W.W. Grainger Inc., Lake Forest, Ill., now has a free mobile app for iPhone and Android smart phones that provides instant access to its 900,000 products. Customers can use the app to search for products, see pricing, check product availability, locate Grainger branches and order products.
In a press release announcing the availability of the app, Geoffrey Robertson, Grainger V.P. of ecommerce strategy and planning, said, "By allowing these customers access to Grainger's products anytime and anywhere, Grainger's mobile technology helps them work more efficiently. We are moving beyond the standard trend of using mobile for information-gathering and leveraging it to help companies manage their workflow."
Several features of the app include a voice search feature powered by Nuance's cloud-based Dragon voice recognition technology; information on real-time product availability, so customers can find out when a product will ship or if it is available for pickup at a nearby Grainger branch; and access to orders placed online within the last six months, so customers can check order status and reorder using the "My Orders" feature.