RETAIL.net® Advances Tomax’ Leadership Position in Labor Scheduling
SALT LAKE CITY, June 26, 2001...In a move that advances its position as a leading provider of infrastructure for managing retail operations, Tomax Corporation today announced the release of its Web-based RETAIL.net® Workforce Management. A comprehensive, enterprise solution for forecasting and labor scheduling based entirely on Web architecture, Workforce Management is designed for chain retailers seeking to lower labor costs, optimize staff schedules and reduce employee turnover while providing improved customer service.
Tomax has been a leader in labor scheduling for several years, especially in the supermarket industry. Most of the major chains, including Kroger, Safeway and A&P, have relied on Tomax to provide superior forecasting and scheduling across thousands of stores and tens of thousands of associates. With the migration to Web-based architecture, RETAIL.net Workforce Management facilitates realtime access to labor scheduling. Quick access to a labor scheduler provides a powerful tool that addresses one of retail’s largest single controllable expenses - managing the workforce across a major retail enterprise.
"In addition to gaining centralized management of the field labor force through RETAIL.net Workforce Management, we will also save on support and hardware costs. The entire product resides at headquarters and is accessed by the stores through a browser deployed on existing hardware," said Cheryl Williams, director of applications development at Wakefern Food Corporation.
Workforce management can be a difficult, inaccurate and costly process with numerous complications including the variety of scheduling rules and regulations that exist in union and nonunion environments. Staff requests for time-off, schedule swapping between associates and many other real-world issues can further tax an in-store manager`s ability to coordinate this mass of information.
Adding to the human-resource issues that surround workforce management is the traditional labor scheduling technology currently serving many retailers. Labor scheduling systems are often based on the in-store deployment of workstations with a processor, database and application that manage the forecasting and scheduling functions at each workstation. Multiplying the number of in-store workstations by a large number of store sites results in retailers overburdened and frustrated by the time spent and cost of implementing and maintaining these complex infrastructures individually.
In contrast, the thin RETAIL.net Workforce Management solution provides a single point of management. In-store browsers eliminate individual servers, operating systems and databases and provide access to a centralized source of information across the enterprise. The hosting of Workforce Management by the retailer, by Tomax or by one of its ASP partners propels labor scheduling for chain store retailers beyond store-based solutions and takes advantage of a significant new trend in workforce management: managing clusters of stores on a virtual basis.
Tomax’ thin Workforce Management allows retailers to create store groups that combine all of the associates within a group of stores and facilitates forecasting and scheduling on a multi-store basis.
Group scheduling represents a real opportunity for specialty stores in particular. This category of retail has not been able to participate in the benefits from workforce management solutions because of store size and a smaller number of associates. By taking the scheduling issues into a larger context, specialty retailers will be able to enjoy sophisticated workforce management capabilities and avoid reductions in workforce while delivering comparable or improved levels of customer service.
RETAIL.net Workforce Management software is easily maintained, extensible and scalable. The system framework is implemented using component architecture that is three-tiered and includes a client, server and enterprise database. The client tier can be any Web-enabled PC running a browser. The server tier consists of an application server and a collection of Java Server Page User Interface (UI) components and supporting Enterprise Java Bean (EJB) business objects. The server tier incorporates a database abstraction layer, which links the application’s functional and business logic to the relational database tier.
About Tomax
Tomax Corporation is a leading provider of web-based solutions for retail operations and multichannel management. The Tomax RETAIL.net® solution enables retailers to create a "retail-in-realtime™" infrastructure across the enterprise, supporting associates in stores and customers at the point of sale, kiosk, and online. Three primary components are available: Customer/Transaction Management, Portal/Workflow and Workforce Management. RETAIL.net® components can be hosted by Tomax or the retailer and can be rapidly deployed and modified to support comprehensive requirements. This allows a faster time-to-benefit compared with traditional retail technology approaches. Over 100 branded retail chains representing thousands of stores rely on Tomax solutions in a variety of retail markets including Franklin Covey, Gateway, Kroger, Safeway, Snyders Drug Stores, TJ Maxx/Marshalls, WH Smith, and 24 Hour Fitness.
Forward Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on our current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry, management`s beliefs, and certain assumptions made by us. Words such as ``anticipates,`` ``expects,`` ``intends,`` ``plans,`` ``believes,`` ``seeks,`` ``estimates,`` ``may,`` ``will`` and variations of these words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, our actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors.
Important factors that may cause a difference in results for Tomax in connection with the introduction of this RETAIL.net solution include, but are not limited to, the ability of the RETAIL.net solution to perform as anticipated including the solution’s success in lowering IT costs for retailers and in enabling retailers to enhance customer service and convenience. In addition, the ability of retailers to fully and successfully deploy the RETAIL.net solution is uncertain and dependent on various factors outside of the control of Tomax, including, but not limited to the size and sophistication of the retailers operations and its technical personnel.
We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.
For more information on Tomax or its web-based e-business platform RETAIL.net, call us at 801.990.0909 or visit us at www.tomax.com. Life is short. Click hard with Tomax.
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Copyright © 2001 Tomax Corporation. Tomax and RETAIL.net are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Tomax Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Certain other product names, brand names and company names may be trademarks or designations of their respective owners.
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