SaaS
February 3, 2021

Costa Coffee

Client: Costa Coffee is a globally recognized coffee brand and a leader in the coffeehouse retail sector, with over 150 retail outlets across the UK. Established in 1971, Costa Coffee has established itself as a go-to destination for coffee enthusiasts, celebrated for its premium brews and outstanding customer service. As the second-largest coffeehouse chain in the world, Costa Coffee is dedicated to sustainable sourcing and innovative practices, continually enhancing the coffee experience for its customers while maintaining its position at the forefront of the UK’s vibrant coffee culture.

Challenge: The client faced significant challenges in maintaining operational consistency and product quality across its extensive network of outlets. The reliance on a paper-based checklist for stock management created inefficiencies, leading to labor-intensive processes. With over 150 stores, the manual approach not only hindered productivity but also left management without real-time reporting, a critical component for optimizing operations and ensuring high standards.

Solution: To address the clients’ operational challenges, SSI developed Virtue, a custom-built, web-based application designed to modernize and automate daily stock management and quality control tasks across all outlets. The application is built around two powerful modules:

User Module: This module automates the task scheduling process, ensuring that store staff are consistently reminded of essential activities, such as stock checks and product quality assessments. It tracks both task completion and time spent, capturing data in real time. All data is securely stored in the cloud, allowing instant reporting and insights, and ensuring transparency and accountability at all levels.
Management Module: For management, Virtue offers a real-time, bird’s-eye view of operations across all locations. Managers are instantly alerted if tasks are missed or incomplete, enabling swift intervention. The system also provides proactive alerts for near-expiration products, helping minimize waste and ensuring product freshness. Through its intuitive dashboard, management can monitor performance and make data-driven decisions, optimizing store operations.

Result: SSI’s partnership with Costa Coffee has transformed its operational efficiency, significantly reducing costs and product wastage while enhancing compliance with quality standards. The user-friendly application is accessible via web and mobile platforms, providing flexible access through browsers, tablets, and smartphones. Costa Coffee now operates with greater agility, ensuring high standards and customer satisfaction across all outlets.

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