A fresh outlook on checking out at Poco

Poco was planning to review the check-out zones of their furniture discount markets in Germany. They were looking to include self-checkout areas, offering their customers a self-service option to check out their purchases independently. There had been in contact with Pan Oston for a number of years, so when looking for a manufacturer of self-checkouts, Poco reached out to Pan Oston to discuss the possibilities.

GEARED TOWARDS GROWTH

Poco is pursuing a consistent course of growth, opening around three to five new markets every year, so it was important for them that a standard solution was offered, one that was economical, consistent, and easily scalable as more Poco branches were opened.

FINDING A MATCHING SOLUTION

Pan Oston thoroughly analysed the customer flow in the Poco stores and considered the wide variety of items being bought in the stores, to come up with a self-service solution that would fit the bill. Poco has eventually chosen the SLIM Balance Large Self-checkout, which is a standard SCO within the SLIM product range. Poco was convinced by the practicality of the design, the appearance and the price-performance ratio. The SLIM product range also includes belted checkouts, so these could easily be incorporated in the new check-out areas at Poco to serve customers who want to use a regular staffed checkout.

A VERSATILE CHECKOUT AREA

For their furniture market in Münster, Poco has decided on a self-checkout area with three SLIM Balance self-checkouts, one of which is dedicated to card-only payments. The other two SCOs are additionally equipped with cash management systems, which enable customers to pay for their purchases in cash. To ensure perfect integration, the SLIM Balance checkouts at Poco have been finished in a custom colour that matches the interior design colours Poco uses in their furniture markets. For security reasons, the SCO area features, among others things, a pair of electronic exit gates, that open when customers scan the barcode on their receipt.

SMART AND SECURE

Alongside the self-checkout area, a SLIM belted checkout has been installed, to accommodate clients who do not want to use the SCOs and prefer a traditional checkout experience. The layout is such that the cashier has a clear view of the SCO area, so that quick assistance can always be provided if customers encounter problems using the SCOs. It also provides an additional layer of security, with customers always being aware that they are seen when moving through the SCO area.

FLAWLESS PERFORMANCE

Since the introduction of the self-checkout area, Poco has had a very good experience, with the SLIM Balance SCO units performing flawlessly and without any problems. The proportion of sales achieved through the self-checkouts in the Poco-market in Münster ranges between 30 and 40% of the total sales.