STAPLES Business Depot and Experticity Bring Future of Customer Service to Canada
STAPLES Becomes First Mass Market Retailer to Adopt Pioneering "VIDEO AGENT" Two-Way Video Customer Service Stations in 34 Stores Across Canada
SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwire - July 15, 2008) - Experticity, the pioneering provider of
video-assisted customer support solutions, today announced that STAPLES
Business Depot, Canada's largest supplier of business supplies, has signed
an agreement with Experticity to roll out the innovative retail "VIDEO
AGENT" customer service stations to 34 stores across Alberta, Canada. Using
VIDEO AGENT, STAPLES Business Depot can now provide shoppers with new ways
to get expert assistance when shopping their stores. Customers can walk up
to VIDEO AGENT station and engage in a live, two-way video conversation
with a highly trained sales associate who uses the interactive Experticity
platform to push content from the Internet to consumers or place orders for
customized business supplies. The agreement follows a comprehensive pilot
evaluation in which STAPLES Business Depot rigorously tested the VIDEO
AGENT concept, using it both as a vehicle to help shoppers get answers as
well as a new resource for small business customers to create business
materials.
"Shoppers have more options than ever and are unwilling to wait around to
find a knowledgeable sales associate to answer their question," said James
Pelrine, Manager of Process Improvement for STAPLES Business Depot. "The
response to VIDEO AGENT over the past two years has been overwhelmingly
positive. People love the convenience of a standalone station where they
can talk to real people and get great customer service. In addition, we
have determined that VIDEO AGENT not only improves our customer service
levels but also contributes to our bottom line."
STAPLES Business Depot has been pilot testing VIDEO AGENT since 2006, when
it installed six stations in five Toronto stores (including the busiest
store in Canada located in Fort McMurray, Alberta). The VIDEO AGENT is a
self-standing unit that includes a web camera, microphone, a scanner, and a
customized user-interface that enables shoppers and sales agents to engage
in real-time conversation via high quality video. STAPLES Business Depot
has staffed a call center in Toronto with six highly experienced sales
associates who can be routed to any of the 34 stores in an on-demand
fashion. Through "right-staffing," managers at STAPLES Business Depot can
maximize the utilization levels of their most knowledgeable employees and
pool them across multiple stores, gaining new efficiencies while providing
higher service levels.
"While the Internet has given consumers new options when it comes to
shopping, they still want a more personal level of service. However, when
they go to a store and can't get the service they need, they're more
inclined to take their dollars elsewhere," said DL Baron, founder and CEO
of Experticity. "By integrating cutting edge, customer friendly technology
into their store environment, STAPLES Business Depot has demonstrated its
commitment to providing an exceptional retail experience, one that will
help them succeed in a highly competitive market."
About STAPLES Business Depot
The Business Depot Ltd. was founded in Toronto in 1991. It is Canada's
largest supplier of office supplies, business machines, office furniture
and business services for the small business and home office customer. The
company is an everyday low price retailer. The chain operates stores in all
provinces across Canada under the banners STAPLES® Business Depot™ and
BUREAU EN GROS™. The company has over 13,000 employees serving customers
through more than 265 office superstores, catalogue, and e-commerce.
STAPLES® Business Depot™/BUREAU EN GROS™ is committed to making
shopping easy by offering customers three ways to shop -- online, by
catalogue and in-store. More information is available at www.staples.ca.
About Staples
Staples, Inc. invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and today is
the world's largest office products company. With 69,000 talented
associates, the company is committed to making it easy to buy a wide range
of office products, including supplies, technology, furniture, and business
services. With 2005 sales of $16.1 billion, Staples serves consumers and
businesses ranging from home-based businesses to Fortune 500 companies in
21 countries throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia.
Headquartered outside of Boston, Staples operates approximately 1,780
office superstores and also serves its customers through mail order
catalog, e-commerce and contract businesses. More information is available
at www.staples.com.
About Experticity
Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Experticity is the pioneer of live
on-screen expert staffing technologies and has been developing remote
service solutions for the retail industry since 2005. Experticity's patent
pending, proprietary right-staffing technology enables companies to
load-balance live customer service staff from a remote location to service
front-lines, using real-time, two-way video, audio, and data screens to
provide customers with a personalized, one-on-one service experience. In
2007, Experticity was recognized by Red Herring Magazine as one of the Top
100 most promising technology companies in the world.
Contact Information: Press Contact:
For STAPLES Business Depot:
Alessandra Saccal
PR Manager
905-737-1147
For Experticity:
Robert Nachbar
Kismet Communications
206-427-0389