IT systems upgrade improves shopping experience
Highlights
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- 2,200 stores
- Installation of Checkpoint Systems Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) solutions
- Reduced shrinkage and improved on-shelf availability of products
- Customer reduced carbon footprint and enhanced the customer experience
- 45,000 man hours of installation effort
- 27,000 deactivation units installed to PoS
“Barron McCann were selected by Checkpoint following great references and the successful delivery of large projects with other leading retailers. Their geographic coverage, ability to scale to the largest of projects across the country, and impeccable health and safety audits were key advantages- coupled with their ability to demonstrate the flexibility demanded by this demanding project”.
Project Manager, Leading Supermarket Chain
The Customer
As one of the UK’s largest retailers, this multinational supermarket chain employs over 400,000 people in the 14 countries in which it operates. They serve millions of customers every week across in their stores and online.
The Challenge
The customer required a solution that would reduce shrinkage, improve on-shelf availability of products, open merchandising and enhance the consumer shopping experience across its 2,200 stores.
They made the decision to implement a global EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) programme in order to improve on-shelf availability of products, open merchandising and improve the consumer shopping experience. A contract to deploy a new solution across their entire UK estate was awarded to global market leader Checkpoint Systems. Checkpoint’s EVOLVE ECO RF-EAS systems provide high performance and energy savings of up to 75 percent over solutions from competitors, Checkpoint identified the need for a reliable service partner, with proven pedigree in Retail, a reputation for quality, and a highly scalable service in order to deliver the aggressive installation programme.
The Solution
Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) is a technology used to identify articles as they pass through a gated area in a store. This identification is used not only to reduce shoplifting – but it can also help increase sales, lower labour costs, speed inventory, and improve stockroom logistics. The deployment of such technology across a large retailer is a mammoth undertaking, requiring specialist service partners.
Following extra health and safety training for night working and shadowing of the Checkpoint team, Barron McCann mobilised a large workforce who quickly scaled up activity to provide the installation Service for Checkpoint and their client. The team worked in a phased manner, to replace existing antennae, installing new antennae at all entrance and exit points in-store. In one store alone, this amounted to a total of 77 antennae across the entire shopping centre frontage.
“The responsive and positive attitude to overcome challenges of a complex and large scale project, and the ability to maintain large teams in the field for long periods of time – often working anti-social hours, as the majority of the project was undertaken at night, was why we had no hesitation in choosing Barron McCann to complete Phase 2 of the project, a further 940 stores, a year later”.
The Results
In addition to the resulting reduction in shoplifting, the installations have helped this global supermarket chain to reduce its operational costs and carbon footprint. They continue to save money on labour and energy costs which can then be passed onto their customers.
“Ultimately, the success of our partnership lies in the fact that Barron McCann had a clear and concise understanding of what we needed at every stage. They supported us, in ensuring that the installation and ongoing maintenance of the project went smoothly and that any issues were addressed professionally and promptly. We’ve forged a strong relationship with the team at Barron McCann as a result and will certainly be calling on them for any similar large-scale projects that come our way in the future.” Project Manager, Leading global supermarket chain
Why Barron McCann?
- Excellence in project management, execution, and reporting
- Able to provide extensive implementation and services delivery portfolio including procurement, hangaring, build/configuration and deployment, as well as on-going support (break-fix maintenance) for POS and IT equipment across the board
- Solid 35-year reputation as a leading supplier to UK and European retailers
- Highly knowledgeable, dedicated, and efficient Project & Support team
- A quality-driven, scalable delivery model
- Leveraging in house expert knowledge and dedicated resources such as project management, logistics, warehousing, and build
