Cegid inaugurates the Cegid Innovation Store, a showcase of new technologies for the retail industry

Using the latest technological innovations, hardware and marketing techniques, the Cegid Innovation Store homes in on the challenges retailers currently face and offers solutions developed by Cegid and its partners. From analyzing consumer behavior at the store window to speeding up the decision to purchase, the Cegid Innovation Store provides an innovative way of influencing shoppers’ behavior as they walk through the store.

The Cegid Innovation store is equipped with an array of state-of-the-art technologies designed to revolutionize the customer experience, increasing performance at the point of sale while controlling operating costs.

• RFID – increasing in-store productivity
  By speeding up cumbersome and repetitive tasks such as stocktaking and inventory management, RFID offers a real advantage in terms of productivity. It gives a clearer picture of the entire distribution chain and speeds up delivery from the warehouse to the store as goods can be tracked in real-time. What's more, items that don't sell well are identified on-demand inventory is optimized, maximizing sales.
   
•  Mobility – providing better customer service
  The Yourcegid Retail mobile solution, which includes a payment function and can be used to perform sales transactions, enables sales clerks to carry out tasks in store which are typically performed in the back office or at the point of sale terminal, such as labeling, inventory, accessing information and payment etc. This solution, continually synchronized in real-time, enables the staff to save time on routine tasks so that they can spend more time with the customers, improving customer satisfaction.
   
• Check-out systems of the future: contactless payment
  The latest generation of payment cards are equipped with NFC (Near Field Communication) chips, which speed up cash register transactions while retaining security. They are simply swiped in front of a card reader, in the same manner as a security badge. No PIN code is required for small amounts, making the sales transaction quicker. These chips are in the process of being integrated as a standard feature in the latest generation of cell phones so that payments can be made directly from the phone.
   
• Greater interactivity with multi-touch and object recognition technologies
  Multi-touch technology keeps customers in touch with the brand. It is more intuitive, powerful and responsive, ensuring a higher level of customer service and enjoyment. These on-screen solutions both optimize and simplify sales.
        The interactive table is designed to encourage sales. An infrared camera identifies any articles placed on the table, prompting information on the article to be displayed, including a demonstration of the product and suggestions of related products.
        The interactive store window: The Ubicity interactive windows offer customers an entertaining, captivating, multi-touch experience, tempting them to discover the products right from the street. These interactive windows, a winning business formula, are already used by the international fashion group Façonnable. They are installed on existing windows and interact with Yourcegid solutions, providing a new marketing and sales channel available 24/7.
        Smart shelves use RFID to help boost sales. As soon as the customer touches an article, a promotional offer appears on screen.
   
• Analyzing customer traffic to make the right decisions
  Analyzing how customers move around the store is key to understanding consumer behavior, testing new concepts and building customer profiles. It is a means of optimizing merchandising and measuring the success of new concepts. Video is also increasingly used to measure store performance.

"We have combined Cegid's know-how in the specialized retailing industry with the various areas of expertise of our partners to improve our customer offering", said Nathalie Echinard, director of vertical markets at Cegid. "The Cegid Innovation Store now addresses a great number of needs faced by professionals in the specialized retailing industry. We want to continue working with our partners to develop this concept, adding new offers", she added

Cegid in brief - www.cegid.fr

The leading developer of management software in France with annual sales of €248.6 million in 2009, Cegid counts more than 2,000 employees and 350,000 users in France and abroad. With branch offices in Paris, New York, Barcelona, Madrid, Milan, London, Casablanca, Shenzhen, Tokyo and Singapore, Cegid also relies on distribution agreements throughout the world in order to support its customers in their international growth.

Creator of solutions dedicated to enterprise performance and growth, Cegid has built its know-how on "business-specific" (retail, manufacturing, hospitality, services, wholesale, CPAs, public sector) and "functional" expertise (accounting and fixed asset management, taxes, financial management and reporting, and HR/payroll management). Cegid's products are tailored to businesses and public institutions of all sizes and are also available in "On Demand" (SaaS) mode.

With technologies that integrate naturally and meet users' industry-specific requirements, Cegid opens a new dimension in information technology: the creation of value for enterprises and those contributing to their growth.

Listed since 1986 - Euronext Paris Compartment C
ISIN stock code: FR0000124703 - Reuters : CEGI.PA - Bloomberg : CGD FP - ICB : 9537 Software
Indices : Small 90, Mid and Small 190, ITCAC and SBF 250

Press Contacts

i&e CONSULTANTS – Cegid Press Group – +33 (0)1 56 03 13 39 – cegid.presse@i-e.fr
Cegid : Isabelle EMERARD – + 33(0)4 26 29 52 39 – i.emerard@cegid.fr