A Tuskys supermarket branch in Nairobi. The store chain is set to spend over Sh162 million in installing automated safe machines to handle bulk cash. PHOTO | FILE
Tuskys supermarkets is set to spend over Sh162 million in installing automated safe machines for bulk cash handling to minimise risks and theft in all their 54 branches in Kenya.
The firm has entered into a deal with KCB and DTB banks to make this happen.
The automation is largely to curb risks involved in bulk cash handling, including cases where cashiers collude to steal lump-sums or in the case of robbery just before the cash is transported to the bank.
“Tuskys loses about Sh2 million on average every month in theft at cashier points or robberies,” said chief finance officer Daniel Ndirangu.
“These machines will bring this amount to zero because cashiers at the point of sale will now be expected to deposit money collected and the bank would credit Tuskys account in real time.”
Mr Ndirangu said the automated safe machines are being procured at a cost of Sh3 million each. He said the investment is huge but the company will have saved more in the long run after a successful implementation by the end of the year.
The pilot project was rolled out in 2014 in Tuskys Bufallo Mall in Naivasha. Half of the supermarket’s branches in Kenya have already been automated.
He said the internal process improvement also aims at reducing human interference with cash collected as the machines are automated and therefore do not need any operators.
The machines, which are built from “the strongest” grade five steel safes can only be accessed by the banks. The safes validate and count cash the moment money is deposited and instantly credits the amount to Tuskys bank account.
“In the past, one or two people could be locked up in the strong room in each branch at close of business to count and reconcile money, which is soon going to be a forgotten case,” said Mr Ndirangu.
Jobs may be cut in the longrun by this adoption but the supermarket chain’s management said they will absorb as many of the existing staff as possible but in other roles.
Last week, Tuskys signed a deal with DataOrbis to automate its points of sale processes. The deal also required the technology company to help the supermarket keep tabs with its operations including the amount of inventory in its stores.
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