x-hoppers, the smart, AI-powered retail communication platform from Wildix, has announced a new partnership with WHSmith following a successful pilot. The retailer is rolling out the platform across 300+ UK stores, starting with 32 priority locations. The first of these, its flagship location at Heathrow Terminal 5, is now live.
WHSmith selected x-hoppers to support its store teams with a complete communication platform of wireless headsets, a web app for head office and an AI-powered assistant. For customers, that means quicker help at the till and on the shop floor. For colleagues, it means one clear channel that keeps everyone connected, even in the busiest trading periods. For WHSmith, it means a platform that helps drive sales, with smart QR code notifications delivering up to +22% uplift in key categories, and supports consistent communication across hundreds of sites.
Proven in the pilot
The rollout follows a pilot that began in late 2025 at Manchester Piccadilly station, one of WHSmith’s busiest travel locations. Since the pilot began, more than 43,000 smart notifications have been delivered to colleagues’ headsets, from store alerts and fridge and freezer monitoring to scheduled team updates and customer QR code alerts. This brings communication, alerts and requests together in one place and reduces reliance on manual processes, streamlining workflows and improving operational efficiency.
In key categories, smart QR code notifications let customers request help on the spot, so teams can respond at the point of need. The same codes let delivery drivers contact store teams directly, minimising delays at drop-offs, and can be adapted to store-specific workflows.
Over the course of the pilot, customers made almost 1,000 requests for help via QR codes. Compared with before x-hoppers was installed, WHSmith has seen QR codes deliver a sales uplift of up to +22% in key categories. These results gave WHSmith the confidence to move from pilot to large-scale rollout.
Karl Stakes, director of operations at WHSmith, said: “Our colleagues need to be able to help customers quickly, especially when stores are busy. x-hoppers keeps our teams connected, so customers get help faster and colleagues are never on their own. The pilot showed what it can do, and we’re pleased to be rolling it out”.
Why WHSmith chose x-hoppers
Beyond the comfort, usability and clarity of the headsets, additional functionality such as smart QR code notifications was a major factor in WHSmith’s decision.
x-hoppers also connects with WHSmith’s in-store alert systems, so colleagues get the right information quickly without disrupting other communication. Scheduled messaging and multi-site broadcasts deliver updates to each team exactly when they need them.
At Heathrow, colleagues in WHSmith’s smaller satellite stores now share the same airside broadcast as the wider team, so they’re always connected.
Built around WHSmith’s stores
x-hoppers connects with the systems WHSmith already uses, delivering real-time notifications straight to colleagues’ headsets. Working closely with WHSmith, x-hoppers shaped a smooth, non-disruptive deployment around WHSmith’s IT infrastructure and the way its stores operate, and colleagues quickly adopted it for everything from customer service to daily shift handovers. The result is a platform that is reliable at peak trading, simple to work with and ready to scale.
AI-powered support for colleagues and managers
Using embedded AI capability, WHSmith teams can now access multiple store broadcasts and call specific colleagues directly. Data insights also help managers give teams the right support, building a more consistent customer experience.
“x-hoppers was built to make retail teams more connected and effective,” said Graham Dixon, CTO at x-hoppers. “Seeing WHSmith achieve up to +22% sales uplift in the pilot and move to a rollout across more than 300 stores shows the real, measurable value of uniting people, systems and AI on one platform.”
