Morrison Supermarkets Checks Out Irisys Technology

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Irisys (InfraRed Integrated Systems Ltd.) has announced it has signed an agreement with Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc, named Supermarket of the Year at the recent Retail Industry Awards, to roll out their latest checkout management technology in three hundred stores throughout the United Kingdom over the next six months.

In its first commercial deployment, Irisys unobtrusive and powerful end-to-end solution will deliver an improved checkout experience, and increase the efficiency of staff deployment within Morrisons stores.

Morrisons selected the Irisys solution following a successful trial at five stores. The trial demonstrated the simplicity of installation and key business benefits including significantly reduced customer wait time and improved cashier utilisation.

Utilising unobtrusive ceiling mounted infrared detectors over checkout lanes, together with detectors counting the number of people entering the store, the Irisys system provides real time information on numbers and queuing behaviours of customers. Compared to other options, such as video or beam based people counting, the unique infrared technology detects customers by their body heat, thus protecting their privacy, and providing more accurate data.

Available on either PC or PDA mobile device, the Irisys system dashboard displays the average queue length, average wait time, and overall store checkout performance in real-time. The Irisys predictor software will then calculate and display how many checkouts will be needed in 15 and 30 minutes time to meet customer demand, providing in-store management with advanced notice on when they need to open and close checkouts, ensuring that performance queue time metrics are met, and personnel are deployed in the right place at the right time.

Morrisons stores will also be able to use up-to-the minute data when assigning shifts to checkout staff by using the Irisys till scheduler tool to improve still further the service they offer to customers. Basing decisions on historical CRM and sales data, as well as data collected by the infrared sensors, store managers are able to anticipate busy or slow periods over 4-6 weeks in advance and ensure appropriate numbers of staff are available.

The investment in the latest technology is part of our strategy to continue to be not only a leader in terms of value for money, but also in the delivery of exceptional service and real benefits to our customers. Ensuring our customers receive the best possible service at the checkouts is one of the most important elements of the shopping experience, but also one of the biggest challenges, said Sylvia Jones, Head of Retail Operations for Wm Morrison. By investing in this innovative solution from Irisys we aim to deliver real benefits to all our customers in as cost-effective a manner as possible.

David Clayson, Managing Director of Irisys, said: Presented with intensified competition for market share and an increasingly price and service conscious customer base, supermarkets are faced with the challenge of increasing customer satisfaction, whilst simultaneously ensuring stores run as efficiently as possible. We are extremely pleased to be partnering with Morrisons on this major customer service initiative. It builds on our company's reputation as the world's number one people counting and queue monitoring company, and demonstrates our commitment to delivering real business benefits through the implementation of our unique technology.

About Irisys
InfraRed Integrated Systems Ltd. specialises in the development and manufacture of intelligent infra-red detectors used in,people counting, queue management, thermal imaging, healthcare and security applications.
Founded in 1996, Irisys is based in Northampton, UK with offices in the US.

About Wm Morrison
Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc is the UKs fourth largest food retailer with 377 stores. Their business is mainly food and grocery the weekly shop. Uniquely they source and process most of the fresh food they sell though their own manufacturing facilities, giving them close control over provenance and quality; and they have more people preparing more food in store than any other retailer. Founded in 1899, Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc is based in Bradford, UK.