DataDirect Enables Quick, Error-Proof Processing for Online Grocer Ocado

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Goal:

Needed a highly reliable, scalable, multi-platform ODBC connectivity solution.

Why they chose DataDirect:

DataDirect's drivers support all major databases and platforms, giving Ocado the flexibility needed should requirements change as the business expands.

Business benefits:

Comprehensive platform coverage of DataDirect gives Ocado more flexibility and capacity in a rapidly growing industry, which helps them stay ahead of the competition.

Technical benefits:

Cross-platform support and no need for database client software, which greatly simplifies administration of clients and increases performance by up to five times that of traditional ODBC connectivity.

The Challenge

DataDirect Technologies has been working in close collaboration with Ocado, the revolutionary new online grocer created in partnership with Waitrose, to develop and implement systems to speed up ordering and improve the accuracy of its operational process. Dedicated to home delivery, Ocado offers the quality and value for which Waitrose is renowned, alongside reliable service and convenient delivery times. In designing and building the technology to support this new approach to online shopping, Ocado had to look at all levels of the online shopping process, from a user-friendly web site, to efficient back-end order processing and delivery.

Mark Richardson, Head of IT at Ocado explains, "A focus for us was implementing a system to ensure that orders made online would be processed quickly, with no errors. We wanted to plug the potential 'gap' between where the orders came to us electronically, and where they were put together for delivery - the distribution centre. In effect, we wanted an effective two-way communication between the retail centre and the distribution centre, ensuring that once orders are made up, an acknowledgement goes back to the retail centre so that it can begin the invoice process."

The Solution

"As an e-grocer dedicated to home delivery, downtime means that production halts and we can't serve our customers, so a reliable product is vital", continues Richardson. Our warehouse workers use scanning guns (RF guns) to scan the barcode of an item and put an order together. Having chosen a warehouse management system, we needed a connectivity solution that would connect our Oracle databases through UNIX middle tier servers, allowing information to be transferred quickly. DataDirect was the only vendor able to provide the level of UNIX connectivity required. During the development of the system, the decision was made to use NT instead. Although this could have been a major setback, DataDirect's cross platform support was able to provide NT drivers and still work to our roll-out date."

The RF guns are wireless, increasing portability and reducing the need for warehouse workers to rely on sitting the guns in cradles in order to download information. This contributes greatly to reducing administration time and increasing the speed in which the order can be fulfilled.

DataDirect's ODBC drivers support all major databases across all platforms, giving Ocado the flexibility needed should requirements change as the business expands. DataDirect Connect for ODBC's wire protocol architecture eliminates the need for database client software and libraries. This greatly simplified installation for Ocado, plus performance is increased by up to five times that of traditional ODBC connectivity.

The Result

"Our RF gun capacity will be increased according to the workload. DataDirect's solution is flexible and therefore gives us the confidence that as our business grows, it has the capacity to enable this roll out. In such a rapidly growing industry, staying ahead of the competition is essential," concludes Richardson. "Without effective communication within our infrastructure, we would be unable to fulfill our one-hour delivery promise and guarantee a quality service. DataDirect's Connect for ODBC is a vital part of the Ocado jigsaw."

Ocado will be moving to Hatfield as the business scales up to meet expected demand, and will operate from a purpose built state-of-the-art central warehouse. It will be the first semi-automated picking centre of its kind in the UK and the largest in the world. At peak, the centre will process orders to the equivalent of 20 large supermarkets, fulfilling long term scalability plans and allowing steady growth throughout the South East, without compromising customer service.