Zetes Puts Voice into Argos Stores

Logistics Insight Asia - Technology & Market Trends, 15/1/2010

Zetes, a provider of value-added solutions and systems integration based on the automatic identification of goods and people, has implemented a voice-directed put-away solution within 130 Argos stores, to enhance operational efficiency in the “back-of-store” area.

Since introducing the voice solution, Argos has seen process improvements through reduced time to the final sale point. “Previously, stores needed to put away products within each cage and then release the products for sale. Now individual items are released for sale as soon as they are put away – ‘on shelf’ literally means ‘on sale,’” said Alan Jeffries, head of store operations.

Depending on their size, the stores can receive up to two daily deliveries. The company is using voice technology to notify delivery assistants of where to store each product in their “back-of-store” warehouse. Working in this way has improved Argos’ put-away process efficiency by up to 24 percent.

Voice technology also has enabled the company to introduce line positioning in the stockroom, allowing flexibility over the layout with the fastest-selling products to be stored closest to the customer collection points. The technology also means that smaller stores have the ability to stock a greater variety of products because items can be shelved anywhere and easily retrieved without the need for delivery assistants to have detailed stockroom knowledge.

Gary Glessner, EMEA VP and MD for Vocollect, said, “Zetes and Vocollect, working in partnership, will be supplying Argos with the latest in voice technology applied to the in-store environment, a significant new growth area for voice applications.”

Zetes, www.zetes.com