Quail Digital launches Pro12 headset system designed to improve communication, staff wellbeing and store safety
Retail workers across the UK are facing increasing pressure as incidents of shoplifting, abuse and aggression towards frontline staff continue to rise, according to Tom Downes, CEO and Founder of Quail Digital.
According to the British Retail Consortium, retail workers are facing more than 2,000 incidents of violence and abuse every day, while retail theft continues to cost the sector billions annually. Downes believes the retail sector has reached a point where employee wellbeing and safety must now be treated as a major operational priority, rather than simply a security issue.
“Retail staff in the UK are under more pressure than I have seen in my entire career in the industry,” said Downes. “With shop theft continuing to rise and incidents of abuse and aggression towards frontline colleagues becoming more frequent, the impact on staff wellbeing is now an operational issue, not just a security concern. Behind each incident are real people trying to do their jobs in increasingly difficult conditions.”
In response to growing concerns from retailers, Quail Digital has developed its latest wireless retail headset system, Pro12, designed to help teams stay connected, improve communication and support safer working environments.
“At Quail Digital, we have concerned ourselves with how our technology can help reduce pressure on staff, improve their confidence on the sales floor and support safer working environments, alongside the traditional use of headsets for effective team communication,” said Downes. “The result has been our new and latest Pro12 retail wireless headset system.”
At its core, the Pro12 system is designed to provide instant, clear and reliable communication across all areas of a retail environment, from the shop floor and stockroom to kiosks and click-and-collect points. “Pro12 is designed to give retail teams, large and small, instant, clear and reliable communication across the entire store,” Downes explained. “Increasingly, retailers tell us that gains in wellbeing and support can be just as important as the operational benefits that our headsets provide.”
Downes believes effective communication can significantly reduce feelings of stress and isolation among frontline teams. “When staff are able to communicate quickly and easily, handsfree and without having to search for assistance, they are less isolated and are under less pressure,” he said.
One of the standout features of the Pro12 system is its speech recognition technology, which allows users to access commands and functions without pressing buttons. “For customers, the key win in the Pro12 system is speech recognition, which gives users access to a menu of instruction choices without even touching a button – they simply tell the headset what they want to do,” said Downes.
The system also enables teams to split into customised communication groups, including sales, security, warehouse and management functions, ensuring the right people can be contacted quickly when support is needed. “The team can split into user groups of your choosing, for instance sales, security, warehouse and management, providing clarity and focus and ensuring the right people are reached immediately when support is needed,” he added.
To support security and incident response, the Pro12 system includes a dedicated emergency alert function designed to notify all headset users across the store immediately. “For security and incident response, Pro12 includes a dedicated ‘red button’ alert function that enables urgent store-wide communication to all headset users at once,” Downes said. “In a high-pressure situation, that speed, ease and clarity can help defuse situations more readily.”
The headset system has also been developed to integrate seamlessly with existing retail technology, including alarms, kiosks, call buttons, AI systems and IP telephony infrastructure. “Another important aspect is integration,” said Downes. “Pro12 is designed to work with existing retail infrastructure, including alarms, call buttons, kiosks, AI systems and IP telephony.”
Alongside operational efficiency and security, Downes believes the retail industry must pay closer attention to the impact that constant multitasking and fragmented communication has on staff wellbeing. “From a wellbeing perspective, one of the most overlooked issues in retail is cognitive load – staff constantly switching between tasks, communication channels and physical movement across the store,” he explained. “By consolidating communication into a single wearable system, we reduce that fragmentation and help teams stay focused.”
With retailers continuing to navigate labour pressures, rising customer expectations and increasing levels of theft and abuse, Downes believes communication technology can play a meaningful role in helping support frontline teams.
“Providing your retail teams with the right level of support – whether for training, customer interaction or safety —-is clearly at the forefront, and technology needs to provide the solution,” he said. “UK retailers are operating in a challenging environment, with rising theft, labour pressures and increasing customer expectations. Technology alone will not solve every issue, but the right communication tools can play a meaningful role in supporting staff, improving coordination and reducing day-to-day stress.”
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