Cycling and motor services retailer Halfords has upgraded its point-of-sale (POS) technology and the platform behind its membership loyalty programme.

The technology, developed by Aptos, includes a platform which feeds in-store employees with product, inventory, pricing, and customer order information, and a tool aimed at giving the company a 360-degree view of its customers, including the four million members of its Halfords Motoring Club loyalty scheme.

The loyalty programme offers exclusive benefits to members and also provides a platform designed to "tightly connect" the brand's retail and services formats and facilitate cross-promotion across its customer base.

The company's latest tech upgrade follows several years of heavy investment in accelerating the company's digital transformation initiative.

As part of its technology strategy, the company is focusing on unifying the customer experience across its stores and online platforms.

The 1892-founded business currently has 400 Halfords stores, three Performance Cycling stores (trading as Tredz and Giant), over 600 garages (trading as Halfords Autocentres, McConechy's and National) and has access to more than 200 mobile service vans.

Customers can also shop at halfords.com and tredz.co.uk for pick up at their local store or direct home delivery, as well as book garage services online at halfords.com.

Adam Gerrard, chief data & information officer at Halfords, said that the organisation recognises the importance of taking a digital-first approach.

“We have made it easier than ever for people to find us online, and we’ve invested in high-performance websites," continued Gerrard. "The greatest benefit is then linking up digital and store experiences in a way that is completely seamless for the customer."

In February, Halford issued a profit warning after the cycling and retail motoring markets here affected by a combination of continued weak customer confidence and wet weather which affected footfall into stores and sales in categories such as winter and car cleaning products.

The new guidance was significantly below the motor and cycling retailer's previously anticipated £48 million to £53 million for the year ended 29 March.

Image credit: Halfords

---