Success Story

GUS RELIES ON WELCH ALLYN

Welch Allyn scanners are being used extensively behind the scenes by GUS -The Great Universal Stores plc - to ensure that consumers throughout the UK are always able to 'shop until they drop'. GUS is the UK's second largest general retailer, and uses hundreds of Welch Allyn scanners to provide accurate barcode readings over a diverse range of operations.

GUS is based in Manchester, and its subsidiaries include the Argos chain, with over 400 stores; CBS Merchants, with 70 shops; and GUS Home Shopping. The latter is the UK market leader, with a large family of mail order catalogues, including on-line services on the Internet.

GUS has been using barcode systems for many years, but five or six years ago decided to upgrade its scanning equipment. The scanners the company was using at that time weren't very versatile, and didn't integrate very well with the company's mainframe.

Tony Culpin is the Senior Group Communications Analyst in GUS's IT Services Department in Manchester. "We knew we needed to branch out in a new direction," he explains. "I already knew Ebbie Khadem, the General Manager of Welch Allyn UK, and he persuaded me to try out some of their scanners. Once we tried them, we immediately realized that they were just what we needed." He continues: "The key issue was that they could be used with mainframes, PC or terminals - and the scanners worked straight from the box. We also liked them because everything is combined within one unit - for instance, they don't have a separate keyboard wedge. We realized we'd made the right decision in the first few months, as the scanners worked very well and we received excellent support from Welch Allyn."

The scanners are used in many different locations, including the group's four Issuing Warehouses and two Returns Warehouses. They are used in all warehousing operations that involve barcodes. These range from the mobile cranes, where the units are used for scanning the 'picking and putting' locations in certain storage areas, through to the picking and packing of agents' orders.

The scanners are also employed in the group's 38 White Arrow depots, for reading barcodes on parcels entering and leaving the sites before being delivered to agents and customers. They are also used in GUS's three Heavy Direct Despatch Sites. Finally, the group's CBS Merchant shops use Welch Allyn scanners at their Point Of Sale terminals.
Most of the scanners are Welch Allyn SCANTEAM 3400's or 3800's, although some older 3000 Series models are still in full use in the Returns Warehouse at Oldham. The 3400 Series are charge coupled device (CCD) scanners ideal for a wide variety of applications, can be used in full sunlight, and can easily cope with long barcodes.

The 3800 Series has set new standards in hand-held scanning, and also delivers exceptional reading performance both indoors and outdoors. Both the 3400s and the 3800s are very rugged, having been built for use in demanding work environments.

Tony laughs as he says, "Welch Allyn really has confidence in its products. To demonstrate the robustness of the scanners, they threw a scanner across the room and then handed it to me for use in our trials! It is the only company I know that gives a five year guarantee with some of its scanners."

The scanners are mainly used with VT 510 or 420 Series terminals, Memorex terminals, and a range of PCs. "Our staff really like them," adds Tony. "They are much lighter than any other units we have tried in the past, and feel really well balanced in the hand. Some people even said that they particularly liked the color!

"The real benefit, however, is that they save time all the way along the line. They are much better than other scanners we have used in the past, as they seldom break down. Because they are so robust and reliable, they enable us to be much more productive."

Tony is equally enthusiastic about the level of service Welch Allyn provides. "It's brilliant," he says. "We've had very few problems, but their support is second to none. If we have any configuration issues or queries, they're always willing to help - even at 2:00 am on one occasion, when they solved an issue created by our users! They are extremely knowledgeable about the products, and always have time to discuss any concerns."

GUS now has its own default settings which Welch Allyn codes into any new scanners. For instance, there are settings for different types of cables, so that a scanner that is being used on a warehouse crane can easily be adjusted for use with a terminal instead. Welch Allyn even provides the adapter cables used on the cranes, with military specification connectors.

"We will definitely continue to use Welch Allyn equipment in the future, "says Tony. "The whole package they provide is excellent. In my opinion, there is nothing else available that can compete with it."

Back to Success Story Index