Gramedia Introduces RFID for Seamless Checkout Experience
Gramedia, a prominent bookstore chain in Southeast Asia, integrated Zebra’s RFID technology into its self-checkout systems to enhance operations and improve the overall customer experience.
Zebra Success Story: Gramedia
Overview: Retail Challenge
Gramedia faced several challenges, including long checkout queues, especially during peak times. Manual processes were prone to transaction failures and input errors, affecting both efficiency and accuracy. The company also struggled with inventory management, finding it difficult to track items accurately. Overall, Gramedia needed to streamline operations to enhance efficiency and free up staff for improved customer service.
Benefits / Outcomes
- Improved checkout efficiency and accuracy
- Increased customer satisfaction
- Time savings in stock management (up to 50%)
- Freed up staff for more personalized customer service
About Gramedia
Gramedia started as a small store in West Jakarta in 1970 and has grown into one of the biggest bookstore chains in Southeast Asia. In addition to books, it also provides school supplies, stationery, sports equipment and more.
Gramedia has proudly launched 129 stores across 56 cities in Indonesia, integrating all outlets into its online platform. These initiatives reflect Gramedia’s dedication to advancing literacy and ensuring seamless access to knowledge throughout Indonesia through the power of technology. To achieve these goals, Gramedia is constantly innovating, offering self-checkout and price-checker services in multiple stores.
The Challenge
The self-checkout implementation with Zebra’s RFID technology at Gramedia has brought positive impact. Previously, a long queue at the cashier often led to customer complaints and canceled transactions, especially on the weekends or holidays. Currently, the self-checkout services has allowed customers to swiftly and seamlessly complete their transactions. Customers feel more comfortable because they can control the payment process, from scanning the books to choosing the preferred payment method. Self-checkout is more convenient and efficient to customers making small purchases.
Zebra Technologies features have had a significant positive impact on our workflow, particularly in improving store security. This means that as frontline officers, we can now dedicate more time to offering personalized services to customers, such as providing book recommendations or detailed product information.
The Solution
To support the new experience, Gramedia relies on the Zebra FX7500 Fixed RFID Reader and Zebra AN610 low-profile RFID antenna. The Zebra FX7500 RFID technology is designed to achieve faster, more accurate and consistent performance in any condition. Meanwhile, the Zebra AN610 is a compact, advanced RFID antenna for indoor usage. This antenna is strategically placed behind the self-checkout shopping cart to scan customers' purchased items as they are leaving the store, ensuring that every item is accounted for and processed efficiently.
The integration of fixed reader FX7500 and AN610 antenna into Gramedia's self-checkout system has led to a noticeable improvement in payment efficiency and accuracy. This integration has effectively reduced common operational challenges, such as transaction failures and input errors. Currently, six Gramedia stores are using self-checkout services equipped with Zebra RFID technology, including four stores in Jakarta, one of them is located in Grand Indonesia, one store in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan and one store in Yogyakarta.
Customers are also empowered to independently verify prices with the Zebra CC600, a tablet-like device featuring a built-in barcode scanner that provides accurate information about products and prices.
Transformation initiatives continue to improve store security using the Zebra FX9600 Fixed RFID Reader and the AN480 and AN440 wide-band RFID antenna, placed at the store’s entrance and exit area.
The Zebra Difference: Outcome and Benefits
By leveraging the FX9600, Gramedia has successfully attained maximum visibility and accuracy in tracking the vast quantities of items entering and exiting the store, streamlined inventory management processes, ensuring meticulous tracking of every product within the store for enhanced operational efficiency.
On the other hand, the AN480 and AN440 are designed to scan item movements within a wider area, allowing for more accurate scanning. These devices will prevent shopping items from being taken out of the store without proper checkout, either by the cashier or through self-checkout services. With the implementation of Zebra solutions, Gramedia collaborates with Zebra Premier Partner, PT Duta Kalingga Pratama (DKP).
PT Duta Kalingga Pratama (DKP) has been a vital strategic partner in Gramedia's digital transformation journey. Their responsiveness and solution-oriented approach in addressing Gramedia's requirements for self-checkout services and inventory control have been commendable. The swift and efficient Zebra implementation enabled Gramedia to rapidly introduce these innovative services to its loyal customers.
The Zebra RFID solutions have had a profound effect on operations, notably in enriching customers' shopping experiences through quicker, more accurate and more efficient self-checkout services. This has led to a reduction in manual input errors and minimized record process errors. Specifically, Gramedia has achieved up to a 50% saving in stock opname time, along with a 50% accuracy improvement compared to its operations before utilizing Zebra solutions. Gramedia anticipates further collaboration in delivering more innovations to its customers.
The Zebra RFID solutions have become an essential component of Gramedia's initiatives to introduce new shopping experiences to customers, ultimately enhancing the quality of services provided to Gramedia's loyal customers.
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