IBM announced today that it is working with the Wakefern Food Corporation to deploy advanced IBM point-of-sale (POS) systems, software and infrared touch displays.
A recent IBM study of the grocery industry identified customer experience as a primary driver of loyalty. With today's announcement, Wakefern is moving to bring the most advanced functionality and technology to ShopRite stores, allowing employees to deliver a better shopping experience to consumers.
The IBM SurePOS 700 is the industry's premier point-of-sale solution for retailers who demand maximum performance, manageability, and adaptability to transform their business to a highly differentiated and customer-focused enterprise.
"ShopRite stores have always provided our customers with maximum convenience, competitive prices and innovative products and services," said Alan Aront, Vice President of Information Systems, Wakefern. "The functionality, reliability and open standards that we are implementing with IBM software and hardware will enable us to deliver continual innovations to our customers in less time."
In collaboration with IBM and Agilysys, an IBM Business Partner, Wakefern will install IBM's SurePOS Application Client/Server Environment (ACE), an application that optimizes customer service and improves reliability at the point-of-sale system, and IBM's Store Integrator on the IBM 4690 operating system. Store Integrator is designed to help maximize customer service and associate productivity, and is part of IBM's Store Integration Framework (SIF). SIF provides a complete, flexible and robust retail-optimized infrastructure to enhance store-centered processes and connect them with the enterprise.
ShopRite stores also will be upgraded with IBM SurePOS 700 POS terminals and servers and IBM SurePoint 4820 Touch displays at all check-out lanes.
Wakefern is using an IBM Electronic Marketing Enterprise (EME) solution aimed at improving its customer loyalty program. The EME solution gives ShopRite employees immediate access to customer data, and an easy way to promote offers and deliver personalized marketing messages in the store prior to checkout.
The agreement between the two companies was signed in December of 2007.
About Wakefern Food Corporation:
Wakefern Food Corporation is the nation's largest retailer-owned grocery cooperative, providing services to 190 ShopRite stores in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Delaware.
About IBM Retail Store Solutions:
With more than 30 years of point-of-sale (POS) market leadership, IBM and its network of IBM Business Partners provide retailers of all sizes store solutions, including innovative hardware and software products and a broad array of consulting and technical services that can help increase sales and reduce costs. For more information about IBM Retail Store Solutions, please visit
www.ibm.com/retail
