tSCG designs new cash stand layout for department store and reduces transaction time by over 15%

 

The Client:

Regional department store chain with 80+ stores

 

The Opportunity:

Cumbersome and lengthy transactions:

  1. The existing cash stand configuration required store associates to handle merchandise multiple times and move back-and-forth within the cash stand to check out a customer
  2. Customers did not have a reasonable area to place merchandise before or during the transaction which resulted in cashier associates waiting on customers to hand over merchandise
  3. Point of Sale (POS) required excess keystrokes and overrides to complete a transaction
  4. POS required signature credit signatures below industry limits

 

40% of customers were mis-directed during check-out process:

  1. Poor signage and staffing caused customer confusion at the front end
  2. Customers were unsure which lanes were open and which types of transactions could be completed at each lane. Associates were waiting an extra 5 seconds per transaction for the customer to find their way to the appropriate line

 

The Solution:

tSCG Completed the following:

  1. Established a transaction time baseline of the current operation by completing in-store observations and evaluating engineered standards
  2. Analyzed the store order profiles and customer behaviors to help the client better understand their customer
  3. Created order profiles for the average store and outlier stores
  4. Completed a sensitivity analysis to quantify the impact of designing for the average
  5. Created multiple design options to address process challenges and created working prototype to lab-test design changes and process improvements
  6. Completed a cost-benefit analysis on design changes to evaluate new equipment versus retrofit opportunities
  7. Recommended updates to transaction order to reduce required wait times within the transaction
  8. Recommended updates to credit signature limits to fall in-line with industry standards
  9. Worked with design team to implement new signage program to improve customer visibility and direction to open lanes

The Results: 

Average transaction time reduced by 17% (27 seconds) based on lab, engineered standards and in-store observations of updated design