Elkjøp replaces its entire sales system. The technology selection, utilizing Neptune Software, and approach gives Elkjøp a digital solution that is primed for the future.
“Everyone who has been to an Elkjøp store probably remembers our old DOS application with a blue window and white print. This old-fashioned solution will now be replaced with a much more modern version similar to our website,” says Sebastian Andersson, Nordic Operations Project Manager at Elkjøp.
He states that the technological system in all Elkjøp’s stores must be replaced with a new and far more flexible solution. One where the seller can switch between the use of desktop and mobile.
“With the new solution, the seller can help the customers in the store without having to go back to their desktop PC to retrieve information about the product, update the order or check if the item is in stock. This means that sales work will be considerably more efficient to the benefit of both the employees and customers,” says Andersson.
The roll-out of the new solution started in Denmark in May 2020, and will continue throughout the Nordic region into 2021. The investment makes Elkjøp one of the most modern retail chains in the world.
“When we reach our goal, we will have 10,000 new users using the system. Our legacy solution enabled changing functionality only twice a year, and, amazingly, the previous system that is now 30 years old has worked for as long as it has. But now the new system can be updated regularly, the architecture is service-based so new functionality can be pushed continuously,” says Andersson.
Andersson emphasizes that the upgrade will benefit customers just as much as the employees. Today, many customers check out items on the website before heading to the physical store. Despite an increase focus on e-commerce, it turns out that only 15 percent of Elkjøp’s customers choose to buy items online.
“This means that the customer service representative is still important, and he or she can now use information about what the customer has searched for or added to the basket, and in the process give even more precise and expedited advice. The sale can be completed outside the store or with updated offers in the shopping cart, without ever having to go check out with a cashier,” says Andersson.
Elkjøp selected Neptune Software’s low code platform to develop its original solution and is already moving forward beyond the initial scope of the project. They are now starting to build a number of additional applications to support its ‘store operation processes,’ including goods receipts, delivery of goods, inventory, and more.
“Elkjøp chose Einr as a development partner to build a completely new tool to optimize the sales process for its customers. With Elkjøp’s microservice-centric architecture approach, Neptune Software and its added API support is a perfect match,” says Camilla Eikeland, Partner at EINR.
