Austrian supermarket chain Merkur, which is part of the Rewe group, intends on equipping all of its high-volume stores with NCR (National Cash Register) SelfServ solutions.
Merkur assessed the operational effectiveness and customer satisfaction during an initial trial at its Vienna Gerngross department store in 2014. The customer feedback was very positive which according to NCR reflects the findings of one of their recent global studies on the use of self-checkout technology.
“People around the world use self-checkout technology for speed and greater control when they shop,” said Dusty Lutz, general manager, Self-Service at NCR Retail Solutions. “Industry research and NCR’s extensive industry experience illustrate that customers are more likely to return to a retailer that provides self-checkout technology."
The Austrian retailer expects that in the near future at least one third of all purchases in their stores will be made via self-checkout.
“Merkur intends to provide impeccable customer service. To achieve this we deploy new technologies to improve our business and make every day easier for our customers. If regular employee tasks are more efficient, staff members have more time to serve our customers. This improves customer satisfaction” said Merkur executive Manfred Denner. “The acceptance of NCR self-checkout solutions has exceeded our expectations. Regular and passing customers, as well as employees, have embraced the new technology from day one. During the peak Christmas time the self-checkout solutions proved especially valuable by reducing queues at our stores.”
© 2015 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Story by Jenny Zilligen
