Retail Ergonomics

Customers demand good service and this in turn means that staff need comfortable and efficient equipment. Our twenty years of experience in retail ergonomics helps clients deal with the changing legal and ergonomics requirements of:

• checkouts
• counters
• self-service equipment.

There are three key areas where ergonomics is important:

• the handling of merchandise from suppliers through the retail chain to the customer's home
• the sales transaction
• the environment in which it all takes place.

In each area, the objective is to ensure that the people involved can do what they have to do effectively, efficiently, safely and comfortably.

For example:

• Good ergonomic design of chill cabinets for customers ensures that they can see and reach merchandise which is being kept in perfect condition, while good ergonomic design of the same equipment for staff requires easy cleaning, loading and maintenance.
• Good checkout design for operators ensures that they can scan merchandise and process payments quickly and comfortably.
• Good environment design for backroom staff ensures that they can move merchandise onto the sales floor easily and keep it clean and tidy.

We use our knowledge of human capabilities to optimise the design and selection of retail equipment and the retail environment giving your business the benefits of:

• improved productivity and quality
• reduced sickness absence
• cuts in compensation claims
• no costly retrofits.

Benefits

• Quick and cost effective - our advice can take as little as one day
• Major issues can be identified early in design process before changes become expensive and disruptive
• Ensures effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction are built into the overall equipment design process
• Independent authoritative expertise improves buy-in of staff and other key stakeholders.

Our approach

• Based on industry best practice and international ergonomics standards - which we helped develop
• Experienced consultants can work closely with your design team
• Clear and straightforward results presented in an easy to use format
• Practical recommendations - we will continue to work with you to ensure you get the best from your new designs.

Typical projects

We have provided ergonomics expertise for the design of:

• Marks and Spencer check outs
• Waitrose checkouts
• Chip and PIN technology for high street banks and building societies
• Marks and Spencer refrigerated display cases
• Nationwide Building Society ATMs (cash-point machines).

For more information on any of our services, please contact us