FCUK manages stock on-floor with handhelds

French Connection, the global fashion group, has halved the time it takes to perform critical stock-related tasks in its stores using mobile handheld devices.

In recent years, the UK group with brands including FCUK, Nicole Farhi, TOAST and Great Plains along with stores, licensees and franchises in the UK and across the world, has streamlined its stock management and distribution operations.

The retailer first replaced its slow and error-prone manual picking systems in its warehouses with in-house applications linked to its IBM AS400 system.

As part of the warehouse management system, it installed 200 Datalogic Mobile Falcon radio frequency (RF) mobile computers that were able to read barcodes through the plastic covers over its garments, before moving its operations to a new distribution centre serving the whole of the UK and Europe.

The redesigned picking systems, based on the RF handhelds, have helped its logistics operations handle 12 million items every year and increase accuracy from 85 per cent with the old manual system to well over 99 per cent in the new distribution centre.

Shifting its focus to in-store operations, FCUK commissioned specialist UK integrator Retail Business Solutions (RBS) to develop a new point-of-sale (POS) system. The original handheld supplier Codeway was asked to work with RBS to supply a mobile capabilities for in-store applications including stock takes, stock look-ups and transfers, cycle counts and sale markdowns.

Each store now uses Datalogic Falcon and Pegaso rugged personal digital assistants (PDAs) to improve stock-related accuracy. And the new systems have halved the time taken to complete sale markdowns and all other critical tasks.

Sales promotions are now turned round much faster and staff can instantly tell customers the price and availability of any item.

Doug Gardner, FCUK IT manager, said: "Over the years, we have built excellent [supplier] relationships. They have done a great job for us both in the UK and the US. Combined with their ability to work closely with our software design suppliers, Codeway are our preferred supplier for our hardware needs."

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