Co-operative Group (Co-op)

Observe

Learn how Co-op used IoT remote monitoring and better asset management to automate decision making, improve efficiency and boost customer satisfaction.

November 8, 2023

2 min read

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The Company

One of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives and owned by millions of members, the Co-operative Group (Co-op) is the United Kingdom’s sixth biggest food retailer, with more than 2,500 local, convenience and medium-sized stores. The organisation is also the UK’s number one funeral services provider, a major general insurer, and a growing legal services business.

"Before Observe, a store colleague would have to raise every single job. Now about 20% of jobs are raised automatically, making their jobs easier and allowing them more time with their customers."

— Ian Smithyman, Head of Contract Management and Service Improvement

The Challenge

Convenience retailing in the UK is a highly competitive market. Before using Accruent solutions, the Co-op was unable to deliver to the same standards and cost model as its competitors because its system was inefficient, logistically difficult, and costly.

Preventive maintenance management was dispersed among four external providers
11 different compliance systems meant convoluted legal compliance
Bundled invoicing in large amounts caused a lack of data transparency
Manual cabinet monitoring led to wasted employee hours and food spoilage

The Solution

The Co-op selected vx Maintain to address the group’s maintenance and work order management needs, and vx Observe for remote monitoring of its refrigeration assets.

Shift from time-based to condition-based activity, the most efficient way of maintaining assets
Granular data on 600,000 assets to inform asset maintenance over its lifecycle
Critical issues raised automatically by the system and managed to resolution

The use of the Accruent solution enabled the Co-op to free up colleague time in its stores, move the decision-making process to an automatic one, and to utilise the benefits of a technical service bureau to resolve technical issues. Better data insight and connected facilities drive efficiency, providing the critical information the Co-op requires to make decisions that will improve the business for the future.

Maintenance cost visibility
PPM compliance increased to 95%+ certainty
33% reduction in service providers
5% savings through invoice and maintenance streamlining
Reduced food wastage
99.8% asset availability

Co-operative Group (Co-op)

The Company

The Challenge

The Solution

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