Smarter Week

AI and automation by role · frontline

How Retail associates can use AI and automation

Below are 10 common tasks for Retail associates, most common first. For each one you get the best fix (AI, automation, a feature in software you already have, or a simpler process), the steps to set it up and, for AI fixes, a prompt to copy.

Also called: Sales Associate, Cashier, Stock Associate, Team Member, Merchandiser, Store Associate, Crew Member

Find your own hour leaks, free See the fixes

Task 1 · typically 20 min, every day

Check the back room or other stores for an item

Software featureBest fix

Check stock on a handheld or phone instead of walking the back room

Store apps on a handheld or phone show stock in the back room, other stores and online, and can order it for the customer on the spot.

Typically saves about 45% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Ask your manager which store app or handheld shows live stock.
  2. 2Make sure back-room locations are scanned in when stock arrives.
  3. 3Look it up before you walk anywhere.
  4. 4Use "order for the customer" or "hold at another store" from the app.

Tools: Toast, Square, Lightspeed, Clover or Shopify POS · Zebra handhelds with your store app

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Count stock with a phone or scanner that updates the system

Counting in an app by shelf or area, scanning barcodes, removes the count sheet and the typing afterwards. Stock levels in the system become reliable.

Typically saves about 40% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1Set up count areas in the order you walk the store or kitchen.
  2. 2Use the counting app from your POS or inventory system on a phone or handheld.
  3. 3Scan or tap counts as you go.
  4. 4Submit and review only the big differences.

Tools: Toast, Square, Lightspeed, Clover or Shopify POS · MarketMan, Restaurant365 or xtraCHEF counts

How to automate this task

Task 2 · typically 45 min, a few times a week

Check in deliveries against the paperwork

Software featureBest fix

Count stock with a phone or scanner that updates the system

Counting in an app by shelf or area, scanning barcodes, removes the count sheet and the typing afterwards. Stock levels in the system become reliable.

Typically saves about 40% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1Set up count areas in the order you walk the store or kitchen.
  2. 2Use the counting app from your POS or inventory system on a phone or handheld.
  3. 3Scan or tap counts as you go.
  4. 4Submit and review only the big differences.

Tools: Toast, Square, Lightspeed, Clover or Shopify POS · MarketMan, Restaurant365 or xtraCHEF counts

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Check stock on a handheld or phone instead of walking the back room

Store apps on a handheld or phone show stock in the back room, other stores and online, and can order it for the customer on the spot.

Typically saves about 45% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Ask your manager which store app or handheld shows live stock.
  2. 2Make sure back-room locations are scanned in when stock arrives.
  3. 3Look it up before you walk anywhere.
  4. 4Use "order for the customer" or "hold at another store" from the app.

Tools: Toast, Square, Lightspeed, Clover or Shopify POS · Zebra handhelds with your store app

How to automate this task

Task 3 · typically 60 min, once a week

Do price changes, labels and display resets

Software featureBest fix

Move to electronic shelf labels for price changes

Electronic shelf labels update prices from head office automatically. No printing and swapping paper labels. This is a company project, but worth raising if price changes eat hours every week.

Typically saves about 70% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1Count the hours your store spends on price changes each week.
  2. 2Share it with your district manager as a business case.
  3. 3Ask whether the company is trialling electronic labels (VusionGroup, Hanshow, Pricer).
  4. 4Meanwhile, ask for price changes to be grouped by aisle and sent in one batch a week.

Tools: VusionGroup · Hanshow · Pricer

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Run checklists, the manager's log and head-office tasks in one app

Task apps put opening, closing and safety checklists on a phone or tablet with photo proof, keep the manager's log, and let head office send tasks without emails and calls.

Typically saves about 40% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Check whether your company has a task app: Crunchtime Zenput, Jolt, YOOBIC, SafetyCulture or Connecteam.
  2. 2Move your opening, closing and cleaning checklists into it.
  3. 3Use the logbook for shift handover notes.
  4. 4Ask head office to send campaigns and resets as tasks with photo proof instead of emails.

Tools: Crunchtime Zenput, Jolt, YOOBIC, SafetyCulture or Connecteam

How to automate this task

Task 4 · typically 30 min, every day

Answer the phone with the same questions (hours, stock, bookings)

Software featureBest fix

Let an AI phone answerer handle the routine calls

AI phone answerers for restaurants, stores and hotels answer hours, directions, bookings and simple questions, and pass the rest to staff. Staff stop leaving customers in front of them to pick up the phone.

Typically saves about 45% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Write down the 10 questions callers ask most and your answers.
  2. 2Trial an AI phone answerer that fits your business (Slang.ai, Loman or your booking system's AI host for restaurants; your hotel's AI voice agent; Goodcall or similar for stores).
  3. 3Connect it to your booking system and set when to transfer to a person.
  4. 4Listen to a sample of calls weekly and fix wrong answers.

Tools: Slang.ai · Loman · OpenTable or SevenRooms · Goodcall

How to automate this task

Task 5 · typically 20 min, every day

Work through and sign off daily task checklists

Software featureBest fix

Run checklists, the manager's log and head-office tasks in one app

Task apps put opening, closing and safety checklists on a phone or tablet with photo proof, keep the manager's log, and let head office send tasks without emails and calls.

Typically saves about 40% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Check whether your company has a task app: Crunchtime Zenput, Jolt, YOOBIC, SafetyCulture or Connecteam.
  2. 2Move your opening, closing and cleaning checklists into it.
  3. 3Use the logbook for shift handover notes.
  4. 4Ask head office to send campaigns and resets as tasks with photo proof instead of emails.

Tools: Crunchtime Zenput, Jolt, YOOBIC, SafetyCulture or Connecteam

How to automate this task

Task 6 · typically 60 min, once a week

Do stock counts or food inventory

Software featureBest fix

Count stock with a phone or scanner that updates the system

Counting in an app by shelf or area, scanning barcodes, removes the count sheet and the typing afterwards. Stock levels in the system become reliable.

Typically saves about 40% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1Set up count areas in the order you walk the store or kitchen.
  2. 2Use the counting app from your POS or inventory system on a phone or handheld.
  3. 3Scan or tap counts as you go.
  4. 4Submit and review only the big differences.

Tools: Toast, Square, Lightspeed, Clover or Shopify POS · MarketMan, Restaurant365 or xtraCHEF counts

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Let inventory software suggest orders, prep and recipe costs

Back-office tools link sales to stock, suggest order quantities and prep amounts, and keep recipe costs updated when supplier prices change.

Typically saves about 45% of the time4 h to set up
  1. 1Check whether your POS or back office already includes inventory (Toast xtraCHEF, Restaurant365, MarketMan, Craftable; for retail, Lightspeed, Square or Shopify).
  2. 2Load your items, par levels and suppliers.
  3. 3Use the suggested order or prep list and adjust it, instead of starting from scratch.
  4. 4Connect supplier ordering so orders go out from the app.

Tools: Toast xtraCHEF · Restaurant365 · MarketMan · Craftable · Lightspeed, Square or Shopify inventory

How to automate this task

Task 7 · typically 10 min, once a week

Ask for shift swaps or time off

Software featureBest fix

Build the schedule in a scheduling app and let staff swap shifts themselves

Scheduling apps build a first draft from your sales forecast and staff availability, let people swap and pick up shifts on their phone, and run the time clock that feeds payroll. You approve instead of arranging.

Typically saves about 50% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Check whether your company already pays for one: 7shifts, Deputy, Homebase, When I Work, UKG or Harri.
  2. 2Have staff enter their availability in the app.
  3. 3Use the auto-schedule or copy-last-week feature, then adjust.
  4. 4Turn on shift swaps and open-shift offers with manager approval.
  5. 5Use the app's time clock so missed punches show up before payroll, not after.

Tools: 7shifts, Deputy, Homebase, When I Work, UKG or Harri

How to automate this task

Task 8 · typically 25 min, every day

Count tills and do end-of-day cash-up paperwork

AutomationBest fix

Let the POS send the end-of-day and sales reports automatically

Your POS already knows sales, payments and labour. Set it to email the daily summary to head office and only count cash by hand.

Typically saves about 60% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Find the end-of-day, sales and labour reports in your POS back office.
  2. 2Schedule them to email to you and head office every day.
  3. 3Use the POS cash-up screen so card totals fill in themselves.
  4. 4Ask head office to drop any spreadsheet that repeats these numbers.

Tools: Toast, Square, Lightspeed, Clover or Shopify POS

How to automate this task

Task 9 · typically 15 min, every day

Write the shift handover or manager's log

AIBest fix

Talk your notes into the phone and let AI write them up

Speak for a minute about the shift, incident or visit; AI turns it into a tidy log entry or report. Faster than typing on a small screen between customers.

Typically saves about 45% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Use voice typing or an approved AI app on your phone.
  2. 2Say what happened, when, who was involved and what is still open.
  3. 3Use the prompt below to tidy it.
  4. 4Check it and paste it into the log, form or email. Do not include customers' card details or private data.
Prompt to copy
Turn my spoken notes into a [SHIFT HANDOVER / INCIDENT REPORT / STORE VISIT REPORT] with these headings: [HEADINGS]. Short bullet points, factual and neutral. Keep times and numbers exactly as I said them. Do not add anything I did not say.

My notes: [DICTATE OR PASTE]

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Run checklists, the manager's log and head-office tasks in one app

Task apps put opening, closing and safety checklists on a phone or tablet with photo proof, keep the manager's log, and let head office send tasks without emails and calls.

Typically saves about 40% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Check whether your company has a task app: Crunchtime Zenput, Jolt, YOOBIC, SafetyCulture or Connecteam.
  2. 2Move your opening, closing and cleaning checklists into it.
  3. 3Use the logbook for shift handover notes.
  4. 4Ask head office to send campaigns and resets as tasks with photo proof instead of emails.

Tools: Crunchtime Zenput, Jolt, YOOBIC, SafetyCulture or Connecteam

How to automate this task

Task 10 · typically 30 min, once a week

Write up accidents, complaints and incidents

AIBest fix

Talk your notes into the phone and let AI write them up

Speak for a minute about the shift, incident or visit; AI turns it into a tidy log entry or report. Faster than typing on a small screen between customers.

Typically saves about 45% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Use voice typing or an approved AI app on your phone.
  2. 2Say what happened, when, who was involved and what is still open.
  3. 3Use the prompt below to tidy it.
  4. 4Check it and paste it into the log, form or email. Do not include customers' card details or private data.
Prompt to copy
Turn my spoken notes into a [SHIFT HANDOVER / INCIDENT REPORT / STORE VISIT REPORT] with these headings: [HEADINGS]. Short bullet points, factual and neutral. Keep times and numbers exactly as I said them. Do not add anything I did not say.

My notes: [DICTATE OR PASTE]

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Run checklists, the manager's log and head-office tasks in one app

Task apps put opening, closing and safety checklists on a phone or tablet with photo proof, keep the manager's log, and let head office send tasks without emails and calls.

Typically saves about 40% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Check whether your company has a task app: Crunchtime Zenput, Jolt, YOOBIC, SafetyCulture or Connecteam.
  2. 2Move your opening, closing and cleaning checklists into it.
  3. 3Use the logbook for shift handover notes.
  4. 4Ask head office to send campaigns and resets as tasks with photo proof instead of emails.

Tools: Crunchtime Zenput, Jolt, YOOBIC, SafetyCulture or Connecteam

How to automate this task

Quick wins

Have you tried…

Do your staff swap shifts and pick up open shifts in an app?
Apps like 7shifts, Deputy, Homebase or When I Work show the schedule on everyone's phone. Staff sort out swaps themselves and you just approve.
Have you tried an AI phone answerer for the routine calls?
An AI answers questions like opening hours or bookings and passes harder calls to staff, so nobody has to leave a customer to pick up the phone.
Are your opening, closing and safety checklists on a phone or tablet?
Task apps put checklists on a phone with photo proof. Managers and head office can see what is done without calling the store.
Have you let an AI notetaker write your meeting notes and action items?
Tools like Copilot in Teams, Zoom AI Companion or Otter join the call, write the summary and list who owes what. You just check it and send.
Have you had AI draft a reply to a tricky or routine email?
You paste the email and say the point you want to make; the AI writes a draft you edit. Outlook and Gmail now have this built in.
Do you send a booking link instead of emailing back and forth about times?
A booking link shows your free times so the other person picks one. Outlook and Google Calendar both have this built in.
Have you connected two apps so information copies itself between them?
Tools like Zapier, Make or Power Automate watch for something new in one app and create it in the other, so nobody retypes it.
Have you asked AI to build a spreadsheet formula, pivot or chart for you?
You describe the result you want in plain words, and Copilot in Excel or Gemini in Sheets builds it. ChatGPT or Claude can also analyze an uploaded file.

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