GK Software SE

GK Software SE is reinforcing its claim to be the world’s leading provider of software solutions for the retail sector with its cloud4retail platform. cloud4retail combines what is absolutely essential for a forward-looking solution in one platform: various cloud options, ranging from private to hybrid and even multi-tenant, offer flexibility and the highest levels of performance for innovative retailers.

GK Software will be demonstrating this enormous flexibility and the expansion opportunities, which the world’s leading cloud platform, cloud4retail, offers in conjunction with artificial intelligence, at the EuroShop retail trade fair on booth G42 in hall 6. cloud4retail brings together the leading solutions for large retailers with international operations through its OmniPOS, Mobile Consumer Assistant and AIR (Artificial Intelligence for Retail) components. cloud4retail provides essential services like a shopping basket, price calculations or loyalty & promotions, within its open platform. It is possible to supplement the overall solution with additional functions directly from the OmniPOS standard software or as micro-services, which are simple and quick to implement and can come from a variety of different sources. The open platform enables retailers to test new concepts very quickly by using various enhancement opportunities – ranging from APIs to HTML-based app enablement – without having to change the software core in the process. This means that innovative solutions for item detection with the help of cameras or even intelligent shelves can be integrated quickly and tested in practice, for example. The classic cashier-operated checkout plays less and less of a role in these scenarios, but all the checkout functions still have to be made available as a top-quality service. Whether you need a frictionless store, self-scanning with smartphones or mobile applications on each possible device – the cloud4retail platform integrates all the touch points in an all-embracing, end-to-end IT concept.

GK is inviting programmers to a hackathon at the EuroShop fair to demonstrate its product; this will enable users to test how easy it is to develop new functions on the basis of the cloud4retail platform. One example of how to quickly introduce new concepts will be a fashion pop-up store on the GK booth; this will demonstrate how innovative concepts can be quickly handled by open services architecture in order to inspire customers as well as seamlessly network all the channels and formats.

The issue of cloud services is one of the most important items on the agenda for the retail sector. cloud4retail has already been fully designed for use in a cloud and SAP is already selling it. GK Software will be presenting the new cloud services at the EuroShop fair; as a result of them, it is even possible for very large, international organisations to use the OmniPOS leading enterprise solution in a cloud. All the options, ranging from private to hybrid and even a multi-tenant cloud, are feasible here in order to satisfy what retailers of different sizes require.

Another major issue at the EuroShop fair will be the topic of artificial intelligence. The major focus will be on consistent, individualised services for all the channels as well as automated, dynamic pricing on the basis of machine learning. Artificial intelligence forms an integral part of cloud4retail on the basis of AIR platform (the Artificial Intelligence for Retail). AIR makes available the tools and additional means for specific solutions to meet precise retail requirements like dynamic pricing or personalisation.

GK Software SE will also be presenting the latest version of its mobile merchandise management solution at the EuroShop fair. It provides all the merchandise management processes in a store directly out of a cloud on an extremely modern technological basis; this is available as an end-to-end service, online and offline, on different mobile devices and with a direct link to the central systems.

Another major topic this year will be the issue of fiscalisation. Deutsche Fiskal, a subsidiary of GK Software, will be presenting its Fiskal Cloud solution on the GK booth; it enables retailers to meet the challenges of the German “Kassensicherungsverordnung” (Cash Register Security rules) by using a low-cost and future-proof cloud solution.

Leading retail software supplier accelerates growth in global markets

According to RBR's Global POS Software 2019 study, GK Software continued its impressive worldwide growth by improving its market position from June 2018 through June 2019. RBR found that GK Software deployed more new POS installations during that time than any other vendor within its grocery/drugstore and general merchandise target market.

The report analyzed global coverage of point of sale applications for more than 75 suppliers across six regions, and identified GK Software as the second-most popular provider for new installations across all segments globally. Additionally, GK Software ranks sixth globally for total POS installations. The study evaluated the number of POS installations at retailers with more than 1,000 POS devices from June 2018 through June 2019.

In Europe, GK Software was responsible for more new deployments than any competitor across all sectors, claiming 30 percent of all new rollouts. Counting total installations, GK Software is the definitive market leader in Central and Eastern Europe and is second in Europe as a whole.

In support of its global expansion strategy, GK Software also installed its market-leading POS solutions (The Forrester Wave™: Point Of Service, Q3 2018) in new geographies, launching rollouts for large customers with stores in the U.S., Mexico, India and the Asia-Pacific region.

RBR is a strategic research and consulting firm with three decades of experience in banking and retail automation, cards and payments. It assists its clients by providing independent advice and intelligence through published reports, consulting, newsletters and events.

SAP SE announced today it is broadening its partnership with the international retail application specialist, GK Software. Their joint goal is to supply solutions for specific retail segments and align the world’s leading combined range of solutions with SAP’s Customer Experience strategy in a comprehensive manner.

The retail industry is currently experiencing an enormous wave of digitalization. To ensure success, retailers require intelligent technologies that are precisely adapted to the needs of their sector. The partnership between SAP and GK Software, which has existed since 2009, has already demonstrated its importance through nearly 100 joint projects across the world. The two organizations are now expanding their partnership even further by placing a greater emphasis on the trends and innovations in cloud technologies, experience management, artificial intelligence and mobile applications for the retail sector.

Retailers will enjoy significant benefits from GK Software’s extensive and ongoing development of its cloud services for different kinds of companies and retail segments. To support this goal, they are establishing a joint Retail Excellence Center. The two companies will combine their skills and resources to develop new concepts and solutions that are tailored to the special needs of the retail industry.

“The strategic partnership with SAP has enabled us to turn our solutions into a complete service package for the retail sector,” said Rainer Gläss, CEO of GK Software SE. “By focusing on expanding our cloud services and having the joint Retail Excellence Center, we’ll be able to proactively anticipate new trends and develop solutions that are geared towards particular segments together.”

This news can also be found on SAP’s website here. https://news.sap.com/2019/10/retail-cx-partnership-gk-software/