Summary of the story

Customer's profile

An European supermarket giant Royal Ahold NV purchased half of Argentine supermarket Disco S.A. in 1998 to form a venture combining Ahold's international marketing know-how with Disco's know-how of the local supermarket. Disco S.A., started its supermarket business in 1968 and owned by Ahold NV of The Dutch Group and Argentine's Velox Group today, is one of the largest supermarket chains in Argentine with over 230 store outlets dispersed all over the country. The Disco's supermarket chain includes "DISCO", "Super Vea", "Americanos" and "Ekonos". Besides these stores, the company operates convenience stores under the Mini Sol name and produces private-label products with Bell's and Vea brands.
The company creates such a market that consumers can shop within walking distances from their homes. Unlike large store in its business facility size just offering inexpensive goods, Disco S.A. offers a variety of home delivery, personal charge account, and hi-tech service such as one that allows shopping through an internet site without stepping out her or his home.
The business strategy has seized already a sizable chunk of Argentine's supermarket industry. The company's annual sales earning this year is expected to reach US$1.7 billion.

External view of a store outlet of Disco S.A.

System configuration

Tecno RF S.A., local distributor of CASIO in Argentine and system integrator oriented specifically for RF wireless LAN network, has offered a consultation to Disco S.A. and provided with technology support for paperless solution to reduce number of careless mistakes by employees in daily work processes and to improve overall efficiency.
After thorough evaluation on each sample presented by hardware suppliers of CASIO, Symbol Technology, Intermec, Teklogix and other well-known manufacturers in their selection criteria, the CASIO IT-700M30RC with color /touchpanel display, RF module factory integrated, the CF card laser bar code scanner (option) and the familiar Windows CE operating system was selected as the best hardware device that could meet tough requirements of Disco S.A. Thanks to the RF feature comes as standard, it can eliminate employees' hectic moments by running, counting stock quantity and reporting merchandise transaction etc. throughout spacious store facility.
In addition to the CASIO's superiority over competitors, "there are a few more important factors that should not be ignored", according to a comment made by the management. These are 1) optimum cost-profit relation, 2) local technical/maintenance support and, 3) preparations before the installations by the local distributor.

Application software developed by Tecno RF S.A. using ".NET" technology available on Web Server runs in RF wireless LAN network configuration of the 802.11b protocol standard*. This software bundles all the devices of the IT-700M30RC, price verifiers, multimedia kiosk and POS terminals for optimum benefit of corporate resources.

* In the unlicensed 2.4 GHz ISM (Industry, Science, and Medical) band, the FCC of the USA dictates the use of either frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) or direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) technology. The DSSS IEEE802.11b systems are intended for higher-data-rate and higher-range applications. IEEE802.11b DSSS systems currently support data rates up to 11Mbps. The IT-700M30RC supports only DSSS technology.

The two photos below show sceneries of working employees with the IT-700M30RC in their hands at a Disco S.A. store outlet.

A male employee with IT-700M30RC in his hands is checking stock quantity of item on shelf.

A female employee is filling a pack of fresh beef using IT-700M30RC in her hands.

Model no. of the handheld data collection terminal and no. of the terminals installed

IT-700M30RC featured with

• Color display/touchpanel (240 x 320 dots)
• Windows CE Version 3.0 Pocket PC operating system factory installed
• IEEE802.11b compliant RF module factory installed
• Industrial standard interfaces (IrDA port, Compact flash card Type I/II, Serial port)
• Memory backup system
• Rugged casing for use under sever environment
• CF card-type laser bar code scanner, DT-5057CBCR (option)

Improvements and benefits

At the first stage of the new system installation, the following work processes are targeted to improve their efficiencies.

• Reception of merchandises
• Stock control on merchandises
• Permanent Inventory System (S.I.P.)
• Automatic Reposition System (S.R.A.)
• Return of merchandises
  

Benefits Disco S.A. can receive from the new system installation are;

• Paperless transaction which consequently contributes to the reduction of careless mistakes
• Centralized information and sharing corporate resources at optimum level by every device involved
• Reduction of careless mistakes
• Reduction of cost at every work process