ShelfLife focus on CBE in Retail Technology Feature
CBE’s EPoS solutions and NCR partnership for Self Checkout were highlighted in the May edition of ShelfLife Magazine which ran a feature on Retail Technology
The piece can be viewed in full below or on the ShelfLife online edition by clicking here
Technology solutions
Technology is evolving at an exponential rate, meaning that more advanced and affordable solutions for retailers are always coming down the track. Read
on to learn about the most recent innovations in the EPOS area.
Mobile technology is affecting and adapting all areas of retail. Self-scanning and self-checkout via mobile are the next big thing according to experts, which allows retailers opportunities to save capital as well as man-hours, and focus on improving other areas of the business.
However, another key word in this area must be reliability. A hi-tech EPOS system must be easy to use and reliable in order to be a worthwhile investment for a retailer. An interesting analogy outlined below is that of a referee, or perhaps a traffic warden. If you don’t notice a traffic warden, it means they’re doing their job as well as can be done. If you notice a traffic warden but don’t get frustrated with the traffic – this is a result also!
Investment in technology will give your business the edge as consumers become more tech-savvy, so read on.
EPoS best practice
CBE is a pioneer in retail technology with three decades’ worth of experience in the field. Serving the Irish and UK markets, CBE has a proven track record in developing solutions for retailers to handle the complexities of today’s market within the supermarket, convenience, forecourt and hospitality sectors.
In describing best-practice in EPOS solutions, CBE invokes the aforementioned sporting metaphor. Most consumers only become aware of a store’s EPOS solution if it does one of two things:
- Causes them hassle at the checkout stage
- Offers them something new and unique that they weren’t expecting
Option one is similar to a referee in a football game – if no one notices them or they don’t do anything wrong, then they are deemed to have had a good game. If a customer completes their purchase without noticing the EPOS solution then in many ways it has done its duty. The business benefits that it brings to the retailer in the back office or to the checkout staff are of no relevance to the customer.
Option two, on the other hand, is where a customer notices the EPOS system for all the right reasons. The introduction of Contactless was a case in point where customers were suddenly aware of the improvement in the speed of the transactions and this new feature added to their shopping experience.
Self-checkout also aligns itself in this category as it provides customers with a unique and convenient option at the point of sale. Traditionally only available in supermarket multiples, more and more independent retailers are seeing Self-checkout as a ‘must-have’ for their store.
CBE’s recent partnership with NCR, the global leader in retail self-service technology, has made the self-checkout concept a reality for Irish and UK retailers.
Universal knowledge, local experience
NCR’s universal experience in self-checkout, combined with CBE’s local knowledge of the 
independent retail sector, ensures that retailers can now avail of best-in-class expertise when introducing self-checkout to their business.
For a store to implement self-checkout for the first time they need to undertake a thorough evaluation of their operations to determine the type of units (traditional, convertible or cashless), the number of units and importantly, the positioning of the units. All of these variables are decided upon based on the CBE/NCR scientific TOUR analysis of the store.
Multiple orders have already been placed for the CBE/NCR self-checkout both here in Ireland and in the UK. Within the next 18 months there will be a huge uptake in self-checkout adoption in Ireland. This will provide greater customer satisfaction and ensure that the modern Irish store is a destination for customers that offer choice and convenience not just in the product offering but also at the checkout stage.
Contact CBE for further information on self-checkout on 1890 373000 or email info@cbe.ie.
