TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT TERM PROJECT

Title: How technology is making tedious human work easy.

Name of the Firm: Ratnadeep Super Market, Karkhana
Secunderabad
Date of visit: Sept 25th 2016

Submitted by
K. Vijaya Durga
Roll no: 1501079

Objectives:

To find out how technology is used by Ratnadeep super market in daily business
operations.
To find out what technologies are used by them to reduce manpower and to increase
accuracy in business transactions.
To find out how extent the Ratnadeep is dependent on technology.

Introduction:
Supermarkets are always the busy stores, there are number of customers purchasing
products in small or bulk amount in everyday life and the supermarket management staff
have to keep the track of the products they sell, to make sure what they are selling is in the
stock. Hence the supermarkets come up with the various new technologies or systems that
result in the smart billing and stock management of the purchased items to save the time
required for the billing and also inventory or stock management. The bill is generated
automatically when the reader detects product tag and the information stored with the tag.
The information can be the product name and the cost of the product. The stock management
can be done by developing and interfacing the software with these technologies. When the
reader reads information from the tag it displays the cost and quantity of the product which is
being purchased by customer. After checkout, the purchased items are deducted from the
main database server which manages the stock and quantity. These new technologies are
being very useful in todays life by reducing the lots of efforts and human work. There are
many such technologies like EPOS,Barcode, QR Code, RFID, OCR etc. They are explained
in detail as follows:
1 EPOS
EPOS stands for Electronic Point of Sale digital system and is a computerised system
used in shops, restaurants and other retail outlets. Essentially its an electronic way of letting
people pay for goods or services. EPOS systems have a variety of uses such as

Helping to improve the way a business performs

Allows information and stock to be stored securely

Information can be retrieved immediately as and when needed

Allows a business to see what products are in demand

It can print out receipts and vouchers for customers

It can also be linked to a company website or any terminal within the business.

HOW DO EPOS SYSTEMS WORK?

EPOS systems comprise of computer hardware, peripherals and software perfectly suited to a
point of sales environment. For example, some of the most common components to an EPOS
system are cash draws, chip and pin, customer displays, keyboards, printers and weighing
scales.
Its a system that can support data entry through a variety of devices such as computer
keyboards, touchscreen monitors and barcode scanners.
It gives the retailer tremendous flexibility in choosing specific peripherals for their business
ie: in a high demand environment such as a supermarket, an EPOS system can be configured
to work in tandem with barcode scanners to ensure price accuracy and allowing the staff to
work quickly.

EPOS systems can also be adapted to suit a variety o different working environments to
ensure that the system is uniquely suited to a particular business. It can be used for

Recording sales
Updating stock levels
Providing accurate pricing information

Enable fast and efficient customer service

Keeping track of sales and taxes

2. BARCODE
Barcode is also known as the Auto ID (Automatic Identification). It was invented in
the early 1970s. The barcode was created to help large retail stores and markets process their
goods. The barcode technology is quite efficient for the management and information
updating in the computers. Barcode is one of the familiar business standards. It is used for
scanning the items at supermarket for checkouts. The barcode reader is used to detect the tag
on items and identifies the product and related information. Barcode result in a visual
representation of the data which is scanned and interpreted for information. Barcode is
smaller, lighter and less expensive. The barcode must be in the direct line of sight to be read
by barcode scanner. Barcode have no read/write capabilities hence they cannot contain
information such as product expiry date etc. The barcodes can be easily reproduced and
forged those results in less security. If the barcode is ripped, damaged theres no way to scan
the product. The barcode based data collection system can be typically comprised of any of
the components like Barcode scanner; barcode based mobile computer, barcode printers,
barcode label, barcode data collection software etc. The computer looks up the price in a
master database (the price of a product is not in the barcode!), subtracts it from the store
inventory, and calculates the change. The software also creates reports regarding inventory
levels, shows what products are the most and least popular, creates demographic reports on
individual products and customers, and tracks much more. The key to the whole system is
accurate reporting of the product purchased. Cashiers are inherently fallible and slow.
Barcode is used in Retail Operations, Receiving & shipping Operations, asset management,
manufacturing operations, Office & Customer Service Applications and Warehousing etc.
Barcodes are measured by the width of the narrow bar and are recorded in mils, or 1/1000
inch. A 15 Mil bar code, for instance, has a narrow bar that is 15/1000 inches wide. Further,
"quiet zones," or blank spaces to the left and right of barcode symbols, are included to insure
the barcode can be read.

FIG: BARCODE

Advantages of Barcode:
Barcode technology has become so widespread that many consumers take it for
granted, but the technology continues to offer numerous benefits in a wide array of
businesses. With only some basic printing equipment and a readily available barcode scanner,
businesses can use barcode technology to improve accuracy, speed and efficiency without
significant expense.

Accuracy
In the days before barcode technology, many businesses relied on clerks to manually
enter information about packages that came across their desks. In the transportation industry,
where packages change hands several times, the likelihood of human error increased
considerably. Because barcodes offer a reliable way to accurately read encoded information,
the technology all but eliminates the possibility of human error. Workers can instantly
identify packages and products with a high rate of accuracy.

Speed
To keep manual data entry errors at a minimum, clerks often spend a considerable
amount of time examining packages, reading identification information and correcting data
they did not key properly. Barcodes significantly speed the process of registering packages by
reducing the act of reading and keying identification numbers to little more than pointing a
scanner at the barcode. In a retail environment, for example, clerks can use barcode
technology to ring up dozens or even hundreds of products within minutes. In the
transportation industry, sophisticated barcode scanners can instantly read package
information from hundreds of coded packages as the boxes make their way down conveyor
belts.

Inventory Control

Because nearly every package features some sort of barcode, businesses can use the
technology to maintain tight and accurate control over inventory. Warehouses, for example,
can scan barcodes on packages as they enter and exit the facility to maintain a record of every
package housed at the warehouse. When these packages arrive at retailers, store staff can scan
the products as they go on shelves and compare those records with records of barcodes
scanned at the register to maintain inventory data. Similarly, transportation companies can
scan package barcodes when accepting cargo, then scan the packages again when delivering
it. Companies that link their inventory control to online portals can instantly update package
status and notify customers when packages arrive, depart or get delivered.

Cost
Though barcode technology once carried a high price tag, the proliferation of
barcodes and availability of inexpensive equipment have made barcodes affordable for almost
any organization. Even small businesses can download barcode fonts from the Internet, often
for free, and begin labelling packages and inventory. Many smart phones now include apps
that scan and interpret barcodes, and users can download barcode applications for free from a
number of sources. In a large organization, barcode technology can be significantly cheaper
to deploy than other inventory control methods.

3) QR CODE
A QR code is Quick Response code. This code is a 2D barcode resulting in higher speed at
decoding contents. The Japanese corporation Denso-Wave created the QR code for tracking
purpose in 1994. QR Codes use a 2 dimensional matrix in order to store data. The more rows
and columns the more data it holds. It supports the error correction. The code can be scanned
using mobile phone camera or QR reader and QR code reader software. There are 4 diff level
of error correction low medium quality high. The highest level of error correction can restore
up to 30% of a corrupt file. When QR code is scanned it links to plain text, image, web pages
and multimedia, maps locations or anything that can be accessed over the internet. QR code
generator is required to create a QR code in which the required information is entered. An
effective QR code should be generated using 40-80 characters and minimum of 2cm wide.
The more characters result in degraded image. QR code allows us to decide the actions we
want the customers to take. QR code is ISO standard, market proven and completely
measurable. QR codes allows average person to decode the QR code by scanning and read by
a camera-equipped Smartphone when youve downloaded a scanner app.

Fig: QR CODE

4) OCM (Optical Character Recognition)

OCR is a technology that enables you to convert different types of documents, such as
scanned paper documents, PDF files or images captured by a digital camera into editable and
searchable data. Although Optical Character Recognition (OCR) scanning technology has
increased rapidly over the years, there are limitations in regards to the source materials and
character formatting. Text from a source with a font size of less than 12 points will results in
more errors. OCR also requires a spell checking proofreading and reformatting for the desired
layout. There are many factors that will affect the OCR such as forms, small texts, blurry
copies, mathematical formulas, coloured paper, and handwritten text.

5) RFID
Now days, radio frequency identification technology has gained position from
obscurity to mainstream applications that results in the speed of handling manufactured goods
and materials. RFID can detect the tags using RFID reader from distance without the line of
sight. RFID support the huge amount of unique ids that helps in creating the unique tags for
each items. It allows contact less detection of the objects using the radio frequency. RFID tag
placement is less constrained as it does not require line of sight. It has maximum and stronger
read range. RFID supports the read/write memory capability and it can hold large amount of
data under a unique identifier. The adverse conditions such as dust, chemical, physical
damage do not affect on RFID very much. This technology has three parts: a scanning
antenna, a transceiver with a decoder to interpret the data and a transponder (RFID tag) preset with information. RFID tags can be read at a faster rate as they approximately can read 40
RFID tags at same time. RFID contain high levels of security; data can be encrypted,
password protected or set to include a kill feature to remove data permanently

6) BIOMETRIC for employee attendance

Biometric technology is widely used for a single person identification and security.
We can use biometrics finger scanning technique for the employee attendance management
system. Now days biometric time attendance system are becoming popular to manage
attendance system. Biometric attendance system works quite efficiently and stop buddy
punching. Like the traditional card swapping and pin passwords methods you dont need to
bring card and remember passwords.

Biometric Attendance System Works as follows

Biometric finger print scanner system works very efficiently and quickly explained in below
described steps. For identification process a biometric physiological finger Scanner works as

First, it takes an image of a finger.

Then finger scanner save specific characteristics of every unique finger and saved in
the form of biometric encrypt key.

Actually finger print scanner never saves images of a finger only series of binary code
for verification purpose.
No one can change the algorithm into an image so it is totally impossible to duplicate
your finger prints so no need to worry about it.
Secondly the biometric attendance system determines whether the pattern of ridges
and valleys in this image matches the pattern of ridges and valleys in pre-scanned
images.
So now fingerprint scanner is operational and you can easily manage employees
attendance and every aspect related to time.

7) Inventory Management
There are, in fact, six branch computers linked to the EPOS terminals at the checkouts. They
all record information about items sold and provide backup for each other. If only one
computer was used and it broke down, the supermarket could not function. These branch
computers are linked via the satellite links to a large main computer housed at the
supermarket's head office elsewhere in the country. All branches of this supermarket are also
linked in this way to the main computer and this is an example o an extranet.

After the supermarket has closed at the end of the day, the following happens :
1) The branch computer sends the details of every individual sale to the main computer at the
Head Office.
2) Using this information, the main computer system updates its record of the number in
stock of every item in the store. The SEC allows managers to get a real time stock picture and
allows a manager to escalate stock deliveries from nothing to 72 hours to 48 hours. It also
gives a better picture of stock losses and improves the service the shop can give its customers
3) Using a forecast of sales along with other factors ( such as the weather and the time of the
year etc. ) the system automatically orders the correct amount of stock required by the store
for the next available delivery 48 or 72 hours ahead.
4) The main computer also transmits these orders to computers in the distribution centres
(large warehouses storing products ready for delivery to stores ) across the satellite link.
5) These distribution centres then deliver the required stock to the stores immediately.
6) Price changes and prices of new products, special offers etc. are sent back to branch
computer in the supermarket.
7) New shelf labels are printed and the night staff of the supermarket places these on the
shelves ready for the following day
8) CONTROL SYSTEMS
Computers are also used to control the freezers and chillers throughout the store. In the
warehouse, the large freezers have to be kept within a certain temperature range. This is
achieved by having temperature sensors inside each freezer which monitor the conditions and
switch the cooling motor on or off. On the floor of the supermarket are many freezers and
chillers which are used to store and display a wide variety of products such as fresh meat,
dairy produce and frozen goods. Different products have different requirements in terms of
temperature. Fresh meat, for instance, may have to be kept at 4 C whilst ice cream has to be
stored at -15 C. The freezers and chillers therefore are kept at many different temperatures
and, in the past, an employee of the supermarket had to check the temperature of the chiller
every hour. Now every freezer and chiller is linked to a computer in the branch office. A
temperature sensor in each freezer or chiller constantly MONITORS the temperature, sending
data back to this computer which sends signals back, when needed, switching the individual
freezer / chiller motors on or off, thus maintaining the correct temperatures. A display on each
freezer / chiller shows the temperature to customers.

This is called a 'closed loop control system'. As can be seen from the diagram, the freezer can be
either on or off (the PROCESS) which leads to the freezer being a certain temperature (the RESULT).
The temperature of the freezer is then either too high, too low or alright and this FEEDBACK is used
to change the process if necessary (turns the freezer from off to on, or on to off.) Every three or four
hours, each freezer has to be defrosted and the computer controls this process as well, turning the

freezer off long enough to stop the build up of ice but without defrosting the food. Any breakdowns
are detected immediately, minimising the risk of food thawing and therefore being wasted.

9) Card Swipe Technology

Swipe cards are used most everywhere -- from credit cards used to make purchases to swipe
cards that work as keys to enter doors and even cards that can help companies keep track of
workers' time. Although each specific use of a swipe card may use a different system to
verify and log data, the basics of how the cards work is the same. When a card touches or
passes by the swipe-card reader, information is submitted to a central computer system to
evaluate the information that was sent.

Card Is Swiped
A swipe card must come in contact with the corresponding card reader before any transaction
can take place. The transaction becomes active when the magnetic stripe on a credit, debit or
EBT card is moved through a console at a retailer. Other swipe cards, such as those that work
as keys, activate when they come in contact with the card reader, such as tapping the card to
pad next to a door handle.
Electronic System
The card reader then transmits data through the electronic information system associated with
it. Systems can be as simple as a card reader attached to a single computer or small network
to something more complicated, such as the credit card verification system. Most methods of
transmission require a computer with the appropriate programming to read information from
a swiped card, and a network connection, such as a wireless network or a phone line, to
transmit information.
Information Sent
Once a swipe card makes contact with a card reader that is synched with the card -- such as a
credit card being swiped when you make a purchase -- information about that card is sent to a
computer to process key information about the transaction. In the instance of a purchase, a
third-party credit card verification system confirms that the card is active and there is enough
money in the account to cover the purchase. In the instance of a key card swipe or time-andattendance swipe, information is sent to the business's computers verifying the identity of the
cardholder and will unlock a door or record that a worker is in the building.
Further Verification
Some card swipes will ask for additional verification information to confirm the identity of a
card user. A cardholder may be asked to enter a personal identification number when the

transaction is processed. Some card readers also ask for verification such as to confirm a
purchase or, in the instance of a time-and-attendance card swipe, may ask if a person would
like to clock in or out of work.
Transaction Fees
With some swipe cards, especially credit and debit transactions, come fees. A retailer is
charged each time you make a credit transaction. The 1.6 percent to 3 percent fee is charged
back to a company each time a card is swiped, in addition to annual fees the company pays
for access to the credit card verification network. Banks may charge a fee to the account
holder, common in the case of debit cards, when a card is swiped.

Findings:

Technology is playing a crucial role in every activity that is going on in Ratnadeep.

Every activity is linked to technology.
A lot of manpower is reduced because of adoption of technology.
Every activity in store can be traced using technology so there is no worry of any
malfunction.
No need to keep eye on shortages because technology is there in such a way that it
gives alerts in before so that necessary actions can be taken care.

Conclusion:
For small convenient stores it is easy to do all activities by human but in large super
markets like Ratnadeep it is difficult to control all operations by human. So, technology is the
only way to make tedious human work very easily and there will no term called error i.e it
is accurate. Technology is playing major role in every organisation to become success so it
will be better to adopt new technologies to improve ease of operations.