EPOS, DIGITAL SIGNAGE AND INSTORE TECHNOLOGY 17
THE CO-OPERATIVE GROUP STREAMLINES STORE REPLENISHMENT
Transformation (SMART) – an ambitious multi-year programme scheduled to reach full deployment by the end of 2011. The retailer had been relying on the
T
experience of its store managers for daily replenishment orders. However, this created unpredictable stock outages and overages that the organisation needed to reduce or eliminate. It also sought to deploy a consistent, unifi ed set of workfl ow processes to underpin the technical solution. The Co-operative Group began to look into the solution used by its 600 newly acquired Somerfi eld stores. Somerfi eld had been using Syncsort DMExpress to eliminate any overnight batch processing bottlenecks and bring greater speed and accuracy to the replenishment of its stores. Recognising that the Somerfi eld system
for generating planograms, which factored in historical sales fi gures, derived forecasts, current stocks and point-of sale data, was feasible for 600 stores in a short window, The Co-operative Group was able to deploy the same solution for its full complement of 2,800 stores – a six-fold increase in data – in a two-hour overnight processing window. Having planogram data in each store at the start of their trading day means store
wo years ago, the Co-operative Group launched Store
Merchandising and Replenishment
managers are continually aligned with the latest data, promotions, and trends. When the batch processing window closes, the planograms can be viewed and acted upon locally at the stores, while still being hosted centrally.
The planograms have also created
agility for the Co-operative Group. For example, if there’s warm weather forecast, the Co-operative group will know that it has to sell more cold drinks. It can infl uence the stores’ orders centrally, over night, and dictate to the stores where to place additional drinks in their individual stores the next morning as they open. The increased volumes are then delivered in line with an increased space now allocated to the soft drinks. This helps the Group capitalise on emerging opportunities far more quickly than ever before. With Syncsort DMExpress, the
Co-operative Group has seen a huge performance boost, which has enabled it to achieve effi ciencies and make improvements to its central ordering solution. The anticipated return on investment derived from implementing the centralised solution is approximately £1 million per month. Without DMExpress, the Co-operative Group has said it believes it would not have been able to achieve the critical overnight batch processing that makes it all possible.
SPAR UK SIGNS NEW INSTORE RADIO DEAL
SPAR, the convenience store retailer, recently signed a fi ve-year deal to extend an existing contract with Immedia to supply ‘SPAR Live’ radio until 2016. Immedia, which currently supplies 1,168 stores with the service, has a target to recruit an additional 1,200 stores to the network over the next fi ve years. It said revenues resulting from the deal, in the event that all 1,200 stores are added, could deliver up to £2.3 million. Barry Wallis, SPAR UK retail development controller, said: “SPAR Live radio is a
great way for us to increase our consumer communication while enhancing the instore environment. “The benefi ts to our retailers are huge, it helps to improve the atmosphere instore,
gives staff a station of their own, provides consistency from one store to the next and, most importantly, increases the advertising opportunities for both proprietary brands and SPAR’s ‘Real Deals’ to increase sales within stores.”
DUANE READE ADOPTS VIRTUAL ASSISTANT
Duane Reade, New York City’s largest pharmacy chain, has installed a virtual assistant at the recent grand opening of its Wall Street megastore. A next-generation digital signage
solution, the Tensator virtual assistant provides Duane Reade and its customers with a customised information, brand and promotional messaging medium that uses the very latest in holographic imaging and audio- visual technology to create the illusion of a real person. Paul Tiberio, Duane Reade chief
marketing offi cer and senior vice president of merchandising, said: “As the virtual assistant is so compelling, shoppers are receptive to the wealth of information she provides, enabling them to get the big picture of everything the store has to offer in a very personal and exciting way.”
JULY/AUGUST 2011 RETAIL TECHNOLOGY
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