EANS-News: SAF AG
ROLLER furniture discounter reduces ordering time by more
than half with SAF software
Tägerwilen (euro adhoc) -
Conversion to automated ordering ensures more time for customer services
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Company Information/New client ROLLER
Subtitle: Conversion to automated ordering ensures more time for customer services
- SAF RetailSuite Store convinces order writers - Significant increase in order quality - Improved product availability during promotions - Lower inventories already during pilot phase
Tägerwilen/Switzerland, May 6, 2010.
The furniture discounter ROLLER (Gelsenkirchen-Buer), Germany's most important furniture discounter with almost 100 furniture markets, will replenish in future using SAF software. The company that has 3,000 employees concluded a license agreement with SAF for introducing the SAF RetailSuite Store software. The results of a pilot project confirmed that the ordering time could be reduced by more than half with the help of the SAF software. SAF AG, which is listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN CH0024848738), is one of the world´s leading manufacturers of automated forecasting and ordering systems for retailers.
The driving force at ROLLER for automating the ordering process was its desire to have its employees spend more time advising customers and to improve its service quality. During the pilot phase, three stores ordered a selected product assortment fully automated by using SAF software. This assortment consists mainly of items that are not ordered and produced based on specific customer orders and therefore is available immediately for sale.
The performance of SAF´s ordering software convinced the order writers right away, so that the SAF software was quickly integrated into the daily work routine. It relieves the employees of the burden of manual and very time-consuming ordering work. Above all, the fact that order writers no longer have to manually enter each individual order was of decisive importance. They only still have to check individual exceptional cases - so-called SAF Exceptions. After just a few weeks, less than 10 percent of orders had to be manually modified. "As a result, we were quickly able to save much more than half the time that had been spent to date on ordering work, and we had significantly more time for sales-related activities," explains the responsible project manager at ROLLER, in assessing the results of the pilot phase.
Furthermore, thanks to the improved order quality, the SAF system optimized the inventory range according to movement class and product assortment. Of particular importance for ROLLER is to further optimize the availability of promotional items. During the pilot phase, SAF proved that the promotional items availability was significantly better aligned with customer demand and that out of stocks had almost been completely avoided.
Together with ROLLER, SAF analyzed all relevant processes during the pilot phase and in doing so identified additional optimization potential. "SAF´s leading-edge technology combined with our industry know-how convinced ROLLER to count on SAF," comments Udo Meyzis, Chief Executive Officer at SAF AG, in referring to the recent contract signing and adds: "Our customers benefit not only from our technology leadership but also from our in-depth understanding of and experience in optimizing ordering processes for retail companies around the world." For example, the pilot phase showed that duplicated activities within the purchasing and ordering processes offer significant potential for further optimization of the replenishment planning process as well as inventory levels at ROLLER.
By introducing the automated ordering system SAF RetailSuite Store, ROLLER chose cutting-edge technology in its 40th company anniversary year that will further support the company's planned growth. "Once again we have achieved a success in our direct business at the beginning of the fiscal year," Dr. Andreas von Beringe, founder and President of the Board of Directors at SAF AG, is pleased about describing the solid start into a new chapter of SAF´s company history.
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About SAF AG SAF Simulation, Analysis and Forecasting AG specializes in the development of automated ordering and forecasting software for retailers and industrial manufacturers. SAF deploys the demand chain management approach, which controls replenishment planning based on consumer demand patterns. SAF software assists users to realize substantial cost savings and optimizes general logistics conditions through its simulation capabilities. As a result, significant competitive advantages are achieved along the entire value chain: lower inventories, improved product availability, and last, but not least, a higher level of customer satisfaction.
SAF AG was established in 1996 by Dr. Andreas von Beringe and Prof. Dr. Gerhard Arminger. SAF shares are listed at the official market (Prime Standard) at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FWB). Today, the company employs approx. 100 people. Consolidated sales revenues for fiscal year 2009, according to IFRS statements, were EUR 16.6 million with consolidated profit of EUR 0.7 million which were affected by one-time costs of EUR 2.8 million due to the takeover by SAP. SAP currently holds approx. 70 percent of SAF´s shares. SAF´s products are distributed in many European countries as well as in the United States. The company is headquartered in Tägerwilen, Switzerland. SAF also has a subsidiary in the United States: SAF Simulation, Analysis and Forecasting U.S.A., Inc., Irving, Texas and in Slovakia, Bratislava: SAF Simulation, Analysis and Forecasting Slovakia s.r.o. with the focus on Nearshore-Development.
Forward Looking Statements and Estimates This information contains forward looking statements based on assumptions and estimates of SAF's Management Board. Although we assume the expectations in these forward looking statements are realistic, we cannot guarantee they will prove to be correct. The assumptions may harbor risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual figures to differ considerably from the forward looking statements. Factors that may cause such discrepancies include, among other things, risks that are mentioned in the annual report 2009. SAF does not plan to update the forward looking statements, nor does it assume the obligation to do so.
end of announcement euro adhoc
Further inquiry note:
Astrid Strömer
+41 (0)71 666 79 48
astrid.stroemer@saf-ag.com
Branche: Software
ISIN: CH0024848738
WKN: A0JD78
Index: Prime All Share, Technology All Share
Börsen: Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard
Berlin / free trade
Stuttgart / free trade
Düsseldorf / free trade
München / free trade