Eby Brown Maximizes Productivity and Accuracy with Lucas

Eby Brown’s pickers were selecting orders that were written on paper pick tickets. Not only is paper picking inherently a slow, labor-intensive process, but it is also a relatively inflexible solution that is not easily scaled or adapted. Eby Brown was searching for a solution that would streamline their manual processes. Secondly, the Eby team decided to make a move from a legacy WMS to an SAP ERP.

About Eby Brown

Eby-Brown is the third-largest convenience distributor and wholesaler in the United States, supplying thousands of products, including food, candy, tobacco, health and beauty products, and more, to over 13,500 convenience store distributors across the eastern and midwestern states.

“Far and away, it’s the best decision I ever made and the best product I ever brought in. This thing paid for itself in less than a year.”

Chris Timmons, Executive VP of Operations

The Lucas Solution

  • The Lucas solution includes unique AI-based optimization that is embodied in Jennifer™, the brains, voice and orchestration engine of the solution.

  • Lucas voice-directed technology uses open, standards-based interfaces to communicate with systems like SAP.

  • A building block approach and service-oriented architecture helps tailor to Eby-Brown’s unique needs.

  • The Lucas management console enables managers to control add-ons, update orders, and prioritize orders based on specific customer needs, all automatically and without disrupting the streamlined picking process.

  • In addition – with the management console – managers have constant, real-time visibility into the pickers’ productivity and actions, right down to the time they take between picks.

  • QC/Audit application enables managers to set specific criteria for what orders are to be audited, thus reducing audit costs dramatically.

The Results

  • Not only did they realize the Lucas voice ROI before implementing SAP, but the Lucas solution also rendered the SAP transition invisible to the pickers.

  • 33 percent productivity increase for case-picking

  • 46 percent reduction in shortages

  • 40 percent productivity increase for each-picking

  • The investment paid off within a year.