Harps Food Stores to Centralize Pricing and Sales
SPRINGDALE, Ark. -- Harps Food Stores, Inc. plans to implement new centralized pricing, sales, and profitability reporting software for its 48 stores under the Harps Food Stores and Price Cutter Food Warehouse banners.
Harps will implement Irvine, Calif.-based TCI Software, Inc.'s TCI HQ and Category Analyzer solutions. The headquarters solution will be used to centralize, automate, and host pricing for its employee-owned and -operated stores in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. TCI's rules-based solution will allow the chain to efficiently manage its complex pricing policies. "We had one already in place, but the vendor was no longer going to support it," Jim Antz, c.f.o. and v.p. of finance and administration at Harps Food Stores, told Progressive Grocer. "We needed a host system that was flexible enough to talk to any other systems we might choose in the future. Implementation is scheduled for late February."
Using TCI HQ, Harps will be able to control and manage supplier matrices from headquarters, including costs, prices, and item level authorizations using lockout capabilities, which will significantly reduce labor. Though Harps was able to accomplish some of these tasks with its previous system, it was a difficult process. "We were doing this with our legacy system, but there were tedious procedures involved," said Antz. "We are confident that TCI can replicate everything we are doing now during implementation -- and even simplify some of the more tedious procedures, especially related to pop and milk pricing."
Harps will also implement TCI's Category Analyzer, a tool that provides sales and profitability reporting and analysis capabilities. It will enable the chain to conduct in-depth item movement analysis by store, groups of stores, or chainwide; improve assortment; and rationalize SKUs.
"Rapid implementation was also a factor in Harps' decision to go with TCI," said Antz. "It was very important us, and getting it down to a six week period reduces the cost and minimizes the business disruption that implementations can typically cause."
Harps will implement Irvine, Calif.-based TCI Software, Inc.'s TCI HQ and Category Analyzer solutions. The headquarters solution will be used to centralize, automate, and host pricing for its employee-owned and -operated stores in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. TCI's rules-based solution will allow the chain to efficiently manage its complex pricing policies. "We had one already in place, but the vendor was no longer going to support it," Jim Antz, c.f.o. and v.p. of finance and administration at Harps Food Stores, told Progressive Grocer. "We needed a host system that was flexible enough to talk to any other systems we might choose in the future. Implementation is scheduled for late February."
Using TCI HQ, Harps will be able to control and manage supplier matrices from headquarters, including costs, prices, and item level authorizations using lockout capabilities, which will significantly reduce labor. Though Harps was able to accomplish some of these tasks with its previous system, it was a difficult process. "We were doing this with our legacy system, but there were tedious procedures involved," said Antz. "We are confident that TCI can replicate everything we are doing now during implementation -- and even simplify some of the more tedious procedures, especially related to pop and milk pricing."
Harps will also implement TCI's Category Analyzer, a tool that provides sales and profitability reporting and analysis capabilities. It will enable the chain to conduct in-depth item movement analysis by store, groups of stores, or chainwide; improve assortment; and rationalize SKUs.
"Rapid implementation was also a factor in Harps' decision to go with TCI," said Antz. "It was very important us, and getting it down to a six week period reduces the cost and minimizes the business disruption that implementations can typically cause."