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CLIENT CASE STUDY

Coles Supermarkets: Digital device improves customer experience

Coles Supermarkets collaborated with Accenture to manage, develop and trial an innovative Wi-Fi device prototype.

Overview

Approximately 96 percent of trial customers said they would continue to use the device because it made shopping easier.

Coles Supermarkets collaborated with Accenture to manage, develop and trial an innovative Wi-Fi device prototype, called hiku. Using voice recognition, consumers can automatically add items to an online shopping list and have them delivered. With hiku, they are helping to turn shopping into a pleasure and prevent customers from forgetting an item. The trial of hiku with Accenture was a success—approximately 96 percent of Coles customers stated they would continue to use hiku because it made shopping at Coles simpler. Working hand in hand with Accenture and the Accenture Tech Labs, Coles now has a disruptive new device that will help it be more nimble in the marketplace and deliver a better customer experience.

Opportunity

Coles Supermarkets aspires to be a world-class retailer. It operates in a competitive market, so innovation and the ability to adapt to customer demands are extremely important. With more and more customers relying on personal devices, Accenture and Coles Supermarkets, an Australian supermarket chain, know that the time is right to take shopping into the future. Coles and Accenture are jointly conducting a customer trial of a new digital device called hiku, a compact Wi-Fi device that attaches to a fridge with a magnet.

SOLUTION

RESULTS

"Thanks to digital technology, shopping is faster, simpler and more convenient than people could have ever dreamed."

The hiku device incorporates voice-recognition capabilities, allowing Coles customers to create shopping lists and manage the entire shopping experience. Using hiku, everyone at home can help add to a digital shopping list. They issue voice-activated commands or simply scan the barcodes of the grocery items that they want. Hiku, together with Coles’ mobile app, remembers customers’ purchase history and can offer suggestions. Customers who want their shopping delivered can order through Coles Online at the touch of a button. In this video, hiku syncs the list of groceries and arranges the items by their aisle order in the store.

The trial of hiku with Accenture was a success—approximately 96 percent of Coles customers stated they would continue to use hiku because it made shopping at Coles simpler. Working hand in hand with Accenture and the Accenture Tech Labs, Coles now has a disruptive new device that will help it be more nimble in the marketplace and deliver a better customer experience. Hiku has been a great example of Coles and Accenture working together to deliver innovative, adaptive solutions that make the shopping experience fast, simple and convenient.