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Home Depot CIO Wants To Route Calls Right To The Aisles

Written by Evan Schuman
July 5th, 2006

Bob DeRodes, CIO for The Home Depot, has some non-traditional plans for the $81.5 billion home improvement chain, including routing calls to store personnel working in the aisles. “We are piloting a system now so that when a consumer calls in, rather than going to a store call center, the call gets transmitted to the right associate who is on the floor helping customers in between calls,” DeRodes was quoted as saying in RISNews magazine.

“We also now have carts in the aisles using .NET and wireless for an automated new process for shelf labels and inventory checks” and closed-circuit TV “has cut losses at the back door. Run with our POS system, it has slashed shrink at checkout. Play back of accidents has showed how to make safety changes and has helped to identify false claims.” The chain is also toying with using customers’ personal PDAs as a networking tool. “It’s not ready yet, but imagine the impact of customers using PDAs that they already own and know how to use to find what they want or to compare products.” To read the full story in RISNews, please click here.

Posted in IT Strategy/Industry, Mobile/Wireless/Contactless
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