Symbol Is Ahead Of Game With New Digital Assistant

The new MC-50 Enterprise Digital Assistant from Holtsville, N.Y.-based Symbol is a handheld device that allows users to access back-office functionality such as inventory tracking and cash management, as well as provide front-of-store applications such as personalized customer service. The device also incorporates walkie-talkie, VoIP and Internet capabilities.

The MC-50 is the first product in Symbol's new category of enterprise digital assistants, which are designed to integrate directly with enterprise infrastructures, said Frank Riso, senior director of retail marketing and operations at Symbol.

Glen Tarsha, vice president of sales and marketing at ADS, a Symbol solution provider in Upper Marlboro, Md., said technology such as the MC-50 is the wave of the future. "Wireless is on everybody's mind as far as POS, and kiosks, handhelds within the store," he said. "I think 2005 is going to be a good year for both hardware and software solutions of this kind. It's ripe for the picking. If you've got new technology like this, you're ahead of the game."

Symbol's retail solutions group is focusing on three themes in its push to bring new technology like the MC-50 to the POS market, said Verlin Youd, vice president of retail industry solutions. The first is driving enhancements to the customer experience.

"One of the frustration points in retail has been when customers walk into a store, they can't find someone to help them, or if there is someone there, they are not educated enough to help them find what they want," Youd said. "This [device] can allow any store associateeven a brand-new associateto have the power of an expert in the palm of their hand."

VARs are already seeing opportunities for devices like the MC-50 to improve the customer experience.

"Retailers have to figure out a way to get closer to their best customers. Therefore, a lot of retailers are looking at new application and hardware offerings like this," said Paul Civils, vice president of the retail group at Cleveland-based Agilysys, which is working with Symbol to develop applications for the MC-50. "Folks are really, really looking at wireless applications, self-service checkout, kiosks [and] handhelds."

The second theme is to help improve in-store productivity, starting with store management, Youd said. Symbol partners Reflexis and StorePerform are developing task management software for the MC-50.

"The big implication of having mobile enterprise digital assistants with this software on [the MC-50] is that managers can untether themselves from the back office," Youd said. "Now they have access to any applications they need anywhere in the store."

Riso said that while low-level store associates have long used Symbol's handheld scanners and small PDAs to handle inventory, price changes and stock replenishing, store managers need a larger, more capable device such as the MC-50 to access back-office data.

The third theme is a continued focus on supply chain efficiency. To that end, Symbol and partner Softtechniques are developing inventory management applications for the MC-50 and other devices that will encompass all aspects of the supply chain, from the in-store network to the warehouse to the transportation of goods, Youd said. The MC-50's ability to scan barcodes, download and print reports directly from the POS system, and monitor cashflow can significantly increase supply chain efficiency, Riso said.

Symbol also hopes the MC-50 will find its way into the hands of people at every step of the sales process.

"Right now, this is targeted for management, but we are moving toward the necessity of having everyone in the store connected to the enterprise," Riso said. "We are enabling on-demand access to business intelligence to make everyone more productive by making them mobile. They can be anywhere in the enterprise and still be able to make solid, informed decisions based on accurate, timely information."