Stores Magazine - October 2007 - (Page 87) NUTS AND BOLTS / COMMUNICATIONS software that makes all this possible is Experticity 3.0 from Seattle-based Experticity. Video Agents are comprised of a CPU, touch-screen monitor and printer, wrapped in attractive point-of-purchase aids created by the Staples Business Depot marketing department, and sit on counters in each of 10 pilot stores. The human video agents are based in Staples Business Depot’s Ontario headquarters. Through a broadband connection, customer and sales associate can see and hear each other – even show each other things. If, for example, a customer wants to buy a printer cartridge but can’t remember which one he needs, the video agent can show him photos of Person to Person Video kiosks link shoppers to off-site customer service agents BY LIZ PARKS hat do you do when customers are having almost as much difficulty finding what they want in your stores as you are in finding top-quality sales associates to help them? If you are Staples Business Depot, you employ off-premises sales agents that customers can reach by pushing a button on an in-store kiosk. W A Canadian chain of 280-plus stores that is a wholly-owned operating unit of Staples, Staples Business Depot calls the kiosks Video Agents and refers to the sales associates who respond to customers through them as video agents. One off-premises video agent can service customers in multiple stores, which helps keep labor costs manageable. The WWW.STORES.ORG printers until the customer finds the one he owns. Then the agent recommends the correct cartridge. In addition to helping customers and taking orders, video agents can also suggest accessories or sale items that customers might want to purchase or show them a store “Stores that have a Video Agent map. They also can check presence are seeing significant whether items that are not on double-digit sales increases in the floor may be in the backcertain categories versus stores room or at a nearby store or that do not have Video Agents.” can special-order items. The video agents are not — James Pelrine, Staples Business Depot meant to replace sales associSTORES / OCTOBER 2007 87 http://WWW.STORES.ORG
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