KappAhl

KappAhl's success story began more than 60 years ago. Today, KappAhl is one of the leading fashion chains in the Nordic countries. The chain has around 370 stores in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Poland. KappAhl has hundreds of thousands of customers daily - in the stores and online.

The partnership between Kappahl and Audico started years ago. KappAhl had decided to use digital solutions in its flagship store in Stockholm, Sweden. The audiovisually challenging project was supported by an AV consultant and Audico could meet the project requirements.

"The result was very successful and sparked interest in further developing the concept," says Cilla Jansson, Project Manager at KappAhl.

After careful planning, an implementation plan followed. The cooperation with Audico over the past four years has paid off: 30 stores have been given a new look and new audiovisual tools to attract customers and make them feel more comfortable. Many more stores are on the work list for the coming year.

Over the years, the role of digital tools in KappAhl's new store concept has become clearer and the cooperation between the parties has intensified. Audico serves KappAhl from the store design phase to technical support.

The façade of the flagship store's in Göteborg has been given a fresh new look. Audico has supplied a 3.5 x 3.5 metre screen in the corner of the entrance, which, with KappAhl's strong visuals, brings the entrance to life and increases the flow of customers into the store. The large windows facing the corridor have also been given something completely new - transparent LED screens as the first installation in Northern Europe. The largest display area is located above the checkouts. Six 49-inch screens create a striking visual presence in the store. The store's second floor also has a display at the checkout, which is slightly different in its elongated format due to the lower space. The display consists of two 88'' Ultra stretch screens. In addition, the stores have several displays of different sizes and shapes to provide signage and sales support.

The partnership with LG has enabled us to test several exciting solutions. Nordstan's flagship store is also trialing a digital queuing system via displays. Qmatic has supplied the system, and Audico has helped integrate the display of queue numbers. Customers receive a queue card in traditional paper format or electronically on their smartphones. The queue numbers change on the screens, and while waiting, customers can continue to move around the store until their queue number appears on the screen and it's time to pay at the till.

KappAhl has a clear strategy for each screen. They are used as a source of inspiration for customers by department, attract customers with current offers and act as signposts to help customers find their way around the store. The displays give customers more information about KappAhl's services and values at the checkouts. The displays also help people at the stands to choose a product, for example, by showing KappAhl's full range of jeans.

"The most important thing is to have a clear strategy. Don't get too excited about the technology; think about every detail. Stores are different and vary in size. You need site-specific solutions and, in some cases, new innovations to make the integration work," says the project leader of Audico Sweden, who has held the reins on the KappAhl project.

There are several ways to use digital screens. Kapp-Ahl has done this very well. The screen control software offers many possibilities. Currently, a digital queuing system has been implemented, but many ideas are waiting to be realized.

An ambitious plan like this requires strong and effective project planning. According to experts, there is much to learn from the project's management methods. The commitment of the staff involved has also proven to be highly beneficial.

"We feel that KappAhl staff have a passion for the company and our joint projects, and they want to be involved in anything new and exciting. Thanks to this enthusiasm, everything has worked well. When participants support the projects, a safe and efficient delivery is created from both sides," says the project leader describing the collaboration.

Many parties are needed to create something new, and good collaboration supports the result. Regarding audiovisual solutions, KappAhl has chosen for the long term.

"We are happy with one contact, so we have one total solution - that's how we want it to be," confirms Cilla Jansson.

Watch the video below for an in-depth explanation of the project.