LIFE IN THE FAST LANE

DEENA AMATO-McCOY

As the supermarket industry invests both dollars and confidence in the power and speed of client-server computer systems, it is apparent that the technology's flexibility is its strongest asset.

The system is comprised of a server and clients. The server, a repository of applications and information, gives personal computers, or clients, the ability to query vast amounts of information.

Unlike legacy system computing, users of a client-server don't have to rely on an information systems department to provide printed reports of specific data or documents. A connected PC is the gateway to obtaining and analyzing requested information, with on-line, real-time access for an expanded user group.

"Client-server systems solve the problem of how to distribute computing processes chainwide [through a single system] and how to effectively access and examine data," said Bob Drury, vice president of management information systems for Schnuck Markets, St. Louis.

According to SN's third annual State of the Industry Report on Supermarket Technology, approximately 88% of respondents are switching to "some degree" of client-server-based applications this year, while 36% are switching to a "large degree" of client-server-based applications.

Information systems executives who spoke with SN cite client-server applications as the building blocks that support price integrity at the point of sale and promotion planning.

Bristol Farms, Rolling Hills Estates, Calif., relies on the technology to provide price accuracy to the chain's PC-based POS system.

"As items are scanned at checkout, the POS PCs electronically transfer scanned price information to our Unix server, which checks and verifies the price in real time," said James Villela, director of information systems at Bristol Farms.

Price data is instantly transmitted back to the POS monitor, which is connected to the PC or client, "that is responsible for requesting the data verification while interfacing with the cashier and the customer," he said.

Bristol Farms also uses its client-server in a "push" format, for generating information out to its clients. This drastically reduces the time needed to distribute price information from headquarters to the stores.

"Item prices are input into our host [computer system]," he explained. "Upon approval the item prices are sent down to stores via our wide-area network within seconds and stored in the server. This process of transferring data to store level used to take several hours.

"Changes are applied automatically at store level through updates from our server to our checklane PCs," added Villela.

Though Pueblo Xtra International, Pompano Beach, Fla., is not currently using its client-server system for price maintenance, the retailer is gearing up to take advantage of quicker, more accurate price changes.

"We have the software integrated into our system and hope to be using our client-server to support price updates within a year," said Larry Elias, senior vice president of MIS at Pueblo.

Retailers are also benefiting from client-server functions in the area of promotion planning.

Category managers at Seaway Food Town, Maumee, Ohio, use client-server computing to plan promotions, as well as to track multiple promotions simultaneously.

"Using a PC, our category managers select specific Universal Product Codes within a category," said Bill Borer, director of information systems for Seaway Food Town. "Next, category managers specify dates and item pricing that will be used in conjunction with the promotion."

The system processes this information and "gives our category managers the ability to manage pricing and promotions to generate sales for the indicated time frame," he said.

Structured Query Language allows the user to connect to a database housed on the server and seek requested information. Users extract information from the server in order to manipulate data to create in-house business plans, in what is referred to as a "pull" format.

Certified Grocers of California, Los Angeles, uses a datamart, a small version of a database stored on the wholesaler's server, to drive the company's purchase planning.

"Our buyers use the system to see what items are moving, how fast they move and the conditions under which they are ordered," said Marty Simmons, director of retail systems at Certified Grocers. For example, if a buyer is researching ordering patterns and notices that most retailers are ordering half a pallet of a specific product, but one retailer is ordering 15 pallets, the buyer can query the system to find out why.

While client-servers are becoming the cost-effective system of choice as retailers seek an open-architecture solution that runs multiple applications, the jury is still out on whether the technology will replace the traditional computer mainframe.

A factor contributing to the uncertainty in moving away from mainframes is that since client-servers require more peripherals, retailers may hit obstacles by moving to the open system.

"The cost of a client-server system is less than a traditional mainframe," said Bristol's Villela. "However, since a client-server system has so many different PCs and other peripheral combinations, retailers run the risk of the pieces not talking together.

"The technology is still fairly new, and until the tools are fully compatible we will need many technology people to help us figure out problems," he added.

Certified Grocers' Simmons agrees. "As great as the client-server is, it does not match a mainframe in tracking a problem," he said. "When a mainframe printer or PC malfunctions, the system alerts the user; there is one company to call for service and the problem is corrected."

With a client-server, however, "the more complex pieces that are added to the system, the more you need to track to get to the root of a problem," he said. "When using distributed computing, it takes a while to find that one piece."