Bloomberg reports that home improvement store chain Lowe's is deploying 42,000 iPhone 4 devices to its workers next month.
Next month, Lowe’s will introduce its MyLowes online tool that customers will be able to use to store owner’s manuals, warranties and paint formulas, Chief Information Officer Mike Brown said in an interview. The Mooresville, North Carolina- based company is arming workers with 42,000 iPhone 4s to answer shoppers’ questions and ring up purchases.
The move is an attempt to better compete with rival Home Depot, which introduced a similar program last year with Motorola handhelds.
Each store will be receiving 25 devices that "will be enabled for mobile calling, emailing and text-messaging as well as processing credit and debit card purchases".
Top Rated Comments
(View all)But I don't understand how Lowe's can write custom software for it if it's not "open". How can it possibly work! I'm sure businesses will be ordering up Android phones and tablets by the tens of thousands once they catch on.
Are you joking?
http://developer.apple.com/programs/ios/enterprise/ (http://developer.apple.com/programs/ios/enterprise/)
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Thank you!! I was just thinking, what a creepy-looking guy they chose for this picture. He looks so excited, doesn't he?
I can see how this could be very successful. Those stores are huge, so being able to contact other employees and managers to ask questions instead of hoofing it all over the store would be helpful and should speed up shopping. Would also be nice to be able to make purchases on the spot with an associate for items like appliances, paint, locks, lumber and plants.
If you've worked in corporate, you know the cost to implement this kind of initiative in time, training and such far exceeds the actual cost of the devices. As a Lowes shareholder, I'm glad to see them pursuing this strategy. :cool:
I agree. I also see where IOS5 and iMessage would be very helpful in communicating with fellow employees via free texting.