SUPPLYCHAINNEWS
13
X Specialty
WHSMITH
POUNDLAND IMPROVES
retailer Pets
VOICES
at Home has
successfully moved
COMMITMENT
STOCK MANAGEMENT
over to scalable,
menu-priced,
WHSmith has increased the
number of voice-directed wearable
computers used in its Travel division C
urrently trading from 175
e-ful� lment
stores, the one-price retailer
systems provided
has identi� ed a number of huge
through a joint
distribution centre (DC) in Holford
growth areas. Poundland has added a
project by supply
by 50% to 75, following two years
chain provider,
custom-built distribution centre that has
of successful voice directed product
Manhattan
increased its total warehouse capacity
picking.
Associates and
During this period daily pick-
to 550,000 square feet and is planning
private logistics
rates per picker increased by an
to open 30 new stores every year.
company, Unipart.
average of 25% and pick errors have
To support these key growth
The systems will
allow it to expand
fallen by 80% per week. objectives, Poundland has partnered
its “ultimate pet
WHSmith Travel’s customer base
with JDA Software to implement
store experience”
has increased dramatically over the
new merchandising, replenishment Oldridge noted that: “Poundland
beyond its 200
last year, with the introduction of
and warehousing software, speci� cally has accurate and complete information
plus UK retail
stores within UK service stations.
“The volume of work in this site
Merchandise Management Solution on which to base tactical and strategic
outlets for the � rst
time.
has grown enormously, being
(MMS). buying and promotional decisions. MMS
centrally based, in Birmingham,” “JDA software gives us a powerful then supports the implementation
Jim McCafferty, site manager for
management tool and allows our of those decisions providing visibility
WHSmith told Retail Technology.
stores to have instant access to better and tracking from raising supplier
He said the decision to extend
information at the touch of a button,” orders, through the shipping process
WHSmith’s investment in VoiteQ’s
VoiceMan middleware and Vocollect
said George Oldridge, IT director at to delivery at Poundland and on to
Voice systems, including Vocollect’s
Poundland. “We can accurately measure automated product replenishment to
latest Talkman T5 belt-mounted
what’s being sold, what’s left on the make sure shelves remain correctly
computers was an easy one. “I’ve shelves, and what’s left in stock.” stocked.”
worked with a number of handheld
“Our buyers have a great instinct Just as soon as the fastest selling
warehouse systems and voice stood
for product selection and source great items disappear off the shelves, other
out a mile,” McCafferty said.
products,” he continued. “But as we popular items will � ll the gaps, depending
“You don’t want pickers’ hands
tied up with anything else and having
grow larger, the need to plan purchasing on the exact location, date and what the
to key things into a keypad leads to
to ensure that demands are properly merchandising system is telling them.
errors. Having a hands-free system met and sales opportunities optimised, “The key is to avoid ending up with
gives us a lot of � exibility.”
are becoming increasingly important. stock you either can’t � nd, or can’t
Operatives use the system by
“We obviously want to be stocking sell,” Oldridge said. “Poundland now
receiving picking commands from
what the consumer wants, as well as has an integrated end-to-end stock
the warehouse management system
(WMS) to the plug-in headset and
preventing all of our store managers management solution that provides us
computer and the system literally
from having to spend a few hours with accurate stock visibility throughout
talks them through their task.
every day ordering products,” said the supply chain. Using sales data with
X Norbain, a
“We’ve witnessed signi� cant Oldridge. “Now we have an automated automated replenishment will ensure
£126-million
improvements to picking accuracy
European
system in place that proposes the most that we always have the right product,
distributor of
and productivity by using voice
appropriate products to order to satisfy at the right time and in the appropriate
security systems
technology,” added McCafferty. “As
sales requirements, allowing them to volumes, giving rise to improved
and equipment
the workload in the DC increased,
we knew the best solution to help
focus on serving customers.” customer service and increased sales.”
has selected
TXTDEMAND
us to cope, was to expand our use
software from
of voice within the warehouse.”
the supply chain
The experience of the Travel
CLAIRE’S BEGINS
vendor, TXT
division has led to WHSmith trialling
DISTRIBUTION OVERHAUL e-solutions. The
the voice systems in other areas,
new partnership
including stationery. “We have
As part of its strategy to expand to 1,600 stores in 20 countries by 2014,
will increase
different ways of receiving goods,
Claire’s appointed supply chain consultants Total Logistics to review its
Norbain’s supply
as well as greater variety of goods,
European distribution centres and recommend an effective two-step
chain ef� ciency by
like confectionery, drinks and travel distribution strategy to enable its growth plans to be realised. The � rst step enabling improved
accessories, all under one roof. But was to consolidate European volume into a single UK distribution centre and collaborative
the voice system gives us so much invest in this base to enable it to cope with anticipated growth until 2011. planning and
� exibility, it shouldn’t be dif� cult
The second stage, planned from 2012 onwards, will see the UK distribution
forecasting in
to adapt it to cope,” concluded
centre either re-located to larger premises or a second facility opened on the
a global supply
McCafferty.
continent, ensuring it has suf� cient throughput to make it viable from start-up.
chain, spanning
� ve continents.
NOVEMBER 2008 RETAIL TECHNOLOGY
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