EAT debuts ground-breaking retail system

Platform can predict the weather, analyse buying patterns and reward customer loyalty

Operating system developed by Intelligent Business Systems with bespoke elements from website developers NetBasics

Café chain EAT will launch the pilot of its new bespoke retail system tomorrow.

The system, dubbed Eros (the EAT Retail Operating System), will go live at nine stores in the West End, including the Oxford Street and Regent Street branches.

The web-based database system has been developed by Intelligent Business Systems with bespoke elements from web site developers NetBasic.

Eros will open up a portal that provides members of staff with a suitable level of access and task lists.

As one task is completed another will be presented to the manager. Managers will also be able to order stock – with suggestions from the system – as well as view information on sales labour and wastage.

Eros is also kitted out with a weather forecaster.

“EAT’s business is very weather dependent – a cold dry day will mean customers want soup, a sunny day will increase demand for salad and sandwiches – and the system will recommend that managers order certain foods depending on the weather.

“Managers can override this, of course, but we keep track of these decisions too.”

“An algorithm in the system learns from buying patterns too, meaning that managers will be more and more likely to make the right decisions in future.”

Eros will be integrated with a loyalty card system – EAT has partnered with a non-UK company to develop the scheme, which will be the first of its sort in the UK.

The loyalty card scheme will see numbered stickers issued to customers, which they can put into the back of their phone and use for contactless payments. The customers will register their details on the internet using the sticker numbers.

The company will begin integration of the system in the next few weeks and expects the first pilot to take place in August – probably in Birmingham or Manchester.