HintTech and Qmatic bring shopping to a higher level with 'Create the Look'

Homebase is the UK's leading home enhancement retailer with a customer proposition that is recognised for choice, style and customer service.

It has more than 340 large out-of-town stores that sell 38,000 products. Homebase attracts around 65 million customers to its stores per year. Homebase determined that technology would play a key role in allowing customers to visualise how to transform their homes and gardens.

Create the Look

To make this vision a reality, HintTech collaborated with Qmatic to provide 'Create the Look' solution. With 'Create the Look' customers are able to upload a photo of their lounge, kitchen, bedroom or bathroom and personalise this photo with a 32" digital interactive touch screen. They can also 'Create the Look' by choosing a template room to visualise their dream room from the right flooring, paint or wallpaper designs. The system is technically advanced, using real images of both the wallpaper and flooring, whilst keeping the light and shadow in focus and retaining the perspective of both the wallpaper and flooring.

Results

"Create the Look" has demonstrated great results in the first half year. Customer feedback reports show that 98.5 percent of customers found using the "Create the Look" screen useful. The system leads to accelerated customer decision-making, increased customer satisfaction, more direct sales, easier access to information and products, and reduced customer waiting times. Because of these results the jury of Retail Systems awards decided to award Qmatic, Homebase and HintTech winners in the category "best use of in-store marketing technology in retail".

Qmatic is the world leader and innovator in Customer Flow Management (CFM) solutions that are designed to increase sales and productivity while reducing costs for organizations in the retail, retail finance, public, healthcare and travel sectors.

Its software, hardware, and consultancy helps organizations such as HSBC, Barclays, DVLA, Homebase , Boots , Marks & Spencer, Post Office and UK Border Authority to value time within the physical customer experience and derive real-time management information (MI) that powers meaningful business decisions. This MI can drive important considerations such as in-store/branch/location skills-routing, store layout and design, employee training and job satisfaction, customer loyalty and retention, brand equity, opportunity sales, real-time feedback and problem resolution as well as efficiency and cost control. Qmatic's services range from barriers, through to both independent and networked virtual and linear queue management systems, to mobile phone applications, kiosk systems and new media.