Walmart expands associate smart lockers for handheld devices to Canada
Walmart Inc. is deploying mobile device management lockers used at its Sam’s Club banner to its Canadian subsidiary.
In collaboration with Asset Recharge Center (ARC), Walmart Canada is introducing smart lockers designed to support and enable its associates to better serve customers in its more than 400 stores nationwide.
These smart lockers, which Walmart's Sam’s Club warehouse club division implemented in 2023, will manage and protect handheld devices critical to Walmart Canada store operations.
[READ MORE: Sam’s Club rolls out smart lockers for safeguarding employees’ handheld devices]
"As a people-led, tech-powered company, Walmart Canada invests in tools that empower our associates to deliver great customer service," said Lani Lindsay, VP central operations, Walmart Canada. "The ARC technology is designed to support our associates, ensuring they have access to the next best available device, fully charged and in optimal working condition, ready to start their day."
The ARC locker system combines smart charging lockers with advanced proprietary device management software designed to ensure devices are charged, not missing, and fully functional.
The smart lockers provide one-to-one device tracking and proprietary charging technology in each locker and are configured to allow for quick scan-in and scan-out of devices. Issue-reporting technology signals the need for mobile device maintenance and repair.
"Walmart Canada continues to lead the way in addressing complex retail challenges with innovative solutions, including introducing ARC device lockers to address the common retail issue of device loss," said Douglas Baldasare, CEO of ARC. "Our commitment to developing cutting-edge solutions that meet the evolving needs of today's retailers, including enabling associates to have the best tools to do their job, comes to life in this collaboration with Walmart Canada."
Walmart Canada’s nationwide rollout of ARC lockers is underway and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025. Sam’s Club has reported a large decrease in annual device loss at stores where the lockers are implemented and says the technology helps save associates time on a daily basis.
Based in Mississauga, Ontario and established in 1994, Walmart Canada is an omnichannel retailer of more than 400 stores nationwide and more than 100,000 associates serving 1.5 million customers each day.
