SkillNet Solution Highlights

• Rollout of store optimization solutions in US and Canada, in over 380 stores
• Creation of customized store processes and reporting
• Centralized store operations to enable easy access to store and inventory information
• Retek POS integration with Retek Inventory
• Integration of Retek POS suite with JDA Merchandising and PeopleSoft HR

SkillNet Solution Benefits

The deployment of the Store optimization solution is expected to result in -

• 35% cost reduction in new store openings,
• 70% in hardware costs,
• 33% in maintenance and
• 50% in training time.

The Retailer’s Goals

The retailer wanted to re-launch its point-of-sales processes in time for the 2003 festival season. Central to its strategy was to enhance customer experience and improve operating efficiencies. The goals were to enable real-time sales and coordinated inventory lookups, process transactions faster, and improve credit processing.

The retailer selected the Retek Integrated Store operations suite as the platform for point-of-sale. The modules included were POS, Store Inventory Management and Time and Labor. The key challenge was to implement the Retek suite and interface it with other enterprise systems.

SkillNet Approach

SkillNet’s design of the underlying open standards approach of Retek’s Java-based point of sale system gave the retailer the flexibility to select hardware, databases and operating systems that met their business needs and keep costs of ownership low. By using a centralized server approach, the retailer could provide stores and the corporate office real-time access to store and inventory information. Faster credit processing and information look up allows store associates to spend more time helping customers. The infrastructure also allows access to the corporate intranet and e-mail services ensuring corporate information can be quickly disseminated to the stores.

To accommodate the retailer’s goals, it was required to customize Retek products. For example, a Special Order pickup process was created, where the customer to custom-order merchandise and the transaction would be completed when the customer would pick it up from the store whenever it arrived. In addition, gift certificates and store value cards were introduced.

The retailer required additional reporting features, to implement which; SkillNet integrated Retek’s products with the JDA Merchandising system and the PeopleSoft HR Management system.

A pilot rollout in 25 stores in Texas preceded the complete rollout to 388 stores in the US in time for the festive buying season.

This was followed by a launch in Canada the following year.