From Manual to Automated Data Handling: A Supermarket Saving 20K Working Hours with an RPA Solution

Our client is a leading Japanese fresh food supermarket chain that operates more than 100 stores nationwide. Appearing within the top 50 supermarket brands, they prioritize quality and customer satisfaction. To stay competitive in the ever-evolving retail market, they partnered with VTI to drive digital transformation (DX) and enhance operational efficiency through Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology.

Customer’s Requirements  – An Urgency to Enhance Operation Efficiency with Automation

The client faced operational inefficiencies due to manual workflows that consumed substantial time and resources. Many critical tasks relied on labor-intensive routine processes, leading to risks of delays, errors, and increased operational costs, and limited workforce productivity. Key challenges included:

• Data processing and entry: Departments spend excessive time on manual, repetitive tasks – extracting, entering, and uploading data across multiple systems.
  From HR (upload job document uploads) and finance (get and compile payroll, store financial data) to store operations (update inventory and utility data) and business planning, etc., manual work slows processes and increases errors.
• Low automation usage level: The current system only uses low-level, uncentralized automation tools. Internal systems are not interconnected, making management and data retrieval difficult.

To overcome these challenges, the client sought a robust automation solution to save time, improve data accuracy, minimize errors, and boost workforce productivity, focusing more on strategic growth initiatives.

VTI’s Full-Cycle RPA Development Approach: Revolutionizing Operations with RPA 

The team developed and integrated a full-cycle RPA automation solution, replacing manual processes across HR, Finance, Product Management, Customer Service, and more. The RPA bots ensure seamless operations, data accuracy, and faster workflows through:

• Automated Data Handling: Downloading, processing, and uploading data across systems onto the centralized data storage server.
• System/ Data Integration: Extracting, transforming, and registering data into other internal platforms, ensuring consistent data accuracy across systems.
• 24/7 Process Execution: Enabling continuous operations without manual intervention in data processing, and creating data outputs for each department’s use.

To deliver automation solutions effectively, VTI adopted a structured and tailored approach, following the Automation Development Process 

1- Identification of Requirement & Automation Process

• Conducted in-depth analysis to clarify business automation requirements.
• Identified challenges and set clear automation objectives.
• Evaluated feasibility and proposed suitable RPA tools and integration methods.
• Developed backup and recovery plans to ensure system stability in case of the Bot’s failure

2- Automation Process Design

• Mapped out automation steps aligned with business processes, following the client’s requirements.
• Designed and tested RPA workflows to optimize performance.
• Shared workflows with the client for review and feedback.
• Integrated reporting tools like Microsoft Teams and Power Automate for real-time monitoring.

3- Bot Creation

• Create RPA Bots to automate the process
• Implemented RPA bots in the client’s system.
• Scheduled automation time runs for the bots and sets up monitoring systems.

4- Automation Test

• Provided daily monitoring and troubleshooting to ensure smooth operation of the RPA Bots
• Collected client feedback for continuous improvements.

5- Evaluation & Maintenance

• Regularly updated automation flows to adapt to business specialties and technology changes.
• Proposed scalable solutions for future automation expansion.

6- ROI Measurement

• Measured key success metrics such as time savings and accuracy improvements.
• Delivered periodic reports on RPA performance and ROI.

Key Achievements: Boosting Efficiency and Accuracy – Saving 20,000 Working Hours

With RPA integration, VTI assisted our client in improving operational efficiency, reducing workload, and increasing process accuracy:

• 20,000 Working Hours Saved Annually: RPA bots automate time-consuming manual tasks in HR, Finance, Store data entry, assist store inventory management, etc., freeing employees to focus on strategic tasks.

• Reduce Employee Costs: Optimized workforce utilization, reducing expenses.
• Enhance Accuracy and Efficiency: Automation minimizes errors, ensuring greater precision and reliability in business operations.

VTI’s outstanding performance earned high recognition, culminating in an Honor Award for delivering a seamless automation system ahead of expectations. VTI is also highly seen as a reliable partner that delivers solutions on schedule or even ahead of customer expectations, ensuring seamless implementation.

Empowering the Future of Retail DX Journey

The collaboration marks a milestone in the retailer’s digital transformation journey with tailored RPA solutions. The remarkable efficiency gains – saving 20,000 working hours annually – demonstrate the power of automation in modern retail.

This recognition reinforces VTI’s role as a trusted partner in digital transformation, empowering businesses with intelligent solutions that drive efficiency and growth. With our high know-how experience in the Retail industry, VTI remains committed to delivering cutting-edge technology that assists our customers’ businesses in staying competitive in the ever-changing retail landscape.