One of Italy’s Largest Food Distributors Chooses Datalogic’s PowerScan™ Readers to Outfit Cash & Carry Outlets
Overview
Gruppo Maiorana S.p.A. is the holding company of one of the strongest leaders in the food distribution market as well as one of the largest commercial real estate holders in central and southern Italy. Gruppo Maiorana’s extensive field experience, local market knowledge and professionalism are among the factors that have contributed most to its growth.
The operating companies of the group include Maiorana Maggiorino S.p.A., a commercial market service company handling food distribution and wholesale cash & carry outlets, and Emme Più S.r.l., a retail company that directly manages a chain of supermarkets and hypermarkets.
The Challenge
Although Gruppo Maiorana is a 35 year industry veteran, it has the characteristics of a modern company with new facilities dedicated to monitoring business management, marketing and information systems. With these facilities, Gruppo Maiorana’s CED department (Centro Elaborazione Dati or Data Processing Center) is able to develop all IT projects internally. Using the most competent, leading-edge hardware, this department led Gruppo Maiorana to become one of the first to install cordless bar code readers at its cash & carry outlet, Maiorana Maggiorino.
With the intention of equipping their stores with powerful tools to optimize business processes, Maiorana Maggiorino decided to invest in a new bar code scanning solution to upgrade its point-of-sale (POS) systems. Since Maiorana Maggiorino carries over 30,000 different products, the hardware needed to be able to read diverse bar code symbologies (i.e. 1D linear and stacked codes) in all types of quality. The solution also needed to be cordless to provide the operator with the freedom to move, especially with two operators working: one to scan the customer’s items and the other to complete the transaction.
The Solution
After testing, Maiorana Maggiorino purchased Datalogic’s PowerScan™ PM8300-D readers with display screen to handle transactions at the POS. “Datalogic’s proven reliability and excellent reputation combined with the field testing of several other Auto ID technologies made us confident in selecting the PowerScan readers,” said Fabio Mancini, Purchasing and CED Manager, Gruppo Maiorana S.p.A.
The PowerScan PM8300 reader uses the Datalogic STAR Cordless System™ narrowband radio, allowing operators to move to greet each customer and quickly scan bar codes on diverse items. Providing mobility for operators promotes a streamlined checkout process with faster scanning and reduced wait times for customers. It also ensures a safer environment by eliminating tripping hazards.
Maiorana Maggiorino also chose this reader for its reliable performance. With ruggedized features, the PowerScan reader is able to maintain consistent performance if misued or accidentally dropped. Additionally, the PowerScan PM8300 reader features a lightweight form factor balanced with an ergonomic grip for maximum user comfort, even under conditions of prolonged use.
The Results
To effectively manage the thousands of products available at Maiorana Maggiorino, the company installed several new POS systems with the PowerScan PM8300-D readers. The installation was a snap as a result of the multi-interface base station, which allowed a quick and easy connection to the host system in accordance to the standards currently in use at Maiorana Maggiorino.
“Following the positive experience we had with Datalogic’s Magellan™ 2300HS scanner at Emme Più Srl, the Group opted to use Datalogic for its cash & carry stores,” stated Mancini. “This decision has again proved to be a wise one. We are now enjoying the many benefits of a high performance reader that will increase our return-on-investment.”
Through the Datalogic STAR Cordless System radio, the transmission of real-time data allows the operator to manage cash faster than ever before. This has increased Maiorana Maggiorino’s customer satisfaction as customers no longer have to wait as long to complete their purchase. Additionally, stock and inventory levels are now always up-to-date and management control is more precise and accurate.
“In the future, we plan to upgrade our solution to the PowerScan PM8300 reader with display and keypad for direct and immediate interaction with the host. This technology would allow us to manage all sales transactions with a single operator,” Mancini added. “With this solution, our company could experience even more savings in operating costs and streamlined store operations.”
Customer
Gruppo Maiorana S.p.A.
Industry
Retail
Sub-Industry
Grocery/Supermarkets
Application
Point-of-Sale (POS)
Country
Italy
Datalogic Product
PowerScan™ PM8300-D
