ALBERTSON'S PLUGGING PHONES, INTERCOM INTO WIRELESS SYSTEM

KIM ANN ZIMMERMANN

BOISE, Idaho -- Albertson's here is moving forward with technology that integrates the store's phone and intercom systems so managers can make and receive phone calls as well as access the store's paging system from a wireless phone, according to a source familiar with the project.

An Albertson's official confirmed that approximately 30 stores in Oklahoma and Kansas are equipped with the system, but would not discuss plans to roll out the technology chainwide. While some of the stores have been using the wireless phone system for several years, some have been installed over the past several months, according to the source.

According to one manager who has been using the wireless system, it has improved productivity as well as customer service.

"It really is a blessing for managers," said one Albertson's store manager who has been using the system for several years. "You can be out at the loading dock receiving an order and still respond to calls without having to go back into the store," said the store manager, who asked not to be identified.

"We have saved quite a few man-hours using this system. It gives us more flexibility in being able to answer phone calls and broadcast pages.

The system allows manager to access up to five outside phone lines as well as broadcast and respond to pages from a standard 900-MHz cordless telephone.

The phone system and the intercom system are integrated through hardware, which is placed near the store's existing phone system.