CASE STUDY
The humble PIN pad is at the heart of modern retail operations, however large or small.
And we have all experienced the disruption that occurs when they malfunction, usually at the worst possible time, as a stressed cashier tries to get a device working while a queue of customers grow increasingly impatient.
To avoid this costly dilemma, retailers need to keep tabs of the quantity, placement and condition of their PIN pads, also known as PIN entry devices (PEDs).
Until 2019, Dixons Carphone relied on an Excel-based asset tracker across its shops in the UK and Ireland. However, it became abundantly clear that, as one of the UK’s biggest retailers with more than 1000 stores under brands such as Currys PC World and Carphone Warehouse, they needed a more automated system.
We had previously worked with Dixons Carphone on a well-received project to digitalise their accident reporting process, so were confident we could build an equally successful asset tracking and auditing system for them for their PED’s.
Using Microsoft Power Apps, Power Automate, and SharePoint, we developed a retail asset tracker in six months that not only reduced time-consuming administration, but also created greater visibility of thousands of assets across their network.
An easy-to-use interface features a home screen with two key functions – one for the engineers who install the devices, and another for the store colleagues who have to perform regular audits to ensure that the right devices are in the right locations.
