17.09.2010
6 min read

Precision Landing in the Project "Einfach Kasse"

Delivery of New Branch Store Solution for the Kaufhof Warenhaus AG in Due Time

Schöneck / February 12, 2008 – In due time, the GK Software AG has delivered the new branch store solution for the Kaufhof Warenhaus AG. After the successful pilot run in the branch stores of Gießen and Leverkusen (at the end of 2007) as well as in further two pilot stores (at the beginning of 2008), from March 2008 onward, the about 4,000 cash register systems of all department stores in total will be gradually changed over. The GK Software AG's solution for Galeria Kaufhof is completely based on the GK/Retail standard that has been extended by specific customizations for department store enterprise. Due to that, Galeria Kaufhof will be able to benefit from the GK/Retail further developments in the future too.

According to plan, the GK Software AG has successfully reached the last milestones on the realization of the cash register project for Kaufhof Warenhaus AG so that the rollout in all German branch stores can be started in March 2008. In October 2007, all cash registers in the branch store of Gießen were already changed over followed by the branch store in Leverkusen. In both houses, the Christmas business was handled using GK/Retail. After this intensive test run, Galeria Kaufhof is now perfectly prepared for the use of GK/Retail in all department stores. With the rollout in this year, the Kaufhof Warenhaus AG and the GK Software AG will complete one of the largest German IT projects in the branch store area in due time. Hansjörg Bausch as Organization/Infor-matics Manager of Galeria Kaufhof says: "We are very proud to cause such an extensive project to be completed with a precision landing and, at the same time, to have a standard solution that meets our high demands."

A Standard Solution for the Department Store

At the end of 2005, after an intensive selection process, the Kaufhof Warenhaus AG had decided in favor of the GK Software AG solution. By the end, the decision in favor of GK/Retails was very clear. Decisive factors were the fact that GK/Retail is a standard solution, the extent of function-alities, the technical operating concept, the software architecture and the possibility that all cash registers can be controlled, parameterized and supplied with updates from within the head office.

The width of the function extent in the department store made particularly high demands on the new cash register software. Nevertheless, it was important for Galeria Kaufhof that no specific Kaufhof solution is developed, but a versionable standard product is used. In that way, the enterprise can also benefit from the GK/Retail further development and stays open for future trends and technologies.

Enthusiasm at the Cash Register

The about 150 cashiers in the test branch stores are enthused of the new cash register system. The operator control of the touch-screen cash registers is ergonomic and widely self-explanatory. Now, many transactions that were time-consuming and, in part, could be called via code functions only in the past can be carried out in quick and simple manner. For example, customer returns can be handled directly by scanning the original voucher. Moreover, the time-consuming sorting of the goods is no more required due to the automatic assignment to the corresponding action coupons. On the cash register that can toggled between left-hand and right-hand operator control at any time, all functions around the Payback Card that is just strongly being used at Galeria Kaufhof can be handled in a comfortable way.

Successful Project Partnership

The decisive factor for the achievement of the project milestones in due time and high quality was the close in-partnership cooperation of the teams of the Kaufhof Warenhaus AG and of the GK Software AG. To this topic, Hansjörg Bausch as Organization/Informatics Manager of Galeria Kaufhof says: "All deliveries of the GK Software AG came in due time and high quality. We are highly satisfied with the process and the result of the project. With that, the correctness of our project decision has proved true in impressive manner." Rainer Gläß as Chairman of the Board and CEO of the GK Software AG states. "The high exertions of all participants have paid off. Because new developments were directly included into the standard, GK/Retail could also considerable benefit from this large-scale project."