The big German retailer, Karstadt Warenhaus GmbH, Essen, is continuously modernising its operational processes.
The big German retailer, Karstadt Warenhaus GmbH, Essen, is continuously modernising its operational processes. In order to give the individual branches more flexibility and also give them an advanced means of enhancing their range of goods the retailer last year intro-duced a new branch system. The stores now have a unitary software platform, resulting in quicker procedures, lower costs and shorter channels, in short in more efficiency. Mobile data capture devices are part of this unitary platform, being used for inventory and price control. Karstadt opted for high performance handhelds by Höft & Wessel. The skeye.allegro LS model has been specially designed for one-handed use and its balanced weight distribution enables the operator to work without becoming tired. In a version designed specially for Karstadt, the mobile computer selected has a unique landscape 3.5“ display which is well suited for retail.
Adaptation to Customer-specific Requirements
Höft & Wessel worked closely with Karstadt on the specification of the mobile computer. This concerned, for instance, the format of the displays. The landscape format not only has the advantage of being able to display various data records in list form side by side, but also increases overall user-friendliness, because it features a type of display that the user is familiar with from working at the PC. Before starting the project, Höft & Wessel developed a test device at short notice which immediately convinced Karstadt because of its large screen. Meanwhile Höft & Wessel have received an order for equipping all of Karstadt‘s stores with the skeye.allegro LS.
A willingness to customisation while working closely with the customer forms part of Höft & Wessel’s business approach. The company considers it a challenge tailoring an existing solution to Karstadt’s requirements, thus optimising operational processes and the needs of the users. In the course of altering the format of the screen, the keypad was also adapted to customer requirements, by integrating more softkeys for additional functions.
Standard Devices Customized
Standard devices customised Karstadt‘s decision for Höft & Wessel was influenced by a number of factors: For once, Höft & Wessel as medium-sized enterprise is a great deal more flexible than its larger competitors. Also, Karstadt did not really want a newly developed proprietary device, but rather a standard model, which would be generally available on the market. Yet all of Karstadt‘s requirements were channelled into the development process of the device. With the skeye.allegro LS Karstadt now benefits from the dual advantage of a standard product offering many tailored features at the same time.
The device offers numerous communication options as standard, such as WLAN, Bluetooth and/or GPRS, which, besides connecting the device via an ethernet cradle, facilitate smooth integration into the network infrastructure. The Höft & Wessel handhelds in use at Karstadt are integrated into the communication environment of the retailer via WLAN. Extension of memory capacity using SD memory cards and use of an imager instead of a laser scanner are equally possible.
Even the use of RFID Read/Write modules is supported. Development of the skeye.allegro LS with a landscape display took about six months and fitted precisely into Karstadt’s schedule. Beginning of last year the rollout of the new technical platform started in the stores. Up to this point different data capture systems had been in use in the branches. Following pilot tests at group headquarters and in selected branches, those stores that previously had to manage without wireless mobile computers, i.e. the majority of them, were given priority as regards distribution of the new devices. Mobile data capture had indeed been practised in these stores, but only in offline mode. The branches taking part in the rollout include well-known premium department stores, such as KaDeWe in Berlin, Karstadt Oberpollinger in Munich or the Alsterhaus in Hamburg.
Positive Résumé
With the skeye.allegro LS the retailer can now access stock in process directly at the display fittings in real-time. This makes online inventory management possible. That means that with the new branch infrastructure Karstadt will be able to work faster, more accurately and more efficiently. Karstadt’s complex conceptual specifications and the resulting customisation of the skeye.allegro LS has also paid dividends for Höft & Wessel: in addition to the skeye.allegro LS computers for the department store group, more than 20,000 devices have been sold to other customers.
