The Problem
The UK’s leading pet care retailer, Pets at Home, has opened the doors on its new 670,000 sq. ft purpose-built distribution centre in Stafford. The biggest investment in the company’s history, the site is set to support its growth for the next decade and employs more than 1,000 people.
A state-of-the-art facility boasting the latest technology innovations, Pets at Home went out to tender to find a technology partner that was up to the challenge of fulfilling its hardware contract. Following an extremely competitive and innovative pitch process, we’re delighted to have been chosen having demonstrated our ability to seamlessly deploy business-critical solutions at scale.
This is the second innovation project that Pets at Home has entrusted the TPP Retail team to deliver; in 2022 we implemented a single-device retail ops solution to reimagine its in-store colleague experience across 450 stores.
The Solution
A huge project with many moving parts, the opening of the new distribution centre presented a fresh opportunity for Pets at Home to embrace cutting-edge technology solutions. Extensive time was spent getting under the skin of plans for the distribution centre and with a complete view of workflows, we assessed the breadth of hardware requirements.
We set to work on curating market-leading hardware solutions that would support daily operations today and into the future, presenting our recommendations to the Pets at Home team and supporting the decision-making process. With consensus on technologies reached, our experienced team coordinated every detail from the product sourcing, pricing negotiation, fulfilment, and overarching management of each piece of kit, in readiness for the distribution centre opening.
The Project
A Single Device Solution
Where possible, Pets at Home wanted to move away from using multiple devices for different mobile applications within the distribution centre. Following the success of the one-device strategy in stores, a similar approach has been adopted in the new distribution centre.
The Zebra TC52ax device was chosen due to its WiFi 6 capabilities which enable Pets at Home to optimise its investment in cutting-edge wireless infrastructure. Supporting voice-compatible applications, the TC52ax is paired with Zebra’s HS3100 Bluetooth headset for seamless connectivity.
Creating a secure destination to house devices and support better management, we installed Zebra Intelligent Cabinets on-site with Vlocr software to increase colleague accountability.
Mobilising First-Line Managers
A dynamic distribution centre calls for fully mobilised workers, including the management team. Empowering First Line Managers (FLMs) to manage their teams on the move required a screen larger than the TC52ax offered so we equipped them with a Zebra ET40 tablet capable of running all key software tools.
Free to work wherever they are needed most in the distribution centre, FLMs are no longer restricted to fixed areas that take them away from their teams, instead better management, greater visibility of daily operational challenges and worker collaboration is supported.
Technology-Rich Ecommerce Packing Benches
With eCommerce booming, Pets at Home wanted to create a dedicated technology-rich area to support the fast and efficient packing of online orders. Upgrading from its previously cluttered, low-tech solution, we implemented industrial touchscreens and Zebra LI3608 rugged barcode scanners alongside Zebra ZD621 linerless desktop printers, which have the added benefit of helping Pets at Home reduce waste within its operations.
Fast Picking With Wearable Technology
Large-volume picking of small items is extremely scan-intensive. To speed up operations and reduce scan fatigue, the Proglove Mark 2 wearable scanner has been deployed to support item picking within a specific area of the distribution centre. Lightweight and lightning fast, this wearable offers colleagues greater comfort and the ultimate in scanning efficiency to accelerate picking processes.
Forklift Flexibility
To support innovation both today and tomorrow, new technology needs to offer the ultimate flexibility. When it came to Pets at Home’s forklift trucks, we recommended an adaptable rugged Android tablet instead of a traditional fixed vehicle mount solution with a keyboard to run its Warehouse Management System (WMS).
Secured in a lockable hard-wired Johnson & Gamber dock, Zebra L10 tablets were selected and paired with Zebra HS3100 Bluetooth headsets and Zebra DS3678 rugged Bluetooth scanners. Being able to remove the tablet means that should a forklift break down, the tablet can be removed and utilised elsewhere. It also means that in the event of a broken tablet, Pets at Home can simply repair and replace it without losing complete use of a forklift truck.
Deployment
Large-volume picking of small items is extremely scan-intensive. To speed up operations and reduce scan fatigue, the Proglove Mark 2 wearable scanner has been deployed to support item picking within a specific area of the distribution centre. Lightweight and lightning fast, this wearable offers colleagues greater comfort and the ultimate in scanning efficiency to accelerate picking processes.
Long-Term TotalSupport
We will continue to support Pets at Home’s hardware throughout its distribution centre through our TotalSupport offering. Committed to reliable service delivery, Pets at Home is assured of a fast technical response to issues and will benefit from next-day hardware swaps in the event of device failure.
More than this, our Data Analysts manage weekly and monthly reporting on devices, including out-of-contact notifications to ensure a lack of visibility and lost devices does not become a problem for the business again. We also take care of the management of Android version updates and security patches as well as conducting monthly on-site maintenance reviews to ensure the proactive care of Pets at Home’s hardware to maximise performance impact and prolong its lifespan.
Testimonials
Ben Jones
Strategic Account Manager, TPP Retail
