‘WRS is always there for us’

“I wanted to take on the challenge of bringing nutritious, healthy food to the masses…

…while making an iconic London brand a success in the Midlands,” said Sham when asked about his ambition for his itsu store.

“Our itsu sales are growing as more people sample our fresh food, recipes and ingredients.”

Tell us about Costa and how you’re changing the way people buy coffee?

“We have a new concept store, as we’re trying to change the mindset around the customer journey. We’ve installed a new kiosk and it has been a huge success.”

“When the customer places the order, it’s so intuitive and the team can have the drink ready, sometimes even before they’ve reached the counter to collect it. It has made our whole operation a lot more streamlined. The positioning of the kiosk is right and it looks good too!”

What’s your biggest selling point?

“Our kiosks. We see how people who are shopping want to get their food quickly. They don’t necessarily want to sit down in a restaurant for 30 minutes or an hour. They want simplicity and speed – and that’s what the double-sided kiosks provided by WRS give us. Even when it’s busy at a weekend, when there is a significant volume of customers, the wait is minimal.”

“Customers can browse through the kiosk and  they get their food within minutes. Because of the efficiency, we don’t get the large queues which put people off. We have a full, integrated tech journey which is really good for the customer and our team.”

“From staff in the morning ordering in ingredients, making sure the recipes are there and cooking the food, to the customer coming in to order, the food order then hitting the kitchen display screens and then being ready. The tech that supports the journey is crucial to the success of the store.”

How has working with WRS helped you?

“It’s a hugely collaborative relationship between us and WRS. The fact WRS is a family-run firm, we can pick up the phone to them anytime of the day. We can bounce ideas, share ideas and the team responds. If we need to make any changes, or use tech to improve our business, WRS is always there for us.”

“We work together and that’s what gives us the edge. Sometimes with larger companies, they are more worried about numbers rather than the customer journey and that partnership. That’s the difference WRS has given to us.”

What next for you and WRS?

“AI is huge right now and I know WRS is trialing technology around that. It will be interesting to see how we could use that in our journey, as I’ve seen some concepts that can work, and I am excited to bring that in.”

“For us, it’s about staying on that journey with WRS as we continue to grow with the existing brands and look at new brands – with WRS streamlining our processes. We are excited to see what the future brings.”