Matalan Improves Customer Service with New In-Store Systems from Capgemini

A complete revamp of in-store technology featuring a customized electronic point-of-sale system has helped leading UK retailer Matalan provide better customer service and faster checkout times.

The Situation

Matalan is one of the UK’s leading clothing and homewares retailers, trading
from 6.5 million square feet in some 190 out-of-town stores. The technology being
used within the business was more than 10 years old and was becoming a constraint
on the efficiency of the company’s operation. It was decided to replace all core
systems within finance, supply chain, retail and marketing in a £25 million program.

The Solution

A new customized electronic point-of-sale (EPOS) system was one of the core elements
of the overall change program, and was carried out in partnership with  Capgemini
as consultant, project manager and system implementer.

The Result

The new EPOS system is making strides toward achieving some of Matalan’s most
pressing challenges in the key areas of customer service, responsiveness to  changing
patterns of demand, staff/system interfacing and promotional effectiveness. It
is also enabling Matalan to accommodate and exploit new developments in retail
technology, both current and imminent, such as chip-&-pin credit cards and
the use of PDAs by mobile in-store sales staff.

“Capgemini have done a magnificent job of applying the right point-of-sale technology
for our fast-moving retail environment. Their consultants were able to achieve
terrific  rapport with Matalan staff at all levels while challenging accepted
convention and proposing stimulating and innovative new ideas of their own. The
net result is a very  significant boost to our capabilities in key areas such
as customer service and flexibility of response.”

— Nick Beighton, Change Management Director and Chief Information Officer, Matalan