Dive Brief:
- Ace Hardware has debuted an AI-powered assistant to help store associates serve customers with real-time support, the retailer said in a press release on April 28.
- The assistant, dubbed Hey ARMA, aids workers with product comparisons, project advice, recommendations and finding items that customers have purchased elsewhere, the company said.
- The tool is currently being employed at over 2,300 stores. Ace Hardware plans to expand its reach as part of the company’s long-term strategy to enhance in-store experience. Globally, Ace Hardware has more than 8,800 locally owned and operated stores.
Dive Insight:
Though Ace Hardware is deploying AI in thousands of its stores, the retailer stressed that Hey ARMA will work in the background, with store associates remaining a crucial element of the shopping experience.
“At Ace, we believe technology should make the customer experience better by helping our people do what they do best,” Andy Enright, senior vice president of retail strategy and operations at Ace Hardware, said in a statement. “Hey ARMA gives our associates the information they need in the moment, so they can spend less time searching for answers and more time engaging with customers in a meaningful way.”
Other retailers have also been engaging with AI as a way to support employees. Last month, Kohl’s rolled out an AI analytics tool to help staffers compare product trends and pinpoint factors driving growth. Last year, Walmart introduced its own AI agent for store associates, and Lowe’s launched Mylow Companion, an AI assistant that helps store workers answer questions.
As Ace Hardware builds out its AI capabilities, the company’s revenues have recently surged. In February, the company reported that its Q4 revenue grew 10% year over year to $2.5 billion, but net income dropped 18% from the previous year to $44.2 million. The company’s full-year revenue increased 5.8% to $10 billion.
