Johannesburg, 13 Nov 2017
After struggling with outdated POS hardware, support, and the cost of changing and updating software, the Cape Union Mart Group made the decision to award its POS hardware refresh business to FEC and its partner, Tactile Technologies, at the end of 2016. The Cape Union Mart Group encompasses all the Cape Union Mart, K-Way, Old Khaki, Tread + Miller, Poetry, Keedo - some 280 stores - making this project an exciting undertaking. Tactile began rolling out the equipment to Cape Union Mart from January 2017 onwards.
"The choice to go with Tactile Technologies was made because not only does FEC supply a superior product to its competitors, but they also do so at a better price and with great service," said Grant De Waal, Group IT Manager.
Project hardware
The Cape Union Mart Group made the decision to go with the P9635C PCAP (Projective Capacitive Touch) Fanless AIO from FEC, as well as a second 10" customer-facing touch screen display. In the interests of providing a comprehensive POS solution to the client, Tactile also supplied the cash drawers and Epson printers for these orders. According to Monique Weber, head of Retail and Hospitality Sales for Tactile Technologies, there were two, rather unique elements to this project....
(1) Challenges of countertop space addressed
Choosing a Panel PC format meant that the client was not stuck with the traditional base that most "All In One" (AIO) units come with.
"Cape Union Mart's unique countertops limited the amount of space we had to work with and the heights of the countertops also posed problems," explained Weber. "As such, the AIO we provided needed to be compact, as well as tall enough so that the second customer-facing display would be positioned correctly for customers to easily and comfortably interact with."
Working with FEC, Tactile Technologies supplied the Cape Union Mart Group with a unique base that was designed to raise the height of the Panel PC (and the customer-facing display), while also providing space for a receipt printer to be inserted. This not only solved the space and height problem but also moved the printer off of the countertop, thereby creating more space for the cashiers to work with. Additionally, due to the design of the Tall Base for the AIO Panel PC, FEC was able to mount the power supply inside the base, which further neatened up the counter.
(2) Effective cable management
"Due to the availability of various ports on the FEC PP9635 system, we were able to supply power to the peripherals directly, therefore by-passing the need for additional power supplies for add-on items such as the printer," said Weber. "This was beneficial for a number of reasons, but the main benefit was the elimination of the need for an additional power point at the point of sale. This neatened the installation considerably because it replaced the need for a bulky power supply, power cable, and USB cable with one cable. This also reduced the number of moving parts that could possibly fail, leaving the system more reliable."
Looking ahead: the future of the project
According to Monique Weber, the Cape Union Mart project is ongoing. Since January 2017, Tactile has supplied 450 systems with a similar number of deployments on the agenda for 2018 and 2019. The Cape Union Mart Group consists of a spectrum of very popular and fast-growing retail brands and with new stores being opened there will be the need for Tactile's comprehensive POS solutions.
"Tactile has worked closely with Cape Union Mart during this selection process and been pivotal in helping with this selection," said Grant de Waal, Group IT Manager for the group. "Furthermore, Tactile will also be helping with additional projects, as Cape Union Mart will now be embarking with a mobile POS solution with FEC and VeriFone. We look forward to many happy years with FEC and Tactile."
Another positive comment came from IT Stores Infrastructure Coordinator, Faizel Govender: "We haven't looked back since we bought FEC products from Tactile Technologies. They make you feel like you're a part of a family and not just a customer. They look after our needs and always go the extra mile. They're the best value for money and are willing to compromise and do what it takes to meet our needs."
This latter point is a sentiment echoed by Tactile's Weber who, when asked about her favourite aspect of the Cape Union Mart Group project, said: "I enjoy how flexible FEC are with their products. Their approach fits well with what we do at Tactile Technologies, which is to provide a solution that perfectly fits to each customer's wants, needs, and requirements. It is encouraging that a manufacturer listens to their customer's challenges and is willing to accommodate them."
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