In a recent conference call with financial analysts discussing second quarter results, Dollar General executives gave insight into technological investments the discount chain is making including the implementation of a new workforce management system, the rollout of a new procurement system, improvements made to in-store handhelds and the launch of its first e-commerce site.

 

"The workforce management system is an industrial engineering program that helps us better allocate the hours in the store, based on the flow of the customer traffic," explains Rick Dreiling, CEO of Dollar General. "It also helps us identify how many hours we should use for stocking and check-out." CFO David Tehle added that "about 75% of the chain is implemented in."

 

While the workforce management system implementation is close to completed, the retailer is just beginning to rollout a new procurement system. "The exciting thing about that is that it will give us a real-time look in regards to allocating product rather than having to rely on the previous 10 or 12 weeks," explains Dreiling. "So, we think we're going to be able to do a better job of laying the right amount of product into the store at the right time, particularly on promotional items."

 

Other technological initiatives Dollar General is making include the launch of its e-commerce site on September 8. Dreiling reported that the site will initially offer over 1,000 of its current SKUs.

 

The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P) selected the Deal Management software service on the DemandTec collaborative optimization network to boost deal efficiency and enhance end-to-end promotion footprint across its 336 stores.

 

"Through A&P's partnership with DemandTec, we expect to not only gain near-term benefits through a more streamlined, collaborative deal management workflow with our suppliers, but to also support a broader end-to-end promotion planning strategy that maps to our existing systems," says Tom O'Boyle, executive vice president of merchandising, marketing and supply chain at A&P.

 

A&P will use Deal Management to streamline deal and allowance management capabilities by converting its current paper-based approach into a collaborative, digital workflow across multiple divisions, formats and store clusters. The supermarket chain will capture vendor-submitted deal information in a secure online setting, negotiate and manage each deal, establish control points for data accuracy and store information for seven years, providing an electronic trail to help support regulatory compliance. The software service will be integrated with A&P's existing systems to leverage current automation for coupon, tag and sign production as well as automated billing and invoice reconciliation.

 

Blockbuster Canada, which had once operated nearly 400 stores, will close its remaining 253 stores as its bankruptcy receiver seeks to wind down the chain's operations in the country.

After being forced into receivership in May, Blockbuster's Canadian unit filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection – a provision in a Chapter 11 filing that incorporates foreign-based properties – with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York. The filing was made as the company's U.S. parent, which itself had declared bankruptcy in September 2010 and was acquired by Dish Network in April, sought to void the agreement that allowed Blockbuster Canada to use the Blockbuster name.

Blockbuster Canada's receiver Grant Thornton LLP closed approximately 140 of the chain's stores in May and June. According to published reports, it will seek an order from the Ontario Superior Court to shut down the remaining stores in a hearing set to take place September 6.