March/April 2005

The big 3663 foodservice group has improved efficiency and product visibility with a Psion Teklogix voice recognition package

One of the latest organisations to introduce voice-based warehouse picking is 3663 First for Foodservice, which is reckoned to be the UK's leading foodservice supplier. The company says it has chosen the solution to reduce costs by increasing productivity and accuracy, and providing employees with real-time information.

The logistics division of 3663 First for Foodservice distributes products for a wide range of customers such as Burger King, Prét á Manger and Compass. The company previously relied on a paper- and batch-driven system to handle 200 million stock transactions and 37 million case movements per year in its various warehouse operations.

With the recent addition of Pizza Hut and KFC as customers, the company realised that the caseload would increase to over 50 million. To meet the growing demands of its rapidly expanding customer base, 3663 felt it needed a solution that would help it streamline processes to become more efficient.

"We started looking at moving from paper to RF four years ago," says Phil Oliver, supply chain manager at 3663 First for Foodservice. "There was a wide choice of hardware vendors (we looked at forty potential suppliers). Voice appeared as an alternative to scanning about a year later, but of the suppliers we talked to, only Psion Teklogix could see long-term potential. Others saw it as a quirky technology."

3663 is very happy with its existing warehouse management system, which is supplied by Minster Logistics, a distribution software specialist. "It is built-for-purpose and resilient, and the backup is robust," Oliver says. "We need a network solution for speed." Fortunately, Minster has been upgrading the system for voice compatibility.

Poor language skills

Among attractions of voice was the fact that many of the 3663 workforce had poor English language and reading skills. "We use a lot of non-British labour, and a key advantage of the system is that these workers only have to understand the commands which are given in English - they can talk back to the system in their own language."

Even though the company was keen on the voice approach, it took nothing on trust alone; it investigated voice applications extensively before committing itself. "We did thirty to forty site visits, and checked everything from installation time to typical damage to terminals," Oliver says. "We were committing 100 per cent to voice, investing £1.5 million, and so we had to get it right."

The system chosen is Psion Teklogix's TekSpeech solution. The company liked the user interface, which it considered natural and efficient, and says it will offer the workers a range of advantages, including that of having a hands- and eyes-free working environment.

The hardware is Vocollect's Talkman voice system, which Oliver describes as an obvious choice. "It is not an emerging technology, but a proven success." Employees like it, too, he says. "It is easy to use, comfortable and looks smart."

That said, the company measures the benefits in terms of bringing staff a higher degree of job satisfaction - not just what it calls "equipment satisfaction".

Apparently the system performs well in a temperature-controlled environment. "Talkman is excellent for fresh and frozen food operations," Oliver reports. "Parts of the freezer room go down to minus 30 degrees, while the chiller room is from nought to plus 4. Terminals would struggle to cope with these big variations."

Other benefits of voice technology are said to include an increase in accuracy and productivity, shorter worker training time, increased worker safety, and real-time information.

During peak times, when supervisors are occupied with other tasks, the company says employees can be trained easily to learn new warehouse functions. This solution will help it increase the flexibility of its workforce, positioning it to better meet the needs of its customers and maintain its competitive advantage.

Goods inwards

The voice project begins roll-out this summer, starting with goods inwards. "We know other companies start with order-picking," Oliver acknowledges, "but we already achieve high pick-accuracy levels, albeit with high labour costs and continual checking.

"Clearly this is a major change in both culture and process for our company. To run this project we need to work with partners who are equally committed to its success as we are.

"Our research and selection process on this project has proven that Psion Teklogix is the right company to work with, as their passion and commitment to this project have been evident from day one."

Psion Teklogix is understandably delighted with this plaudit. "We have been working with 3663 First for Foodservice for over two years, and it is very exciting to formalise our partnership with this forward-thinking project," says Duncan Smillie, managing director for UK & Ireland.

3663 First for Foodservice operates on a massive scale. It offers a range of services to the whole industry, and delivers grocery, frozen, fresh, chilled and non-food items to around 30,000 customers. It operates through bases at Banbury in the Midlands and Royton and Heywood in the North West.

The company has already shown itself to be a pioneer in other aspects of its business. For instance, it was one of the early users of the Mymarket online ordering system for the catering market (www.mymarket.com).

In case you wondered where the company's unusual name comes from, it turns out that on a standard telephone keypad, the digits 3663 (three double six three) spell out the word "food". So now you know.