New Coop Registers To Reduce Sales Lines

Officials at the Harvard Cooperative Society said their current overhaul of the store's checkout system will reduce the long lines during early-semester textbook sales.

In an effort to make the Coop a more efficient environment for shoppers, the company is replacing its antique registers with computerized, scanner-equipped machines, said David B. Lovins, the manager of the transition project.

"We're staring with the textbook department, but eventually all the departments will be a part of this system,"said David B. Lovins, who is managing thetransition to the new machines. "We've rippedeverything out from hardware to software, and putin an entirely new system."

The new Fujitsu computers have already beeninstalled in the book department, and theconversion will be completed throughout the storewithin the next six months to a year, Lovins said.

The computers have been one of the Coop's mostexpensive capital investments in the past year,during which its rebate to members dropped to arecord 1.1 percent.

But Allan E. Powell, general manager of theCoop, said the cost of the computer system was notresponsible for the precipitous drop in therebate.

Customers buying books yesterday said the newcheckout equipment has made their purchasesfaster.

"The last thing you want to do is stand on along line, but you have to because you need to buythe books," Suhail P. Shah '96 said. "This systemis saving time, and for me that's the key."

Lori A. Espino, a project assistant, said thenew computers will benefit customers in manycapacities beyond faster checkouts, including theability to track inventory at other stores.

"We will be able to help customers in differentways, such as finding out if what a customer wantsis at another location without making numerousphone calls," she said.

"The new system will give the employees thetools they need to help customers, and make thingsmuch easier," said Espino.

The new equipment will also serve as personalcomputers, allowing customers to find out whatitems they have purchased, Espino said.

While the new system will have its advantagesfor customers, Coop officials said the changeswill help the employees as well.

Lovins described the system as "a wholepackage" that will modernize the way in which theCoop deals with accounts receivable, accountspayable and purchasing.

Powell, the general manager, said the newsystem is a "major investment" that will "tie allof our Coop locations together [and allow us to]become one source of information."

Lovins said he feels that these improvements inall of the Coop's departments are vital for thestore to remain competitive.

"We have to be up with technology to be able tocompete with all the people in the Square, such asThe Limited and HMV," he said

The new Fujitsu computers have already beeninstalled in the book department, and theconversion will be completed throughout the storewithin the next six months to a year, Lovins said.

The computers have been one of the Coop's mostexpensive capital investments in the past year,during which its rebate to members dropped to arecord 1.1 percent.

But Allan E. Powell, general manager of theCoop, said the cost of the computer system was notresponsible for the precipitous drop in therebate.

Customers buying books yesterday said the newcheckout equipment has made their purchasesfaster.

"The last thing you want to do is stand on along line, but you have to because you need to buythe books," Suhail P. Shah '96 said. "This systemis saving time, and for me that's the key."

Lori A. Espino, a project assistant, said thenew computers will benefit customers in manycapacities beyond faster checkouts, including theability to track inventory at other stores.

"We will be able to help customers in differentways, such as finding out if what a customer wantsis at another location without making numerousphone calls," she said.

"The new system will give the employees thetools they need to help customers, and make thingsmuch easier," said Espino.

The new equipment will also serve as personalcomputers, allowing customers to find out whatitems they have purchased, Espino said.

While the new system will have its advantagesfor customers, Coop officials said the changeswill help the employees as well.

Lovins described the system as "a wholepackage" that will modernize the way in which theCoop deals with accounts receivable, accountspayable and purchasing.

Powell, the general manager, said the newsystem is a "major investment" that will "tie allof our Coop locations together [and allow us to]become one source of information."

Lovins said he feels that these improvements inall of the Coop's departments are vital for thestore to remain competitive.

"We have to be up with technology to be able tocompete with all the people in the Square, such asThe Limited and HMV," he said