Tractor Supply streamlines store operations with mobile devices

Tractor Supply Company is equipping store associates with mobile hardware and software.

The rural lifestyle retailer is deploying Honeywell mobile technology in an effort to streamline operations for store associates and offer customers a convenient, end-to-end, omnichannel experience. By arming associates with Honeywell CT40XP computers and Operational Intelligence Professional cloud-based software across its more than 2,000 stores, Tractor Supply says it has increased employee productivity and enabled them to spend more time building relationships with customers.

Store associates utilize the devices to check customers out on the spot, reducing queues and increasing speed of service. For example, Tractor Supply says it has cut the duration of an average propane refill by 93%, from seven minutes to 30 seconds.

Employees in stores also leverage mobile technology to perform tasks such as receiving and fulfilling online orders, notifying customers when online orders are ready for pickup, and processing payments wherever a customer may be located in the store. Since deploying Honeywell technology across its operations, Tractor Supply says it has also improved inventory accuracy, strengthened its loyalty program, and boosted associate efficiency.

"We are empowering our associates and making their jobs easier so that they can better serve the ‘Life Out Here’ customer with the solutions they need in a convenient way. This requires a technology platform that works as hard as they do," said Robert Mills, executive VP, chief technology, digital commerce and strategy officer at Tractor Supply. "The Honeywell mobile devices have longer battery life, enhanced durability, long-range scanning for inventory, contactless payment for POS transactions and retail apps to enhance productivity. These enhancements came at a critical time, helping us innovate and lead the retail industry in cutting-edge solutions that have helped us maintain our momentum in a very challenging retail environment."

"At Honeywell, we are focused on empowering the retail associate. The combination of mobile computers, scanners and software we design come together to provide answers for the mobile worker to quickly and accurately serve the customer right in front of them," said Taylor Smith, CTO for Honeywell Productivity Solutions and Services. "Tractor Supply has been a pioneer in retail's digital transformation and has long embraced the power of technology to offer customers a more seamless and convenient experience. Our aim is to provide the right mobility, software and services at their fingertips, and we're pleased to partner with Tractor Supply to deliver an outstanding customer experience."

Honeywell is also providing on-demand support to Tractor Supply, serving as a single point of contact for ongoing mobility device management and help desk support.

Tractor Supply is also leveraging the Software AG integration and API management solution to enable customers to connect their shopping experiences across store, mobile, and click-and-collect channels. In addition, the company is connecting the extended retail industry supply chain, from supplier to customer. Tractor Supply uses the Software AG webMethods solution to integrate systems and data from the supply chain to the customer, which the retailer credits for helping it to avoid business disruptions during the pandemic.

[Read More: Tractor Supply unifies operations from supply chain to customer]

Headquartered in Brentwood, Tenn., Tractor Supply operated 2,016 stores in total across 49 states as of Aug. 24, 2022.