Elaine Watson
Retailers in the Midlands can now place orders with Booker on the internet from the first of a new breed of delivery hubs' in Wolverhampton.
The move is the first stage of Booker's plan to consolidate delivered operations into a network of 15 or 20 hybrid C&C/delivered depots, leaving the rest of the estate to focus purely on cash and carry.
The new order processing system from Unipower will be rolled out to all of the hubs following successful trials in Sunbury, Lincoln, Nuneaton and Chester with 40 customers, said Unipower chief executive Andrew Day.
The system lets customers compile orders offline using up to date product lists downloaded from the net and upload them to the depot in seconds via a new website. Alternatively, they can scan products using a hand-held device that can be plugged into a cradle, uploads orders on to a PC and sends them to the depot. This is more accurate and efficient than the current system, whereby customers generally phone or fax through orders, claimed Day.
By keeping product lists updated, it also makes sure customers are aware of the full range of products available when they send orders,he added.
"One result of the trial was an increase in order sizes because customers could see the complete up to date product range."
It also provides Booker with a valuable database of customer buying habits and gives customers the flexibility to order at their convenience, during the day or at night.
{{NEWS }}
Retailers in the Midlands can now place orders with Booker on the internet from the first of a new breed of delivery hubs' in Wolverhampton.
The move is the first stage of Booker's plan to consolidate delivered operations into a network of 15 or 20 hybrid C&C/delivered depots, leaving the rest of the estate to focus purely on cash and carry.
The new order processing system from Unipower will be rolled out to all of the hubs following successful trials in Sunbury, Lincoln, Nuneaton and Chester with 40 customers, said Unipower chief executive Andrew Day.
The system lets customers compile orders offline using up to date product lists downloaded from the net and upload them to the depot in seconds via a new website. Alternatively, they can scan products using a hand-held device that can be plugged into a cradle, uploads orders on to a PC and sends them to the depot. This is more accurate and efficient than the current system, whereby customers generally phone or fax through orders, claimed Day.
By keeping product lists updated, it also makes sure customers are aware of the full range of products available when they send orders,he added.
"One result of the trial was an increase in order sizes because customers could see the complete up to date product range."
It also provides Booker with a valuable database of customer buying habits and gives customers the flexibility to order at their convenience, during the day or at night.
{{NEWS }}
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