The fastest-growing supermarket and wholesale chain in the south of the country, the Imec Group, founded 67 years ago, decided three years ago to bring new technological resources to the store floor, precisely to support the pace of growth, with greater efficiency, and mitigating the natural failures of day-to-day retailing.
The aim was to help senior management and managers gain greater visibility of various aspects of the operation, such as the store’s out-of-stock rate, supply, improved product display, sales results, among others. But above all, a solution that would generate indicators for the dynamic decision-making process and at the same time automate responses to the challenges faced.
In mid-2022, they began implementing RUB, a solution for store management and operation. The partnership with GIC began with the Desco flagship pilot store in Santa Cruz do Sul (RS). Hard work to train the chain’s employees changed routines, demanded commitment and generated mutual commitment between the two companies.
The results soon appeared in precise, clear and defined metrics, but also in the quality of engagement and improved performance of Imec’s human capital.
The partnership with GIC increased the percentage of products linked to the right location to almost 100%. This has practically eliminated the widespread risk in retail of having products in the wrong places. The rate of shelf breakages, which used to be 26%, is now around 4%. There has also been a 75% productivity improvement in label auditing, which used to take more than 20 days, but now with RUB it takes 4 hours.
The overall effect is to increase sales, operational predictability and business profitability. The consumer experience, a value for Imec, has improved, with even more satisfied customers as a result of the partnership.
Imec Group plans to use another GIC solution to optimize product displays using artificial intelligence (AI), to further improve the customer experience and store profitability.
Partnership reflects enthusiasm and guarantees shared prosperity.