Signs multi-year deal to add greater choice to the instore customer experience with self-service checkouts

Signs multi-year deal to add greater choice to the instore customer experience with self-service checkouts

Supermarket chain Waitrose has chosen to implement Wincor Nixdorf self-service technology across its UK branches.

The agreement will see Wincor Nixdorf providing equipment and services across Waitrose supermarkets and its growing number of convenience branches. In implementing the self-service checkouts, the retailer aims to speed up transaction times, minimise queues, reduce the space taken up by traditional checkouts and, ultimately, improve the overall customer experience.

Prior to this announcement, Waitrose had been trialling Wincor Nixdorf self-service solutions across a number of its shops. Having worked initially to educate both staff and customers about the new technology and encourage usage, the retailer estimates that in those shops that have self checkout, at least 20% of transactions are now channelled through the self-checkout terminals, with that figure significantly higher in some city-centre locations. This has reduced queuing times and, as a result, enabled Waitrose staff to focus on customer service.

Extending checkout choice

“The results so far have been very encouraging and we are excited at the prospect of delivering this service to more of our customers,” said Graham Heald, director of retail services at Waitrose. “Excellent customer service is central to Waitrose’s success and transaction speed is a vital part of that, as is choice in the way customers wish to transact.

“This technology gives people an alternative payment option, which is fast, easy-to-use and means their instore journey from entry to checkout is a smooth one. Our customers expect the highest standards and this is true whether they are talking to a Waitrose Partner or using a self-service checkout. We therefore looked closely at the technology and chose the solution that would deliver the standard of service that we and our customers demand.”

Waitrose was also one of the first retailers to make handheld scanners available to customers who then pay at the ‘quick check’ tills and it is currently exploring new technologies such as contactless payments.