Thank you for Subscribing to Retail Business Review Weekly Brief
Theatro has been recognized by Retail Business Review Magazine as the exclusive recipient of “Featured Vendors (January-March)-2023,” based on our proprietary methodology, reflecting its position in the industry. This profile has been developed by the Retail Business Review research and editorial team based on insights from an interview with Chris Todd, CEO.
Chris Todd, CEOAt no other time in history has the frontline worker been more in demand or essential to our daily lives. However, these vital workers are often disconnected from their enterprise and are also the last to know critical information, leading to inconsistencies and mishaps in operational efficiency and service. While headquarter teams have smartphones, and e-mail and can access information and interact with their coworkers on a whim, frontline workers are forced to rely on dated two-way radios, or worse, overhead paging and antiquated phone systems. These limited tools leave frontline workers with no option but to walk away from customers to get assistance.
Since customer interactions with frontline workers have lasting impressions and determine the customers’ likelihood to shop with a retailer again, every interaction holds the potential to impact overall customer satisfaction and long-term customer retention.
Beyond a disconnected and ill-informed workforce, retail teams’ productivity is also held back by a lack of automation in stores, a lack of employee engagement, and outdated store processes that limit the speed of service and the customer experience. By addressing these pain points head-on, retailers can drastically improve the success of their business.
Digital Transformation for the Frontline
Enterprises’ failed attempts to accomplish digital transformation over the past decade have resulted in a patchwork of point hardware and software solutions, making a scarce resource even more challenging to manage. Handheld devices fill in some of the technological gaps not addressed by walkie-talkies but continue to be cost-prohibitive for every employee to have a device. Theatro provides a mobile device for every frontline associate—not just a select few. All hardware is owned and managed by Theatro, reducing the workload of IT. Moreover, Theatro’s service teams actively monitor device status and availability to provide device replenishment for lost or broken devices proactively. All hardware management, monitoring, and support are included in the monthly per-user subscription price, making management of the Theatro solution as simple as possible.
By connecting every employee with critical business information, we create a unified team across the organization and close the communication gap among frontline teams
Built specifically for frontline workers, Theatro’s Mobile Communication Platform is stirring a revolution in the retail, hospitality, and manufacturing sectors. Theatro allows employees to connect through a simple voice command utilizing an AI-powered Intelligent Assistant that enables employees to obtain the information for the task, thereby delivering differentiated customer experiences. Employees can also quickly request assistance and get a closed-loop response from the first available team member, which reduces the time spent seeking a resolution.
Once store teams connect with Theatro, field leadership teams can communicate with stores, groups, or individuals in real-time using the Manager’s Mobile App. Additionally, retail teams working from headquarters can also record and send critical updates to the ears of their frontline teams by leveraging Theatro’s Content Distribution Manager. Theatro also understands that significant employee agility is needed to handle rapidly changing customer shopping behaviors and expectations. From reducing customer pick-up wait times to improving labor efficiencies and enabling managers to realign teams in meeting curbside services dynamically, Theatro allows retailers to deliver better and frictionless services through its mobile platform.
Partnering to Drive Innovation Across the Enterprise
Theatro is forging a new market in the communications space with the ability to connect every frontline employee with the rest of the enterprise, not just a select few. In addition, the Theatro platform allows retailers to continuously innovate as they identify new applications that increase the speed of service, optimize workflows, and automate processes to improve the site and employee performance. To achieve these goals, Theatro works closely with customers to drive innovation as part of their Innovation Program. Together with Theatro’s Customer Success team, customers will designate specific innovation stores that will become the testing sites for new technology, processes, and applications configured for their service needs.
Major retailers across the country, including Cabela’s/ Bass Pro, The Container Store, Tractor Supply Company, Total Wine & More, and Walgreens, have rolled out Theatro with immediate positive impacts on their business. With Theatro, they have reduced the unnecessary chatter entirely while enabling clear, focused communication to deliver the best experience possible to customers.
Thank you for Subscribing to Retail Business Review Weekly Brief

