Rappi replaced the open source scanning software used by shoppers for order picking on their BYOD smartphones with Scandit’s barcode scanning solution. Shopper dissatisfaction owing to delays in picking and delivering products as a result of incorrectly scanned products reduced significantly. Whilst productivity increased by 30 percent with Scandit’s 100 percent accurate smartphone scanning solution, which is compatible with over 20,000 smartphone models.
I believe that the scanning app was built for our success, and Scandit is a partner who cares not just about their solution, but ensures that the entire ecosystem works well. They closely monitored the deployment process, field tests and results, providing support throughout the adoption cycle of their technology.
Challenge
Optimize order picking with fast and accurate barcode scanning
Rappi is a popular home delivery service provider in Colombia, shipping from store to door across nine Latin American countries. Members use the Rappi app to order prepared foods, groceries, clothes and other items from restaurants, supermarkets and various retail businesses.
With a promise of prompt, high quality service, Rappi employs over 100,000 shoppers and delivery drivers comprising employees and contractors to pick and deliver around 3.5 million products every week. Shoppers picked orders in-store by scanning products with the open source barcode scanning software in the Rappi app on their bring your own device (BYOD) smartphone. These orders were then delivered to the customers home by either the shoppers or delivery drivers.
“We realized that our app’s open source scanning solution did not work properly on several of our shoppers and drivers’ smartphones as they could not scan product barcodes correctly, which resulted in delays and incorrect deliveries to customers. Among the several hundred different device models that our shoppers used, ranging from low-end to high-end models, many had older versions of the Android and iOS operating systems,” says Firas Al-Ashram, Product Leader at Rappi. “While we wanted to maintain superior service to our users, we realised that we were expecting high quality order fulfilment from our shoppers without providing them with a reliable tool to find the right products fast,” he added.
As the COVID-19 pandemic hit and social distancing became the norm, the demand for home deliveries skyrocketed. Rappi had to quickly scale up the number of shoppers they employed, and ensure that both shoppers and end customers were satisfied with the service. They needed a barcode scanning solution that performed well on any smartphone device.
Solution
Smartphone scanning app delivers order picking accuracy for shoppers
Rappi’s logistics systems team researched scanning solutions on the market, and were impressed with the high performance barcode scanning software offered by Scandit. They integrated it in their app and deployed the solution within just two weeks.
The scanning solution offers superior performance, complements Rappi’s BYOD strategy, and provides additional benefits:
- Accuracy: 100% scanning accuracy (in a test of 1,000 scans carried out by a robot).
- Seamless integration: With Rappi’s app without disruption to operational workflows.
- Enterprise grade support: Including software upgrades – an option that’s unavailable with open source barcode scanning solutions.
- No training needed: As shoppers are comfortable using intuitive Android and iOS apps.
- Wider compatibility: With over 20,000 different smartphone models.
Results
- Increase in shopper productivity owing to fast and accurate order picking
- 30%
- Shoppers use the scanning-enabled app on BYOD smartphones
- 400k
- Reduction in customer complaints owing to scanning accuracy
- 20%
As online purchases continued to surge during the pandemic, Rappi’s sales through the app increased by 300 percent in some LATAM countries. Positive feedback from shoppers and drivers who’ve downloaded the scanning app on their smartphones also increased. They can find and scan products 30 percent faster with the Scandit-enabled scanning app than in the past. Scanning accuracy reduced customer complaints related to errors in supermarket product selection by 20 percent.
“Within a short time, we’ve seen the benefits that Scandit brings to our operations. This has translated into improved quality of service and faster deliveries for our customers. Scandit’s solution is also enabling us to automatically fix inconsistent EAN (European Article Numbering) database records by replacing the alphanumeric typing of data with smartphone scanning. In just a few months, we were able to correct the EAN code of 500,000 products in our databases,” says Firas Al-Ashram.
He adds, “Looking ahead, we want to keep growing, but more importantly, continue making life easier for our shoppers and customers by partnering with Scandit. Whether it is scanning barcodes to get the weight of products, for pricing, or to read ID cards, and several other activities for which scanning is not traditionally used in supermarkets. We have an entire backlog team dedicated solely to initiatives related to Scandit who offer us the flexibility to test quickly and adopt the best route.”