PRESS RELEASE
COSTA PUTS CUSTOMERS FIRST WITH BUNZL CATERING SUPPLIES ORDERING SYSTEM
When Costa Coffee asked key supplier Bunzl Catering Supplies for an alternative means of placing orders, Bunzl Catering Supplies developed a custom online ordering system to let Costa baristas optimise their time serving customers during busy periods.
In developing the new online ordering system, Bunzl Catering Supplies incorporated a number of clever features to make the process of ordering quicker, simpler and more accurate than traditional telephone ordering.
Previously, Costa Coffee store staff had to leave their customer-facing duties to place essential non-food orders via the phone. By using the online ordering system, Costa Coffee staff can now begin ordering supplies online using tablets, pause to serve customers– and only return to finish the process at a convenient time.
“There is very definitely the benefit of the time saved,” says Stacey Casemore, Supply Chain Manager at Costa Coffee, “and stores are more accurate with the orders they place.”
How it works
Staff log on to their custom Bunzl Catering Supplies ordering site using a secure online login. The intuitive interface shows images of the non-food supplies the store needs – in the order in which staff usually place requests, to save time in finding the items they need.
Staff have the option of using the same amounts used in previous orders to save time and increase accuracy. If the tablet loses the online connection, the system retains the information already entered, until the connection can be re-established and the order concluded.
After a successful pilot study of 16 Costa Coffee stores in Sheffield, the retailer rolled out the system to all 2,000 of its stores and franchises. “The reaction has been definitely enthusiastic,” says Casemore.
“I was looking at the stats; 91% of stores order via the application – some 680 orders every week – so it is a high amount who are ordering though the system,” she says, adding that temporary connectivity issues account for the few stores yet to take up the system.
Building the online ordering system
Development started when Costa Coffee approached Bunzl Catering Supplies to ask if there was a different way of placing orders, for example using email.
“Costa Coffee came to us and said, ‘We want a different solution for placing our orders with you – can we have a look at how we can do this electronically?’” says Jo Stokes, Business Analytics Manager at Bunzl Catering Supplies.
“Costa was conscious that any Manager or barista time spent ordering products was time spent away from serving customers and making handcrafted drinks. They wanted to provide employees with a solution that enabled them to make orders quickly and accurately.”
After an initial meeting to outline the parameters of the project at Costa’s offices in Dunstable, Bunzl Catering Supplies developed the system with mobile consultancy and enterprise software developerMubaloo. Throughout the process, Costa Coffee and Bunzl Catering Supplies stayed in close communication to ensure the finished product met Costa’s needs.
Finding a wider user base
Bucked by the enthusiasm of the feedback from Costa Coffee stores and the fantastic rate of take-up, Bunzl Catering Supplies is now making this online ordering model available to other customers.
“It’s so simple and very easy to use.” says Stokes. “For customers who want to order electronically, this is rapidly becoming their preferred choice.”
For further information on Bunzl Catering Supplies and the Costa Coffee online ordering system call 01372 736 300 or visit
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Media Information:
Jodie White E: . T: 01372 734293
Images available on request.