Samsung has teamed up with Fujitsu to revolutionize in-store retail operations. At the National Retail Federation's Big Show in New York City, Fujitsu launched a new software solution that creates a secure two-way collaborative digital communication platform between the company's U-Scan Self-Checkout (SCO) or Fresco Point-of-Sale (POS) touchscreen systems and Samsung's smartwatches. This new system promotes enhanced staff responsiveness and overall store efficiency in convenience, grocery and retail environments.
This patent pending system enables retail staff to perform their core duties while having hands-free access to important alerts and messages in order to make sure that the in-store operations are running smoothly. The system can push alerts manually and automatically from SCO and POS units to Samsung Gear smartwatches for scenarios in which a price check is needed, when sensitive items need to be retrieved from a locked case and when age verification is required for a customer purchasing alcohol or tobacco products.
The alerts are sent to Samsung Gear smartwatches with a haptic, hard to ignore notification that also includes action-oriented details that are prioritized so that staff members know which pressing issues they have to address first. Actions that need physical input from the manager in current retail environments will be handled directly on the smartwatch once this system is adopted by retailers.
Intercom systems will also be replaced by this system as it will rely on Fujitsu's wearable alerts system to discreetly notify staff members when sensitive tasks like replenishing a cash register need to be handled. All two-way communication between SCO and POS units as well as Samsung Gear smartwatches are secured by Samsung Knox.
It's unclear at this point in time when this system will go live in retail stores across the globe.
