Vow Wholesale

VOW Wholesale were introduced to our company through their partnership with Renovotec, having identified the need for a smarter way to manage equipment in their busy warehouse facility. The warehouse faced challenges concerning traceability and damage reporting of high-value scanners, prompting the implementation of an intelligent locker system to provide a comprehensive solution for equipment management

Challenges:

VOW Wholesale, trading partner of EVO Group, boasts a distribution network which delivers over 24,000 business supplies products to its customers. As such, several challenges to operations led VOW to seek an intelligent locker system for implementation at its Lutterworth site.

One key issue was the reliance on teams to manually log the check-in and check-out of items. This paper-based exercise was time-consuming, resourceintensive, and prone to inaccuracies through human error. In addition, reporting damages or issues with devices was also prone to incorrect recording due to the manual process, thereby impacting the availability of operational scanners.

Solution:

VOW discovered the intelligent lockers through technology solutions provider Renovotec, who recommended the smart systems for addressing the wholesaler’s requirements. During a presentation by the sales team, the suitability of the lockers and their ability to enhance equipment traceability were highlighted.

The organisation opted for the ECO locker system, equipped with 100 locker compartments, access card reader, in-compartment charging capabilities, and SmartTracker technology. The system utilises swipe cards to track the equipment’s usage, including user activity, the scanner’s location, and any
associated damages.

Assigning scanners to the new system during installation proved to be a quick and efficient process and integration with the existing infrastructure was carried out successfully.

Results:

The installation of the locker system has delivered several benefits to the warehouse. Staff members became more aware of equipment damage and started reporting incidents promptly. The system’s tracking capabilities allowed the warehouse to identify the user responsible for the equipment, facilitating accountability and minimising the risk of damage going unreported.

Steve Billings, Operations Manager states: “Intelligent lockers has been a game-changer for our organisation. Prior to installation, we struggled with tracking expensive scanners, which caused significant operational headaches and financial losses. Since implementing the lockers, we haven’t lost a single scanner and have been able to track usage more easily. The system has streamlined our processes, allowing us to focus on what we do best.”

Implementation of the intelligent lockers has streamlined equipment management processes and previously time-consuming tasks, such as manually checking items and determining required repairs or replacements, have been significantly reduced.

The system’s features, combined with the warehouse staff’s increased awareness and accountability, have resulted in improved equipment management and reduced losses for VOW Wholesale.