Kroger has entered a strategic collaboration with Google Cloud and Deloitte to use cloud technologies that will increase associate productivity across its nearly 2,800 stores nationwide. Kroger recently deployed a variety of Google Cloud data analytics, AI and ML tools, designed to empower store leaders and associates to make real-time operational decisions and deliver a better shopping experience for shoppers.
Kroger worked with Google Cloud and Deloitte to create two purpose-built applications. The first is a task management application that provides Kroger’s night crew managers with greater visibility into the volume and type of merchandise arriving on a given day, store staffing information and stocking needs. The system also prioritizes team activities in just a few clicks on an Android device, and associates are informed of inventory or delivery changes in real time.
The second is a store management app the provides a standardized audit checklist for store managers and department leaders to help ensure a high-quality shopping experience. The app also offers a customizable walk path that guides store audits while providing flexibility in how store conditions are evaluated. Both the store management and task management applications automatically generate tasks and prioritize impactful work for Kroger associates.
Both apps are underpinned by Google Cloud technologies, including:
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- Spanner: A fully managed relational database used to help Kroger build an event-driven ledger that enables the company to capture unique events at different times throughout the day, and from different stores, to help maximize associate efficiency; and
- Dataflow: A serverless data processing service for capturing and analyzing data from different sources, including labor rates, transportation logistics, sales forecasting and out-of-stock information.
“Technology and digital tools are fundamental elements of how Kroger continues to improve the associate experience, which in turn enhances the in-store experience for our customers. Innovation is a critical component, and execution is even more important,” said Jim Clendenen, VP, Enterprise Retail Systems at Kroger in a statement. “Google Cloud and Deloitte brought us a technology architecture and application framework that we could implement in record time. We’re already seeing results across our stores, with associate tasks being optimized and overall productivity increasing.”
