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However, for people who still shop the old fashioned way -- be it in a mall or a grocery store -- customer service involves communicating with human beings in real time and real space. Shopping malls still exist, although thanks to the overwhelming popularity of e-commerce, traditional retail venues have taken their lumps. But instead of surrendering to e-commerce and locking their doors for good, brick and mortar retailers are fighting back with the help of handheld point of sale (POS) terminals. "(Retailers) have seen several billion dollars walk away from their stores and they don't think that's acceptable. We've got to get that hack and one of the ways we can do that is to provide better service," said Alan Outlaw, country sales manager for Markham, Ont.-based IBM Canada Inc.'s retail store solutions. Retail sales associates are arming themselves with palm-sized POS terminals, which allow customers to complete credit and debit card transactions anywhere in the store. This means saying goodbye to long lineups at the cash register. "Retailers are looking to provide better customer service and improve their operating efficiency," continued Outlaw. "They're looking to speed up the check-out process and their ability to manage customers. "In today's retail environment, it's not just about having product anymore. It used to be that retailers had a push approach -- in other words, have the product and they will come. That philosophy doesn't work anymore. E-business has shown that anybody can make a product available," explained Outlaw. Computer software and gaming retailer Electronics Boutique made use of handheld POS terminals during last year's Christmas season. "Any time you can service customers quicker, you're not going to lose that guy at the end of the line who doesn't want to wait," said Seth Levy, senior vice-president of operations and chief information officer for Electronics Boutique, based in West Chester, Penn. online casino Back to casino news