Scotmid Co-op has enhanced customer experience (CX), streamlined store operations and future-proofed its estate with a modular, hybrid self-checkout solution from point of sale supplier 4POS.
Recognising shopper demand for fast, convenient and flexible checkout experiences, Scotmid, Scotland's largest independent co-operative, sought to reduce checkout friction, improve customer service and optimise self-checkout (SCO) processes. Investing over £3.5million in modernising its SCO, Scotmid selected Pan Oston + 4POS to deliver an assisted checkout model across its estate.
The move saw 4POS deploy a hybrid solution, which allows shoppers to independently operate SCOs while dual, colleague-facing screens mean Scotmid staff can still step in to actively support the sale and elevate checkout experiences.
“We were particularly impressed by the modular approach,” Allan Robertson, Procurement & Sustainability Manager at Scotmid Co-op, explained. “The fact that the same core hardware could be used across traditional tills and SCO created real flexibility, allowing us to model different store configurations and future-proof the estate.”
The collaborative approach saw the deployment completed smoothly, ahead of schedule and budget. "The relationship developed quickly, and from the outset it felt like a partnership and a joined-up team,” Robertson said.
The retailer has now completed the rollout of the modular 4POS solution across 90 per cent of its Scotmid Food stores as well as its discount Health & Beauty brand Semichem locations. In addition to optimising its checkout operations, the deployment allows the co-operative to “retain the personal service that defines Scotmid,” Robertson added.
The SCOs have also been set up to support loss prevention, with customer video captured on-screen. The solution also features a purple light that indicates when a payment is in progress, allowing colleagues to proactively offer support or mitigate potential walk-offs. In addition, the high-quality screens on the SCOs have also laid the foundation for incremental revenue opportunities across advertising and retail media while enhancing supplier engagement at the Point of Sale.
“Even at the proof-of-concept stage, our customers were confidently using the solution,” Robertson added. “We set a clear utilisation target of 30 per cent across all transactions on assisted checkouts. We have achieved our target and are focused on growing from that position. We have the ability in the future to convert traditional tills into assisted checkouts if adoption continues to grow, and that flexibility is critical in convenience retail, where store formats will continue to evolve."