New Industry Report Reveals How Retailers Are Revolutionising In-Store Communication

A newly published industry study by Zello — widely recognized as a leading push-to-talk communication platform — reveals that modern retailers are fundamentally reshaping the way frontline teams communicate. The findings, summarized in the Retail Communication Report 2025, underscore a clear shift away from legacy systems in favor of structured, flexible, real-time communication tools that better support store operations.

Retail floors are reworking their communication blueprint

According to the report, large retailers typically operate around nine active communication channels per store — each reflecting the physical or organizational layout of departments (such as customer service, sales floor, management, etc.). This channel-based structure helps significantly reduce “listening fatigue,” allowing staff to focus on relevant information rather than filtering out irrelevant chatter.

Voice remains the backbone — but text and photos are gaining ground

While voice messages continue to dominate retail communications due to their immediacy and familiarity, the report highlights a growing use of text and photo messages, particularly for situations where quiet updates (e.g. restocking alerts) or visual clarity (e.g. damaged merchandise, display set-ups) are needed.

This increased flexibility is made possible by a growing trend toward device consolidation, where one device handles communication, scanning, and task management — streamlining operations and reducing hardware clutter.

Efficient communication drives operational savings

The new data suggests that when retail teams employ smarter communication practices, even small time savings per interaction accumulate into substantial efficiency gains. For example, in a store seeing roughly 200 associate interactions per day, a mere 1.5-minute reduction per interaction could translate into nearly five extra productive hours daily — potentially saving the equivalent of €20,000–€25,000 per year per store, depending on labor costs. 

From insight to action — shaping the future of retail operations

The Retail Communication Report 2025 illustrates a broader transformation: retailers are moving toward communication practices defined by clarity, speed, and purpose. By employing structured channels, consolidating devices, and enabling flexible message formats (voice, text, photo), retailers can improve team coordination, reduce operational friction, and ultimately deliver a smoother in-store experience for both associates and customers.

Organizations looking to modernize retail workflows are encouraged to review the full report, assess their current communication practices, and consider adopting tools that support these emerging best practices.

The Full report can be viewed here.