Swiss Specialty Store Retailer Charles Vogele Selects NCR for $5.4 Million Store Automation Upgrade
09:30 a.m. Apr 06, 1999 Eastern
ATLANTA, April 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Charles Vogele Group, Switzerland's largest independent fashion retailer, has selected NCR Corporation for a $5.4 million (7.4 million Swiss franc) store automation solution to improve operations and service to customers.
The solution features the compact, touch-screen NCR 7454 point-of-service (POS) terminal at the checkstand, as well as checkout and store management applications from German software firm, act'o-soft. NCR also is providing implementation and project management services, communication network services and retail store support services.
Following a successful pilot installation at a Charles Vogele store in Pfaffikon, Switzerland, a rollout of the solution to the rest of the chain's 450 locations began in February. Completion of the project is scheduled for October of this year.
"As we defined our store automation solution needs, our primary objectives were to provide our customers with faster and more personalized service, while helping our sales staff improve their efficiency and effectiveness," said Urs Meile, chief financial officer for Charles Vogele Group. "In addition, when implementing new technology, we always look for innovative solutions that can be used in all our stores regardless of location.
"The solution we selected provides our sales staff with an easy-to-learn, user-friendly touch-screen system that guides them in their local language," Meile added. "The new system will integrate our store-level functions including inventory and financial applications, labor management and electronic funds transfer."
NCR's years of experience in implementing store automation solutions will help assure that Charles Vogele's rollout proceeds as smoothly and efficiently as possible. In addition, as part of a five-year retail store support services agreement, the chain will take advantage of NCR's depot exchange program -- known as Courier Care in the United States -- which helps minimize downtime and disruption to operations. If service is needed on a POS terminal, it is quickly exchanged for another unit. Once the upgrade or repair is completed at an NCR service depot, the original terminal is then reinstalled.
Designed to withstand the rigors of a busy retail environment, the NCR 7454 terminal incorporates advanced multimedia and Web browser capabilities. It not only supports conventional POS checkout operations, but also can be used as a consumer self-service kiosk that fits almost anywhere in a store. NCR's self-service solutions help shoppers make informed purchase decisions, and they enable retailers to transform these transactions and interactions into closer one-to-one relationships with consumers.
"We refer to the NCR 7454 as a 'leveraged asset' because it is flexible and allows retailers to maximize the value of their investment," said Des Martin, NCR vice president for General Merchandise Industry Marketing. "For example, when not in use as a POS terminal, it can run promotional applications or even employee training programs. The NCR 7454 is designed around open industry standards and runs Microsoft's Windows NT operating system, offering retailers a platform for many innovative and easy-to-use applications."
About Charles Vogele
Headquartered in Pfaffikon, near Zurich, Charles Vogele Group is Switzerland's largest independent clothing store chain. Charles Vogele's network of stores currently extends throughout Switzerland, Germany and Austria, and the company plans to grow to more than 500 locations this year with expansion into the Netherlands and Belgium.
About NCR
NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) is in the business of transforming transactions into relationships. NCR is a recognized world leader in data warehousing solutions, ATMs, point-of-service, high performance scanners, and support services for retail, financial and national accounts markets. NCR's business solutions are built on the foundation of the company's long-established industry knowledge and consulting expertise, value-adding software, global customer support services, a complete line of consumable and media products, and world-leading hardware technology. NCR's Retail Solutions Group, headquartered in the greater Atlanta area, is a leading provider of retail data warehousing and store automation solutions worldwide. More information about NCR and its solutions may be found on the Internet at www.ncr.com.
NCR is a trademark of NCR Corporation. All brand and product names appearing in this release are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders. SOURCE NCR Corporation
Copyright 1999, PR Newswire
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