First for Foodservice, a leading UK foodservice supplier, is deploying Psion Teklogix's TekSpeech solution at three divisions in Banbury, Royton and Heywood to increase productivity and accuracy, and provide employees with real-time information.
The logistics division of 3663 First for Foodservice distributes products for customers such as Burger King, Pret a Manger and Compass. The company previously relied on a paper-based system to handle 200 million stock transactions and 37 million cases per year across its warehouse operations. With the recent addition of Pizza Hut and KFC as customers, this caseload will increase to over 50 million.
The hands-free, speech-based system should increase accuracy and productivity, reduce training time, and increase worker safety and real-time information. During peak times, when supervisors are occupied with other tasks, employees can be trained easily to learn new warehouse functions.
"We have been interested in speech technology for a number of years, and understand the benefits it will provide to our business and our customers," said Phil Oliver, supply chain manager, 3663 First for Foodservice. "Clearly this is a major change in both culture and process for our company, and we are extremely passionate about the business we operate and the service we deliver. To run this project we need to work with partners who are equally committed to its success as we are."
