Clarity Consulting Inc. today demonstrated a new Unified Communications (UC) retail solution at Microsoft's Office System Developer Conference in San Jose, California. The innovative solution -- highlighted in today's keynote and at Microsoft booth 129-4 -- was created to increase productivity and reduce costs for retailers while improving the shopping experience for consumers and showcasing business opportunities for developers.

Clarity's UC system features Microsoft's Office Communications Server and a combination of hardware and software components that let retail sales associates "go mobile." Using table PCs, the solution lets associates get away from the counter and get onto the floor, where they can provide better service to customers and increase sales. Each tablet PC features UC software that enables:

• Product Lookup: find key items, pricing information and images -- using the SKU or a bar code scan -- from the retailer's product catalog or database. Monitor start of day (SOD) inventory status in-store and at participating stores on-network.
• Inventory Check: initiate Inventory Check requests to any sales associate "online" -- whether around the corner or around the country. If accepted, the recipient sees the product look-up info for the item and is connected to the originating sales associate via voice or IM to answer questions.
• Checkout: complete sales on-the-spot. The tablet PC displays a simple tender screen with payment type and details -- the customer can complete the transaction and take the receipt or fill in his/her email address and have it emailed to them.
• Customer Callback Request: answer customer inquiries real-time. Receive a request notification -- along with details about the transaction including a copy of the receipt -- on the tablet PC then initiate a callback to the customer immediately. (Note: the customer's phone number is embedded vs. displayed, thereby protecting privacy).

 

For shoppers, all of this means near-instant access to information, personalized service, a more efficient shopping experience and, ultimately, a higher level of satisfaction.

For the retailer, it means increased efficiency and productivity of sales teams, improved knowledge sharing, and happier, more loyal customers. The solution is also flexible and cost-effective: by leveraging Microsoft technology it can be integrated into a retailer's existing Windows-based infrastructure. In addition, the components can be customized to serve a variety of industries by adding key features including: universal access to voice mail, instant messaging, text messaging, presence tracking, individual and group calendaring and address book synchronization.

"The key benefit of Unified Communications is in its ability to help companies increase efficiency by integrating communication functions into applications," said Jon Rauschenberger, Chief Technology Officer, Clarity Consulting. "By creating 'communication-enabled' applications like the ones we're demonstrating with Microsoft here today, we can illustrate how UC can significantly improve the way businesses perform. And for developers, we can open up new channels for innovation and revenue generation."