Zebra Technologies lays claim to saving 900 management hours in two months at electrical and tech retailer Currys

Zebra Technologies says it has saved 900 management hours over a two-month period at UK electronics and tech retailer Currys. 

Currys, which operates 296 retail stores across the UK and Ireland, wanted to improve scheduling, communication and task allocation.

“At many branches, task management and workforce allocation weren’t as effective as they could be,” says Brad Porter, Process Product Support Manager at Currys. “Store managers were spending excessive time manually adjusting colleagues’ schedules, leading to inconsistent availability.”

Using Zebra Technologies’ scheduling and task management software, Currys was able to give its frontline workers more time to spend on customer service, improve workload distribution and implement certifications for job roles. 

“During the busiest shopping season, we were able to cut store schedule edits by 8,000 per week, preventing a total of 90,000 edits from November to the end of December,” adds Nathan Holland, Workforce Management Systems Development and Insight Analyst at Currys. “That has saved us approximately 900 management hours which were reallocated to customer-facing activities.”

Currys has since expanded its use of Workcloud Task Management to include the coordination of a number of operational and promotional activities beyond compliance tasks. Zebra Technologies says this will enable targeted task distribution, reduce email clutter and ensure relevant information reaches the right people at the right time. 

The software also gives visibility to all levels of the business, allowing teams to identify and resolve issues. Currys has also improved resource allocation by mapping out annual operational plans and aligning staff resources with business objectives and compliance requirements. 

“Currys demonstrates how a customer first focus, drive for efficiency, and the right technology solution can benefit shoppers, frontline associates, and business operations,” says Mark Thomson, Retail Strategy Director, EMEA at Zebra Technologies. “It’s a great example of Zebra’s Modern Store vision for retailers, and we look forward to working with Currys as they set the bar even higher for what’s possible.”  

Currys will continue to work with Zebra Technologies for the 18 months and plans to work on further skills-based scheduling, broadening fixed shift applications and enhancing real-time decision-making processes.

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Workforce management will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.