The supply challenges of modern supermarkets are almost beyond comprehension. The volumes are high in every way: transactions, products, customers, suppliers, promotions and deliveries – they typically dwarf those of every other sector. Moreover many products have short shelf lives, so punishment for overstocking is quick and expensive.
The sheer volume of data means that it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the details while losing sight of the big picture. RELEX is at its best handling massive complexity because it allows you to:
- Automate the daily replenishment routines, concentrate on the more difficult tasks
- Classify products as you wish, ensuring personalised treatment for each product with low effort
- To analyse performance on the level that is relevant for the case in question, to drill down and avoid getting lost in low-level metrics.
There are always promotions. Some cause huge sales peaks, some don’t. If you underestimate their impact empty shelves lose you sales and customers. If you overestimate, especially with short-shelf-life products, overstocked items can suddenly become waste. With RELEX you can:
- Classify promotions and create forecasts for them automatically
- Monitor the success of the promotions and react effectively to unexpected changes during the promotion period
- Create special rules for products with short shelf life to minimise spoilage
Picking and shelving is labour and cost intensive. It’s inefficient to organise staff in stores and warehouses around sharp peaks and troughs in activity. You need to ensure that their workload stays stable despite variations in sales between and within weeks. RELEX enables you to:
- Optimise delivery rhythms and keep the workload stable
- Optimise delivery batches and minimise picking costs
- Integrate the supply chain – base DC replenishment on forecasted store orders
At RELEX we’ve helped supermarkets to master the challenges they face – indeed the more complex the environment, the bigger impact RELEX systems have. Working with us is easy, and you get measurable results in months. You want to improve your company’s profitability fast – so ring us or enter your contact details – a one hour meeting is enough to familiarise ourselves with your company’s needs and define the next steps.