The reason we made the change from our original satellite offering was that bad weather often obscured the satellite signal, leaving stores without radio or signal, and we would have needed a different channel and broadcast channels to service different divisions, and regions, within the organisation.
We, as the Pick n Pay Supermarket chain, decided to sign up with Streamit in 2019, and after contracting them to find out about the various options they offer, placed our order for an initial 800 Lisa Compact devices, with SD cards already installed. This was handled quickly and professionally, and we had to receive them ex-Hong Kong, and import them from there. Delivery from the factory to Hong Kong was on time and without a hitch.
Once devices arrived from Hong Kong, and due to us using the old ADP platform, which we purchased and installed on our own servers, we had to configure each device as per our requirements. Once done, there were some teething problems, but thanks to efficient support from Streamit, those were soon overcome, as mostly were to do with our own Pick n Pay Firewall settings, and once sorted, the streaming platform worked superbly.
After thorough testing, in the beginning of 2024 we changed to the new Claudio platform. The migration of the now 900 odd devices (we purchased and imported a further 500 devices as before) went smoothly, greatly assisted by Streamit support. They play off the Store And Forward option for 23 hours of the day out of the 24, updating playlists daily after midnight. The remaining hour is taken up by a Live Stream, mentioned below. The point of sale messaging is programmed to run to a schedule daily, and is very easily updateable.
We did, however, maintain a live stream element, where all stores, regardless of division or region, are automatically tuned into it, and for this we had an SAS310 installed in our home studio, which in turn sends the signal to Claudio, which directs all stores to the live Stream URL. We do a live show every morning as a communication tool for the staff to be immediately kept up to date on thing the organisation wants to keep all staff updated with, apart from communication in print they send out. It’s also used to allow staff to send each other dedications, and motivate them and energise them for the day at work that day.
Operating the new Claudio User Interface took a bit of time, but once understood, it is a very user-friendly platform, and very versatile. Streamit has been very supportive in accommodating, as it is still in its fine-tuning stages, in implementing changes to the platform as per our requirements, if they fit in with those of other clients of theirs. In summary, by choosing and using the Streamit Lisa Compact delivery system, we have been able to provide individual playlist and Point of Sale offerings to not only different divisions of our supermarkets, but different regions of our supermarkets, as well as individual supermarkets when required, it’s versatility and adaptability being something which we found a lot of other suppliers could not offer as efficiently and cost effectively.
About Pick n Pay Group
The Group is a retail business in the fast-moving consumer goods industry – operating over 2 279 stores across multiple formats in eight countries across Africa. We provide our customers with a tailored range of high-quality food, grocery, clothing, liquor and general merchandise products at competitive prices. With our rich 57–year history, we benefit from strong brand loyalty and broad socio–economic appeal within the regions we serve.
About FreshFM
FreshFM, the online Pick n Pay radio station, is utilized in a number of ways. As Mentioned earlier, it is a medium to provide customers with a comfortable shopping environment appealing to their senses, as one element. It is also used to convey immediate Point of Sale messaging and convey company information to staff every morning, as well as motivate them for the day ahead. This year sees us Celebrating our 27th year of Providing in-store music.
The management of the station is outsourced to a Small Business, comprising of both Professional presenters for the staff show, with a management team who have many years of both Retail and Commercial radio experience.
About Streamit
From modest beginnings in the Netherlands in 2003, today we are now a global leader in business audio streaming systems. This includes audio players, distribution platforms and wireless audio systems.