Vodafone Romania and Mega Image launched the first Smart Supermarket

Business, Marketing

Vodafone Romania and Mega Image launched the first Smart Supermarket in Romania, located in 201 Barbu Văcărescu Boulevard in Bucharest. The shop has nine fully-functional Internet of Things retail solutions that help Mega Image to identify customers’ needs and to understand their behavior in order to increase efficiency, customers’ satisfaction and to offer an improved shopping experience.

The first concept store equipped with dedicated retail solutions is opening the path for the transformation of retail business as it is today. Vodafone Romania IoT specialists, together with Mega Image, implemented digital smart solutions which can deliver complete, personalized experiences to their customers based on their needs. The supermarket has implemented solutions for customer statistics, stock monitoring, digital media signage for personalized advertising, promotion targeting that is displaying relevant information to the visitors, customers’ interest areas, queue management, Wi-Fi for clients, shoppers feedback system and customer service assistant. For example, the customers’ interest areas solution is monitoring, through smart sensors, the most frequently used routes by visitors. With the use of the data available, Mega Image is able to better understand shoppers’ needs in order to offer them immediate benefits as they are able to get their products easier and to reduce waiting times.

This whole ecosystem of smart sensors, servers, cameras and IT equipment are processing large volumes of data collected in real-time and already helped Mega Image to see an increase of customers’ satisfaction and to optimize the waiting time in queue.

The launch of the first Smart Supermarket marks an important milestone on the local market of IoT solutions. Vodafone has always been not just a provider, but a partner for customers helping them succeed in a digital world by putting technology and innovation to their benefit. The recent launch of the first live NB-IoT network in Romania with a country-wide coverage is just a reconfirmation of our mission to transform the future of businesses with help of technology”, stated Natalia Chiritescu, Vodafone Global Enterprise Director, Vodafone Romania.

Traditional shopping is being reinvented and switches to digital. Our consumers are more vigilante and are looking for experiences and solutions adapted to their lifestyle. They want shops that are intuitive and make easier and better their shopping journey. That is why digital solutions help us to better understand our customers and increase their satisfaction, to faster identify different operational needs, to better allocate our staff and increase stores productivity”, stated Adrian Nicolaescu, Marketing VP, Mega Image.

Vodafone Romania is a subsidiary of Vodafone Group is one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies and provides a range of services including voice, messaging, data and fixed communications. Vodafone Group has mobile operations in 25 countries, partners with mobile networks in 46 more, and fixed broadband operations in 18 markets. As of 30 June 2018, Vodafone Group had 534.5 million mobile customers and 19.9 million fixed broadband customers, including India and all of the customers in Vodafone’s joint ventures and associates.

Mega Image was founded in 1995 and it is one of the largest supermarket chains in Romania with a network of 645 stores in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Constanta, Ploiesti, Brasov, Targoviste, Timisoara and other cities in the country, operating under Mega Image Shop&Go, Gusturi Romanesti brands. Mega Image aims to offer everyday to its customers, quality services and a range of nutritive, healthy and safe products, at accessible prices. Mega Image is part of Ahold Delhaize Group, international retailers which operates on three continents.