IBS, a Landsteinar Strengur business partner in Russia, has created an information management system to control the retail business of Lenrianta, a company operating a chain of retail stores at Pulkovo Airport. The system is based on IBS’ Retail platform, specifically tailored for the duty-free trade.

Lenrianta is a successfully developing company operating ten retail outlets, including five duty-free stores and two warehouses. To do business effectively while growing the company called for a modern, reliable information management system. The new system was necessary to provide a uniform information environment for all of the Company’s retail outlets, facilitating input and processing of information, and securing real-time reporting.

IBS, with its unparalleled expertise in automating workflow in retail businesses, was invited to work on the project to design the information management system at ZAO Lenrianta. IBS’ Retail solution, based on Microsoft Dynamics NAV featuring LS Retail modules provided by Landsteinar Strengur, the leading European vendor of software products for retail trade, was chosen as the platform for automating the company’s activities. As part of the project IBS consultants modified its standard Retail solution, which reduced labour costs for inputting and processing information, and provided support for business specifics at Duty Free stores. Features include:

- an option has been provided to export commodity items, catalogues, commodity groups catalogues, customs information, sales orders and retail prices from MS Excel sheets;

- a tool has been designed to facilitate management of the merchandise range through flexible adjustment of commodity groups and convenient maintenance of a tree-like catalogue for commodity items;

- a function has been devised to automatically export reports from Microsoft Dynamics NAV to Microsoft Excel;

- a ‘document status’ functional has been provided to streamline relationships between the company’s units;

- scheduled reporting has been set up for customs bodies;

- the solution has been integrated with cash register software, with an automated system for preparation of custom entries, and also with an onboard system for sales registering.

The system installed in the project supports all business processes associated with the Company’s core activities, including management of purchases/sales and payments to suppliers, inventory management, warehouse management, the retail trade and customs facilities.

Alexander Kuzmin, Deputy Technical Director of ZAO Lenrianta comments: “The management system based on IBS’ Retail solution has provided us with more accurate and flexible means of monitoring and control. Managers at the company’s headquarters and warehouses have access to real-time information on availability of stock in both warehouses and shops, and on sales of merchandise. We are able to track the state of goods in transit and obtain data on the expected dates of delivery to warehouses, and on estimated remaining inventory. This helps to optimise warehouse inventories and cut expenses related to storage of goods. Besides, we reduced labour costs associated with processing of initial documents - such as orders, invoices, suppliers’ accounts and recording the goods on the system. These tasks were previously handled by three operators, and now this work requires only two.”

The development of the main functional system and beta testing took only five months through the use of IBS’ vertically preset Retail solution, specifically designed for retail trade operations. The system is currently used at 22 workstations.

The technology devised within the project framework enables fast and low-cost system deployment; launching it in a new store takes only four to six hours.

IBS consultants have already started to expand functionality of ZAO Lenrianta’s information management system. Within the next two months the system will be able to accept payments made with bankcards. A new point-of-sale register subsystem will also be implemented.

Lenrianta is a joint venture launched in 1989 by Pulkovo Airline and the Irish company, AerRianta International to provide catering at duty-free shops for passengers on international flights.

Nowadays, Lenrianta is a successfully developing business employing over 200 people. The company’s core activity is duty-free and conventional trade at the Pulkovo 1 and Pulkovo 2 airport terminals. Its range of merchandise includes imitation jewellery, souvenirs, CDs, DVDs, audio/video cassettes, liquors, perfumes and fragrances. The currently registered inventory includes over 11,000 items of actively traded merchandise.

For further information, please contact info@LSRetail.com.