Warner’s Supermarket among first stores to roll-out Quail Digital's new Pro12 retail headset system
Warner’s Supermarket is introducing new retail headset technology that enables colleagues to communicate instantly and respond to customer requests in real-time. The independently owned grocery retailer, located in the heart of the Cotswolds in Upton-upon-Severn, is one of the first stores to deploy Quail Digital's Pro12 retail headset system.
According to Warner's, the system has improved communication between colleagues across the shopfloor, checkouts and stockroom, helping teams coordinate daily operations more efficiently and respond faster during busy trading periods.
Store Manager Jack Cross says: "In busy supermarket environments, staff are often spread across multiple areas, including checkouts, the shop floor, stockroom and back office, making fast and reliable communication essential to delivering a smooth customer experience. To support this, Warner's introduced the Pro12, enabling instant hands free communication between colleagues anywhere in the store. Having the ability to call a colleague, locate an item and get support immediately speeds things up for the customer and speeds things up for the team as well."
Previously, staff often needed to leave their department or physically locate colleagues to check stock availability, request assistance or answer customer queries. During busy trading periods, these delays could impact responsiveness and customer service.
Cross adds: “With instant communication available throughout the store, colleagues can now quickly coordinate stock checks, request support at busy tills and respond to customer enquiries without leaving their position. The headsets have helped improve responsiveness during peak trading periods and support smoother day-to-day operations.”
Quail Digital claims the Pro12 is ‘designed for fast paced retail environments where clear, instant communication is critical to both operational efficiency and customer service’. The platform combines secure team communication with built-in speech recognition and AI connectivity, helping retailers ‘keep colleagues connected across the entire store’.
Tom Downes, CEO and Founder at Quail Digital, says: “What we've seen at Warner's is a great example of how improved communication can have a direct impact on customer service and operational efficiency. When colleagues can communicate instantly without leaving their position, customer questions can be answered faster, support can arrive more quickly and teams can work together more effectively.”
“Retailers are increasingly looking for communication solutions that help stores operate more efficiently while supporting a better customer experience, and Warner's is a great example of the benefits that can be achieved when teams stay connected throughout the day.”
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
Retail communications will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Check out our 2025 winners here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
