Efficient environment: Cadbury uses wireless tablets in “green” data-collection program
by Staff -- Manufacturing Business Technology, 2/1/2009 12:00:00 AM
Cadbury, the world’s largest confectionery company, has issued tablet computers to its field staff to improve workers’ ability to collect and analyze sales data. The company says abandoning its paper-based data collection system is part of its ongoing campaign to preserve the environment.
The London-based company announced its “Purple Goes Green” initiative in July 2007, with three targets in mind:
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A 50-percent reduction in actual carbon emissions;
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A 10-percent reduction in packaging, with that target stretching to 25 percent for seasonal and gift products; and
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Implementing water-reduction plans in all plants located in areas where water is scarce.
Cadbury management says using tablet computers for collecting sales data cuts down on paper use without compromising access to accurate and up-to-date information about how its products are doing in the market. The company chose WebDT mobile tablets from DT Research for this task.
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| Field sales staff for London-based confectionery maker Cadbury use WebDT tablet computers from DT Research to collect sales data and cut paper usage. The computers access up-to-date information about how Cadbury’s products are doing in the market. |
Prior to deploying the WebDT mobile tablets, Cadbury staff wrote down information while in the field. Capturing that information in a paper format, which had to be input to a computer system, delayed the market analysis.
Now Cadbury field staff use DT Research’s WebDT mobile tablets to gather in-store sales and merchandising information about Cadbury products, which is then instantly sent back to the corporate headquarters via a GPRS mobile network link. With less time spent traveling to and from the Cadbury offices to deliver research forms, Cadbury increased the number of store visits using the same number of field staff.
“We are pleased to be able to provide Cadbury with an environmentally beneficial business solution,” says Dr. Daw Tsai, president of DT Research. “We hope that more organizations see the value of using the WebDT wireless mobile tablets to decrease both the paper and fuel needed to gather information in the field, while improving their corporate efficiencies.”
Xperience, a U.K-based systems integrator, worked closely with Cadbury to develop a convenient case that field staff can use to carry the tablets with them to appointments. Xperience also provides ongoing hardware support as the project evolves.
“The WebDT mobile tablets were the perfect solution to address both the business and environmental issues that Cadbury faced,” says Iain O’Kane, group director, Xperience. “This program has enabled Cadbury’s field staff to carry out their normal duties as well as gather additional market research on specific product campaigns.”
