Direct merchandise and label ordering via barcode scanners with GPRS modules

July 27, 2009 - PRLog -- The WASGAU AG (Corperation) is a famous supermarket chain that successfully implemented an innovative ordering system for their franchise stores. Now shop managers can order their needed products directly by scanning the barcode of the to-be-ordered product with the barcode scanner SCANNDY, which would then immediately send the data to WASGAU AG's retail center. The new ordering system proved to be fail-safe and cost-efficient, which lead to a fast payoff of the initial investment.

WASGAU AG (Corporation) has over 4,000 employees and 200 supermarkets and convenience stores of the regional supermarkets in Germany. The core of the commercial activity has created over 200 WASGAU supermarkets and convenience stores with a sales floor area between 600 and 2000 square meters, accounting for 85 percent of the market. Moreover, over 250 independent retailers use WASGAU AG as their wholesale retailer and retail-service center. All in all, the solution that was found  covers the entire range of grocery store types, from the large supermarkets down to the street kiosks.

Cost-intensive and error-prone ordering
To fit the different structures of the sales floors of those independent supermarket retailers tied to WASGAU, that the actual data would have be directly WASGAU had to find a solution for an error-free ordering process that above all, would be easy to manage. The precondition was to ensure connected to the WASGAU AG inventory management system and to enhance the information quality of the data. “The old solution was getting outdated and had to be replaced with a simpler, more intuitive solution. Ordering by fax, e-mail or over the telephone are not alternatives for typos and wrong numbers were becoming common mistakes that resulted in expensive wrong deliveries, troubled and dissatisfied dealers. That was too involved and cost intensive for both us as the retail-service central and the affiliated supermarket retailers,” reported Gerhard Büchner, the information systems leader of  WASGAU Services and Logistics GmbH. “The solution developed by CONXPERT in combination with the barcode scanner SCANNDY from PANMOBIL with GPRS is for us, the ideal solution. SCANNDY is easy to manage and works mistake-free,” he continued.

Simple ordering with GPRS (data-telemetry card)
The retailer scans with the barcode reader SCANNDY directly off the racks or in the order charge of the barcodes on the to-be-ordered items, then enters the order quantity using the SCANNDY's keypad. SCANNDY will subsequently send the orders  CONXPERT GmbH Co KG over mobile radio GPRS, from where the data will  automatically be transmitted to WASGAU's inventory management system. The order will then on the following day be removed from the rack and shipped out. Through the same system, the retailer can also oder more labels that would be printed at WASGAU's headquarters..

An economic and easy to manage solution with SCANNDY
The solution developed by CONXPERT for transferring data over GPRS is for all different types and sizes of supermarket retailers – from big supermarkets to small kiosks, the solution is well-fit because it is market-driven and cost efficient. “From our requirements, it was immediately clear to us that only data transferring over GPRS could be considered. Not every independent retailer has a PC work station with internet access. With the SCANNDY barcode scanner being so robust and simple to administer, we had quickly found the optimal hardware for our customers. A absence of acceptance of SCANNDYs by the retailers though would bring the entire project to collapse,” clarified Bernd Stähler, the key accounter from CONXPERT.

Synergistic effects along the entire ordering process by WASGAU AG
The concurrent review of the logistics process of WASGAU AG with the search for the mistake source brought forth the adoption of a new ordering system. When WASGAU AG and CONXPERT GmbH & Co KG included the entire process value chain, the synergistic effects began along the entire ordering process. The fully automatic integration of the ordering data in the inventory management system had enormous time-savings in the processing of the orders and the ordering itself and an enhanced processing security also resulted. The company saved on both processing and transaction costs. The articulation of the information content in the inventory management system was augmented while the transparency of the system increased. That WASGAU AG as a wholesale retailer and retail-service center now offers a simple ordering system demonstrates that the SCANNDY is a brilliant and distinguished customer-binding instrument.

Cost and process-time saving by the retailer
For the retailer is the ordering of the merchandise or labels directly on the rack considerably better than to the mistake-prone scribbles and manual entries of the order or ordering number. This system achieved flexibility and time-savings in the day-to-day business of the retailers. Routing is minimized and workers can now attend more to the customers in the store. So profits the quality and customer proximity of the markets, and ultimately the end customer also profits.

The result – fast payoff for the investment cost
The solution developed from CONXPERT that uses the barcode scanner SCANNDY from PANMOBIL with a GPRS module and the direct connection to the inventory management system of WASGAU AG has added more customer value and minimized the source of mistakes to manage wrong deliveries. This smooth process incurred cost-savings for the retailer in addition to inducing a quick payoff for WASGAU AG's investments.

Product information for the SCANNDY
The SCANNDY from PANMOBIL is characterized particularly by its user-friendly handling. Through its modular architecture, the SCANNDY in addition to reading 1-D barcodes and 2-D barcodes alternatively also can be equipped with a RFID module for LF, HF and UHF (gen. 2). The SCANNDYbasic UHF version reaches a reading range of 30 cm, while the SCANNDYgun version boasts a larger reading range of up to 4 meters. Thanks to the OLED-display and its 170 degree reading angle, the SCANNDY's screen can be read clearly even in direct daylight. All SCANNDY versions are also available with Bluetooth, USB or cable (PS2, RS232). The SCANNDYgun has some radio connection interface options, the additional connection types being GPRS, 433MHz, Bluetooth and WLAN. The stable design (IP54) of the SCANNDYs also leaves more place to increase more meters. Thus is the SCANNDY an ideal solution for various types of usage applications, and even under rougher conditions.

PANMOBIL offers the SCANNDY and smartSCANNDY with modern software support, for example, mobile inventory is made possible and direct data export into Microsoft Excel or other supported programs. Over the SCANNDYscout software, scanned data can be conveyed to webshops directly over a PC with internet connection, and orders can be sent through automatically generated e-mails. The devices endowed with a USB-stick function (mass storage drive), software-installation is not even applicable. For any ordering solution in retail and in field work, SCANNDY is the one. Please vistit www.panmobil.com for more information about SCANNDY

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PANMOBIL is a leading manufacturer in the field of modular, compact mobile AutoID system components. The product range includes: Barcode Scanner (1D + 2D) and RFID (LF, HF and UHF Read/Writer) for easy operation, rugged use and low weight.