Dive Brief:

• Home Depot is deploying 40,000 next-generation devices in support of its in-store mobile technology, the FIRST Phone.
• FIRST Phones helps sales associates conduct checkout anywhere in the store, as well as locate products and check inventory. 
• Designed exclusively for Home Depot, FIRST Phones function as telephones and walkie-talkies, in addition to offering mobile checkout and inventory management functions. 

Dive Insight:

Home Depot is upgrading its dedicated communications devices, FIRST Phones, with 40,000 new handsets that will allow associates to communicate, access product and inventory information, and perform checkout from anywhere in the store—including the chain’s outdoor garden centers.

The new units offer an intuitive interface, web access and the Home Depot mobile app, as well as full telephone and push-to-talk capabilities. And with the big-box do-it-yourself store’s busiest season on the way, FIRST Phones’ “line-busting” capabilities will likely improve customer satisfaction and help personalize service.