How VoCoVo has brought ASDA employees closer to each other and their customers

Asda recently undertook a broad tech overhaul across a number of its stores. As part of the project Asda turned to VoCoVo to supercharge its teams by empowering them with instant and discreet communication via its sleek communication headsets. And by installing Customer Call Points on its self-checkout areas, Asda has been able to provide faster and friction free customer service.

In the 1920s, Asda’s roots can be traced back to its beginnings as a family-owned butcher shop. The business took a turn in the late 1940s when the Asquith sons, Peter and Fred, initiated a breakaway venture.

The official establishment of Asda occurred in the 1960s in Yorkshire, marking the start of its journey to become one of the leading retailers in Britain. Today, Asda’s extensive network includes supercentres, superstores, supermarkets, Living stores, petrol filling stations, and depots, serving customers through both physical stores and online platforms.

Asda’s Technological Revamp with VoCoVo

As part of a strategic plan to modernize technology across its stores, Asda partnered with VoCoVo to bring about innovations in its operations.

The primary objective was to introduce efficiencies on a large scale, enhancing the way colleagues navigate their tasks and enabling them to handle multiple operational functions simultaneously.

In addition to internal improvements, Asda also aimed to elevate customer service, focusing particularly on streamlining checkouts and minimizing delays that could impact the overall customer experience.

Asda were aiming to:

• Streamline how customer queries are handled.
• Improve customer service, reducing wait times and friction.
• Boost communication across the entire team.
• Minimise missed calls.

VoCoVo’s Contributions

VoCoVo implemented a solution by installing headsets to connect staff seamlessly across the entire shop floor. This empowered staff to save time and optimize their efforts in providing excellent customer service.

Keypads were strategically placed at checkouts, facilitating communication among till staff who could request assistance from their colleagues for tasks ranging from price checks to direct calls to managers, thus preventing checkout delays.

The collaboration kicked off with a ‘Proof of Concept’ trial in three of Asda’s UK stores, later expanding to 20 stores. The trial aimed to replace outdated handsets and equip colleagues with two-way communication capabilities, minimizing the chances of missed telephone calls.

VoCoVo installed a system controller in each store, seamlessly integrating with Asda’s existing telephone provider. This integration allowed colleagues to connect their headsets for on-the-go call answering and transferring, with separate audio channels established to manage different communication workflows, ensuring relevance and efficiency.

Following the successful trial, VoCoVo rolled out its full system across all 375 Asda stores in the UK. The implementation involved replacing existing telephones with VoCoVo headsets, carried by service hosts.

This upgrade significantly improved communication at the front end, aligning with Asda’s ‘way of walking’ initiative aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and customer service.

From the manager:

“Asda’s key focus and primary driver when deciding on a team communication solution was how the system could assist colleagues in being completely customer centric. Being a customer service driven retail store, we decided to incorporate various communication devices to improve the overall in-store experience. Each checkout now has a VoCoVo KeyPad installed which links up to the colleague Headsets, allowing for 2 way communication between checkout colleagues and service hosts, thus being able to assist customers in-store quickly and efficiently. With the inclusion of telephone integration, our colleagues can now take internal and external calls via the headsets, negating the need for separate handheld phones.”

Steve Edwards | Senior Manager, Central Retail Operations

VoCoVo is helping businesses everywhere to achieve better connected teams

Syndico is the authorised VoCoVo UK distributor and a specialist in team communication solutions. VoCoVo solutions are commonplace in retail stores thanks to their ability to boost staff collaboration, improve customer service, unlock efficiency gains and equip staff to deal with theft.

If you would like to learn more about VoCoVo – whether you are a communications reseller looking to bring VoCoVo to your customers, or a business looking to implement a VoCoVo solution – contact us today!