Case Studies – Driving forward with ASDA

VMC is on the road to further success after introducing its userfriendly
‘smart card’ technology across Asda’s nationwide distribution centre network, spanning almost 20 highly efficient sites - complementing
the completion of an impressive 300-store roll-out.

Thousands of Asda colleagues use an electronic credit to make purchases at on-site restaurants and vending machines, without requiring traditional coins or notes. In addition the same individual card incorporates photo ID and access control functionality, as part of a
£500,000 distribution centre investment by the retail giant, consistently voted Britain's best value supermarket.

VMC’s innovative Metro product portfolio includes sophisticated back office management reporting where stock analysis is a major benefit, as part of an expanding business relationship with one of the country’s biggest retail names.

This distribution centre project follows on from a successful store implementation programme that first went live in September 2002 and involved hundreds of
retail outlets across the country.

“We see VMC's technology as the best way to go forward to help maximize efficiency as part of a smooth running business operation,” explained Asda Project Manager, Andy Walker. “The distribution centre installations went very smoothly and the feedback from all depots has been extremely positive,” he explained.

Andy says the project took between 6-8 months to implement and has helped transform Asda's staff catering division. Colleagues have quickly embraced the easy to use, integrated card system which means they no longer need to carry any change whilst
making purchases at vending machines or purchasing subsidised meals from restaurants. They keep their cards with them all day to use when required.

Andy added: “We are now able to run the catering department like a proper business, just like our actual retail stores. We can control every aspect, monitoring stock in terms of when and where availability is required. We have the right products on sale to meet customer demand, thanks to the accurate up to date information provided.”

In addition Andy says the ‘one card does it all’ approach has been extremely beneficial, where photo ID and access control functions have been combined with cashless technology for maximum ease of use and simplicity.

The chain’s headquarters, ASDA House, based in Leeds, have installed VMC’s latest self-service till systemin the Café Quays on-site retail outlet. The installation completes the third and final phase of the cashless workplace project now fully installed throughout the ASDA retail, distribution and head office estate.

The unattended tills operate in a similar way to a selfservice check out in a supermarket. Within the cafe area there are two points of sale, one traditional till operator which takes cash and the ASDA colleague smartcard, and the other which works on a self-service
basis which allows people to scan their products using the built in bar code scanner and pay using their colleague smartcard.

Garry Judge, projectmanager at VMC comments: “With over 2,000 people in one building, the need for speed is imperative, especially at breakfast and lunchtime. So we specifically designed the programme for the self-service till tomeet ASDA’s own requirements. The
tills allow colleagues to scan and pay for items using their smartcard within seconds without waiting in the servery queue.

“We worked with the ASDA team to get the touch screen on the till just right, each screen can be designed to suit a client’s individual needs and tomake the transaction process simple and flexible.”

Paul Biddulph, cateringmanager at ASDA House comments: “We open at 7.00am, and close at 5.30pm, and we have literally thousands of transactions in a day with the restaurant serving over 800 hotmeals per lunchtime, plus other options available fromour deli and
two cafes. We launched the self-service till to beat the queues and it’s really taken offwith our colleagues.

“We’ve found the self service till is another greatway to speed up thewhole buying process. Colleagues have a reduced price tariff fromthat of visitors, and using this system allows us to pull all the information together in one transaction report,which also gives an excellent audit trail should there be any discrepancies. The audit reports also have the ability to differentiate themixed company sales at the till, for exampleASDAown branded goods or caterers own. We’re thrilled with how the whole Metro cashless system is working, it’s reallymaking our lives easier.“

The self-service till project follows theMetro cashless technology roll-outwhich sawVMC’s systems spanning ASDA’s nationwide distribution centre network. The distribution centre programme involved 300 retail outlets across the country.

VMC’s innovative Metro product portfolio includes sophisticated back office management reporting on stock analysis,which is amajor benefit to one of the country’s biggest retail names.

This case study is available for download (PDF)