The successful and ongoing relationship between Volumatic and JCM Global spans two decades. Volumatic’s products were originally focused primarily on two areas: equipment for the secure sto r age of cash at the point of sale and cash-counting devices used predominantly in the back office. Volumatic’s innovative idea was to transform the way cash is processed by integrating these two business processes into one.
Of all the companies approached about the concept, JCM Global was the most proactive in helping to create a solution. Traditionally, once a banknote has been handed over during a transaction, it can be touched and counted several times before reaching its final destination, which is usually the cash centre or bank, ready for cash to re-enter circulation. From the initial contact with the cash at the POS, the cash is vulnerable to threats such as forgeries, inefficiency, human error, internal shrinkage and theft. By accepting, verifying and securely storing the cash at the tills in one unit, Volumatic knew it could reduce the risks to the retailer by significantly reducing the amount of cash handling, resulting in considerable time and cost savings.
“CounterCache intelligent (CCi) has carved out its own niche; there is nothing like it with such a small footprint and attractive price point. In addition, its modular design keeps support and maintenance to a minimum,” says James Harris, Managing Director of Volumatic.
Volumatic wanted JCM Global to create a product which can accept, verify and store the cash ready for banking at the till point, reducing the number of times it would be touched (to one) and therefore the amount of shrinkage. The unit would need to be compact, reliable and extremely secure.
‘We saw an opportunity to combine a number of processes and to deliver real savings for the retailer at the front line of cash transactions. We had just three months to roll out over 11,000 CCi units into Morrisons stores, and each one was uniquely programmed to a specific till point. We didn’t get a single one wrong – it was one of the slickest installations ever. JCM kept up with us every step of the way,” explains Harris.
JCM Global had a vision to create a unique solution for the retail industry.
The team at JCM worked tirelessly to create the prototype of the product, which evolved into the CounterCache intelligent. The concept is an all-in-one solution that checks banknotes for forgeries, counts and stores cash at the till point, and then transfers the notes into a tamper-evident, sealed pouch (TruPouch), which streamlines the entire cash-handling process from store POS right through to the bank.
‘JCM were the drivers for the project,’ says Volumatic’s James Harris. ‘O all the companies we approached with the idea, they were the only ones who were proactive in creating a prototype of what could be done, which led to the birth of the CCi. JCM continues to work with us to constantly improve and update the product.’
The lengthy development process of the CCi was rewarded in 2010 with the first major order for 3,500 units from retail chain Wilko. The following year, Volumatic was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Innovation for CCi. Major orders for CCi followed from retailers, including the largest to date from supermarket chain Morrisons, which placed an order for 11,500 units in 2012.
“It has always been a pleasure to work with the team at Volumatic. I remember that when we were waiting for the Morrisons order to be confirmed, the management team at the time kept giving me updates. Then they called me to tell me that they had the order and they wanted me to be one of the first to know before it was announced. That meant a great deal to me,” says Masaki Mitsuboshi, Director of Competence Center EMEA at JCM Europe GmbH.
The CCi units have also proved to be extremely reliable. Wilko refreshed its entire estate in 2021, ten years after the original units were installed.
In the last 12 months, JCM has supported Volumatic in other significant projects including a refresh of the Morrisons estate, which was particularly challenging due to supply chain issues caused by the pandemic. In fact, between 2020 and 2021, the Volumatic /JCM partnership went from strength to strength, with JCM delivering over 22,000 CCi units to Volumatic for use in the retail sector worldwide for some of the industry’s biggest names, including Tesco and the Co-op Food Group. Currently, there are around 40,000 CCi units operating around the globe. Over the past two years, JCM has replaced the note reader heads on more than 30,000 CCi units with the new EBA-40 – to update them for the new polymer banknotes. Volumatic is now one of JCM’s largest customers, and together we are constantly striving to create new enhancements to the products we offer the retail sector.
“The commitment shown throughout the project has been key to delivering it on time and on the whole very smoothly. Insight has been shown at all stages in pre-empting issues, and any stumbles along the way were dealt with efficiently to minimise any disruption to our stores and colleagues. The CCi’s themselves have now been embraced by the stores and our colleagues,” says Suruj Ali, IT Project Manager at Morrisons.
To learn how JCM Global can help your company move forward contact our sales team today.
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