The independent retailer Niemerszein successfully operates 8 Hamburg based supermarkets belonging to the EDEKA chain. The supermarkets are mainly located in well frequented locations in Hamburg, offering fresh food and service.
In particular the superstore in Lange Reihe in Hamburg opened 2013 offers an inspiring shopping experience.A historical grocer's shop from the collection of the founder of the Roncalli circus Berndhard Paul, serves as a special eye catcher. The service departments include a fresh fish counter and fruit and vegetable departments with an 8 meter long salad bar that have been designed very generously in a customer oriented manner.
Due to the very large assortment the ordering task constituted quite a physical strain on the employees. In addition the EDEKA order sheet contained the entire EDEKA offering and not just the assortment of a specific store. The mere weight of the binder with the order sheets required it to be moved around the store in a shopping cart. After completing the (paper) order set it had to be transferred to the PDT-device.
The newly introduced ordering system uses a light weight notepad that facilitates the task of the employees significantly. Originally designed for re-ordering frozen products or replenishment of dairy products in the refrigerators, the system has now proved its benificial use in other departments.
At the note pad the products to be ordered are displayed together with the quantities ordered during the last weeks. Alternatively the sales quantities can be shown as well. Using the touch screen or the virtual keyboard the order quantity for a product is entered. Additional functions are available in order to display seasonal products, special offers or starting products.
In this way the processing can be completed in a single pass.No more errors caused by reading disability; the display can be zoomed as needed for comfortable reading. The order can be 'parked' for later corrections or additions without blocking the device for use in other departments. The function 'send' will transfer the order data to the EDEKA central system for further processing.
The employees experience the introduction of the new system as an important reduction of their workload. „The better handling as compared to the paper order sheets has resulted in a positive attitude towards the new process by both the younger and older employees“, as Regina Fuhr, responsible manager for the assortments states, „The staff has more time left for service to the customers, also the product availability has considerably improved“. Project manager Dieter Baddack is satisfied too: “The introduction of the electronic order sheets saves between 4 and 5 hours per week and store. The roll-out to the remaining Niemerszein stores will be finished by the end of the year.
Summary of the new solution:
- easy handling and less weight to be carried around.
- the assortments can be defined for the individual store or, if required, the entire EDEKA assortment can be made available.
- on site information on sales figures or past order data.
- selected processing of seasonal products, starting products and products on promotion.
- ordering is integrated into the EDEKA ordering system.
Source: Superdata EDV-Vertrieb GmbH
