ARAMARK chooses BCP's Accord Retailer for MOD stores

Business Computer Projects Ltd (BCP), the retail and supply chain solutions specialist, has implemented its Accord Retailer retail management solution at a number of MOD stores on behalf of managed services supplier, ARAMARK UK.

ARAMARK UK is the UK arm of the US based ARAMARK Corporation, a world leader in providing managed services to business. The company services many industry sectors Education, Healthcare, Hotels, Leisure, Custodial, the MoD and Offshore, to name but a few with an extensive array of customised facilities management services - cleaning, grounds and buildings maintenance, reception duties, janitorial services, etc. - as well as the traditional food service solutions on which the company was founded.

BCP is one of the UKs leading suppliers of specialist Retail and Supply Chain solutions to the Food and Drink industry.

The new retail systems encompass the complete Accord Retailer Point of Sale and Back Office solution. The modern Windows front end Accord PoS provides the full range of point of sale functionality necessary for successful retailing, including integrated EFTPoS, multicurrency and comprehensive in-store promotion control. Designed to provide fast, reliable, resilient processing, it ensures customer service and store efficiency are optimised. Accord Back Office provides complete control over store operations, from product and price maintenance and auto replenishment to stock control, sales reporting and cash control, delivering focussed management information for monitoring performance and proactive decision making.

The systems at the MOD stores utilise a range of different hardware including IBM, Compaq and the latest J2 touch screen terminals for the checkouts at some of the stores.

The implementations also include AIMS, BCPs Internet messaging service for high performance, cost effective communications and data transfer, and Piccolink RF hand held terminals. These are being used with Accord Retailer to improve accuracy and productivity across a whole range of activities, including stock counting, price verification and goods received.

ARAMARK chose BCPs Accord Retailer for the MOD stores because it offered a cost effective, flexible solution with an impressive track record in convenience retailing. Specially tailored for the supermarket and convenience sector, it satisfied ARAMARKs precise requirements without the need for any additional bespoke work.

The first system was implemented in October 2004, with the other stores going live around the turn of the year, BCP successfully meeting ARAMARKs aggressive implementation timescales in all cases.

Users at all the stores have found the system intuitive and easy to use. Operational benefits from the new system are already coming through, particularly in terms of improved efficiency based on information generated by the system. Automatic Ordering and improved stocktaking are delivering significant benefits while detailed sales information, previously unavailable, has confirmed presumptions about good and bad selling goods and prompted plans for re- merchandising of the store to increase sales.

Mike Pugh, Business Development Manager at ARAMARK, concludes: The new Accord Retailer systems at these MOD stores are more than living up to our expectations in terms of the benefits they are already delivering particularly at the initial store. One of the biggest benefits to date has been the transformation of the monthly stock taking process. Previously we had to close the store, but now these can be completed in a fraction of the time and while the store is open. This is delivering huge operational benefits. We expect to see further improvements and, particularly, an increase in store turnover, as we make use of other information generated by the system to tailor our product ranges and re-merchandise the stores.