The world's leading manufacturer and distributor of non-alcoholic beverages uses Source Technologies' concourse™ kiosks

They chose Source Technologies' concourse kiosks because...

• Source Technologies' concourse kiosks automated and standardized the process of delivering of warehouse pick tickets directly to forklift operators
• concourse kiosks are built for rapid deployment, durability and serviceability, ensuring maximum uptime and low operating cost
• Source Technologies' kiosks streamline the entire distribution process, increase productivity, and save them money

About the Customer

This company is the world's leading manufacturer and distributor of non-alcoholic beverages with more than 250 distribution centers in the U.S. and local operations in 200 countries around the world.

What We Found

An early adopter of self-service devices, the company already had kiosks operating in each of their U.S. warehouse locations. These kiosks were deployed to deliver pick tickets faster and with greater accessibility in the warehouse environment. A forklift operator would report to a central location to receive his pick tickets for the day, then collect and load products according to the pick ticket information. The pick tickets were printed on continuous pre-printed forms using dot matrix printers mounted within the kiosks.

This "home-grown" kiosk solution had several shortcomings. Different versions of the kiosks were operating in various warehouses with no standard technical specifications or components, leading to chaos in attempting to support and service them. Looking for a better way, the customer contacted Source Technologies to inquire about our kiosk solutions. Requirements included a solution they could rely on and be easy to service in the field when necessary. Developing a custom application running on their SAP ERP system to generate pick tickets was also needed. Finally, the customer wanted to move from daily printing of tickets to issuing tickets to forklift drivers on-demand throughout the workday.

ST Solution

This concourse kiosk solution was developed using Source Technologies' standard retail kiosk platform, offering  engineering and components proven for their compatibility and durability. Source Technologies’ software development team created the custom ERP application needed to generate on-demand pick tickets. The kiosk also features both a touch screen and full-size QWERTY keyboard, giving forklift operators fast selection and printing of pick tickets, and managers full access to the SAP system screens and functions. Adding to the dependability and cost effectiveness of the kiosks is the use of Source Technologies' 30ppm laser printers which eliminates troublesome "pin-fed" continuous paper and the need for preprinted forms. Pick tickets are printed on plain, cut-sheet paper.

Today, forklift drivers throughout their 400 distribution centers simply approach the kiosk - without leaving the forklift - then swipe an ID card into the unit's card reader and input the request by either touch screen or keyboard. The kiosk accesses the required information from the SAP order management system, then prints the pick ticket.

With a standard pick system in place, the company has improved productivity and cut costs, while enjoying the efficiency of a distribution process that is The Real Thing.