SOFTWARE MAINTAINS TESCO'S STRICT CHECKOUT POLICY

John Dawson

CHESHUNT, England -- Tesco here is using labor scheduling software to accomplish the seemingly impossible -- ensuring that a customer has no more than one person ahead in line at the checkout.

Tesco, the U.K.'s biggest supermarket chain, prides itself on trying to adhere to this OIF (one in front) customer-service strategy, observers said. Previously the policy had been managed by a variety of manual methods and complex spreadsheets. Now Tesco is using a staff scheduling system, called Scheduler, from SWL Torex, Alcester, U.K., to enable store managers to forecast workloads to meet predicted trade patterns, according to the chain.

SWL Torex worked closely with Tesco to tailor the generic scheduling product to the retailer's specific workload issues, the chain said. The system tells the store manager the number of checkouts (or tills, as they're called here) to open to meet OIF targets, taking into account such factors as staff absence, break times and checkout preferences.

Tesco is happy with the software, according to Attila Stanley, the chain's service productivity manager. "We have already achieved a full return on investment and have had very positive feedback," he said. "Our checkout staff is happy because their break times are better managed and they know exactly where they will be at any given time."

Tesco plans to use a similar system across other in-store service areas such as the delicatessen, fresh fish and rotisserie counters.