Improving Workforce Productivity and Retention at Associated Food Stores
Customer Company Size
Large Corporate
Region
- America
Country
- United States
Product
- Blue Yonder’s workforce management capabilities
Tech Stack
- Mobile self-service features
- Automated labor scheduling
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Cost Savings
- Productivity Improvements
- Employee Satisfaction
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP)
Applicable Industries
- Retail
Applicable Functions
- Human Resources
- Warehouse & Inventory Management
Use Cases
- Inventory Management
Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
Associated Food Stores (AFS) is a cooperatively owned wholesale distributor headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. They operate 43 corporate supermarkets and support over 400 independently owned supermarket locations across eight states. AFS is committed to independent retailers by providing quality products, support and exceptional service. The AFS distribution center is in an area where there is significant competition for labor resources. This raises turnover and the associated costs to hire and train replacement workers.
The Challenge
Associated Food Stores (AFS) is a cooperatively owned wholesale distributor that operates 43 corporate supermarkets and supports over 400 independently owned supermarket locations across eight states. The company was facing challenges with its warehouse labor scheduling, which was based on static schedules from week to week regardless of daily demand changes. This resulted in wasted labor. Additionally, AFS’s warehouse operates in an area with highly competitive demand for labor. A lack of flexibility in scheduling was causing higher than desired turnover which increased hiring and training costs. The previous solution AFS used for labor scheduling and time and attendance was not integrated, causing a lack of cohesion in managing the workforce.
The Solution
AFS implemented Blue Yonder’s workforce management capabilities which enable them to automatically schedule labor according to actual demand and associate preferences, improving associate satisfaction while saving significant labor costs. The solution’s forecasts allow AFS to look ahead and better plan their cross-department labor. It provides AFS with data on how their warehouse is performing and where they can better allocate labor. Blue Yonder’s workforce management capabilities also allow AFS to be proactive. The solution's mobile self-service features enable AFS associates to create their own schedules to accommodate the needs of their personal lives, as well as process time-off requests. It also gives associates the option to schedule themselves for jobs other than their normal assignments.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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