Denmark’s largest retail group shows the way into the future, where data and reports are the basis for efficiency and targeted efforts.
Flemming Lindblad is Team Manager in Coop, the largest retail group in Denmark with over 1,200 supermarkets across the country. He is associated with a department in the company that – among other things – handles internal auditing.
The goal of the auditing is to ensure that the company’s stores comply with everything from the country’s laws to the chain’s internal rules.
As Team Manager, Flemming Lindblad isn’t responsible for the practical implementation of store audits but manages 15 Store Consultants and Internal Auditors daily.
In this Case Study, you get an insight into how Flemming Lindblad uses Instore Excellence’s team task management app to target their efforts and save time.
Complex data available in 6 seconds
Before implementing Instore Excellence’s team task management app, Coop’s Team Managers and Store Consultants would use Excel to collect and analyze store data.
“Excel wasn’t a super innovative tool, and it didn’t meet our needs. Instore Excellence is an excellent alternative at a good price,” says Flemming Lindblad and continues:
“Before Instore Excellence, each store had its own Excel spreadsheet, and I had to collect the data I needed from each sheet manually. Thus, when I had to identify the right places to initiate improvements, I had to spend a long time extracting the necessary data.
Now I can get the information in approx. 6 seconds. This makes my workflow so much more efficient! Having such a system at hand pays off – also from a financial point of view.”
The Team Manager’s requirements for the system
It’s mostly the Store Consultants who Flemming Lindblad manages that communicate with Instore Excellence, but as he says:
“I have no complaints from my teams, which indicates that the collaboration is going really well.”
But what does Flemming Lindblad as Team Manager need for a team task management system to be able to do? For him, it’s primarily about reporting and valuable statistics. At a base level, he receives weekly reports from the system with an overview of which stores have had visitors and each store’s weekly score.
“The system is an excellent tool for reporting. I use this feature actively in my work. I can see how far the Store Consultants are with their visits.
It makes my work much easier because I know exactly what I need to follow up on.
I can also see statistics on which chains have which problems or challenges. This allows us to make targeted interventions,” explains Flemming Lindblad.
He emphasizes that flexibility and speed also are essential requirements for the system:
“Many other databases are heavy. But the Instore Excellence app is very flexible and has many options that can be adapted to our needs – both ASAP and on an ongoing basis. It’s essential because we experience a lot of changeability in our everyday work.
It’s a game changer that we have the opportunity to make quick fixes and quick changes.
Significant changes, such as programming new functions, may take longer. But the communication is always good, and Instore Excellence is very responsive and willing to fulfill our wishes for the system.”
Data ensures less waste of resources
The Instore Excellence app is also used to combat resource wastage in Coop. This is possible due to the system’s ability to provide an overview of large data sets. For the Team Managers, this means more precise insights, thus less loss.
“A concrete example is from our discount chain called Fakta. During a store visit, we check whether staff identification cards are lying around in the office, which is not allowed. The app enables me to see if it’s a general problem in all Fakta stores.
If so, it’s a challenge that must be addressed nationally and not locally. But if the problem is still occurring after three months of targeted effort, we know that we should not use more resources in that area,” says Flemming Lindblad and continues:
“In this way, the system’s data helps us to 1) locate challenges, and 2) prioritize how we best use our resources not to waste time and money.”
Big plans for the future
Currently, Coop is building up larger and larger amounts of data in the Instore Excellence app. They’re also continuously adding more functions. Both are helping the company create a detailed history of each store and chain.
According to Flemming Lindblad, the goal is to create such accurate statistics that the Team Managers always know precisely where to take action – both in the individual chains and at a national level.
Meanwhile, Flemming Lindblad has more plans for the future; by having more departments in the company start using the same system, they can truly reap the benefits of combined data and communication.
“I would like to implement the system into several parts of our business – ensuring that Sales Managers, Internal Auditors, and Department Managers use the same app. This way, we could collect all data, tasks, and communication in one place. It would further streamline our workflows and create an excellent overview.
This would also ensure that data or important information isn’t lost in, e.g., full email inboxes, or if a store gets a new Store Consultant or Team Manager attached,” explains Flemming Lindblad.
When he is asked who he would recommend the app to, he is unequivocal:
“I think it’s a super cool system – and great future prospects exist. Therefore, I would recommend the system to anyone in a similar position. Both Team Managers, Sales Managers, Internal Auditors, and Department Managers.”
Learn more from Coop: Store Consultant: My work is easier and more data-driven
About Coop
Coop Danmark A/S is a retail company in Denmark with a market share of 38%. The group has an annual turnover of approx. DKK 50 billion, 1,200 stores, and 40,000 employees (2018).
“The app makes my workflow so much more efficient! Having such a system at hand really pays off – also from a financial point of view.”
“The system helps us to 1) locate challenges, and 2) prioritize how we best use our resources not to waste time and money.”
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