You can check the weather or stay up-to-date on the news. You can even sync your calendar with family to make sure everyone is on the same page. Thanks to a new initiative rolling out in our stores, our associates can now use their smartphones as that same kind of assistant at work – with tasks that are directly related to their jobs.
We’re rolling out Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) in October to give associates another option to stay connected – this time from the familiar turf of their own smartphones. Although our sales floor associates can continue to access Walmart’s digital network by checking out a handheld device at the back of the store (in fact, we’re adding tens of thousands more of them to the stores over the coming months), they will now have the convenience of also using a smartphone if they desire. We know technology is helping our associates be more productive and deliver for our customers in new ways. BYOD is just another option our people will have to access the custom apps that help associates perform their jobs.
Through the new program, participating associates have the option to download our app suite directly to their own personal devices. This is another way to access the tools that help our people understand the health of their business, and spend more time on the sales floor serving customers. And the best part? Associates also receive a discount on their monthly phone bills.
With BYOD, the moment associates clock in at work, they have tools that enable them to do the best job possible, right in their pockets. Our suite of custom apps, which become accessible at clock-in, is also broader than ever before, complete with features like the PlanIT app – a hub for all announcements that directly matter to our associates, coming right from our home office in Bentonville, Arkansas.
For many associates who want to use their own device for work, privacy can be a concern. That is why we have been very specific about what Walmart can and can’t see on associates’ phones. Some pieces of information are helpful in making the program more useful for our associates. Other information is not necessary, so we don’t access it.
What CAN be seen by Walmart:
- Battery Level
- Make and Model of the device
- Operating System (OS) version
- Corporate Email and Data
- Storage Usage
- Carrier
- Phone Number
- Country
What CAN’T be seen by Walmart:
- Personal Email and Data
- Photos/Videos
- Voicemail - Corporate or personal
- Text – iOS or Android
- Web Activity
- List of Apps
- Location
Spencer Schmidt is a sales floor associate at a supercenter in Fort Smith, Arkansas, one of the first stores that tested the BYOD functionality. He says the best thing about using his own device at work is the convenience of logging in as soon as he clocks in for his shift.
“BYOD basically works just like our store devices – I can pop it open when a customer needs help, look up items and find where they are in the store. But with my phone, the apps are always on me. As soon as I clock in, I can see what notes have been assigned to me and start working on them right away.”
And as our applications continue to evolve with the technology that delivers them, our people will have access to even more. Associates are excited to have more information at hand – to better themselves and to serve customers better. Whether it’s with BYOD or a store-issued device, each individual associate is more empowered than ever to take a leadership role in the success of their own stores.
We’ve introduced a lot of advanced technology to help our associates work faster and smarter, from virtual reality-based training to our Bossa Nova shelf scanners that make the inventory process quick and easy. Associates have caught on really well, but what I love about BYOD is that the tech we’re introducing is something that’s already second nature to most of our associates. It’s a smarter way to work – for the business, for our associates, and for customers.
