Worldline helps bofrost* Italia boost business with portable points of sale.

bofrost* Italia, a leading frozen food producer, wanted to reinforce its credentials as a trusted consultant for customers through all its channels (door-to-door, telemarketing, online), as was already the case in traditional face-to-face stores. The project with Worldline, which was piloted at the end of 2019, equipped bofrost* Italia’s sales force with robust and versatile portable terminals to achieve precisely this ambition.

Customer-focused sales requirements.

bofrost* Italia was keen to focus primarily on managing customers’ enquiries and sharing product information. The company was looking to simplify administrative tasks and make the user experience for payment quicker and easier. bofrost* Italia wanted to be able to accept all payments methods on the market, including digital and contactless, and to combine convenience and speed with the support of a well recognised brand.

In the first half of 2019, Worldline began the first phase of the project which was piloted at the end of 2019. It aimed to equip bofrost* Italia’s sales force with a portable, robust and versatile tool, which could simultaneously run advanced Apps and payment functionality, extremely flexible printing and fast connectivity.

More services on the payment terminals to satisfy more customers.

The partnership led to the roll-out of 1500 portable terminals with high-end configuration, including multi-communication modules and an on-board camera to offer flexibility in the food ordering and delivery process.

In addition to providing hardware, Worldline delivered guaranteed support with its remote management services and customised maintenance services, enabling all delivery stations to be able to promptly replace the hardware in case of problem or damage.

Worldline and bofrost* Italia took advantage of the great programme availability of the terminal and integrated the payment functions with the external Android App to launch the printing of receipts as well as to accept innovative digital payment methods, including the acceptance of electronic meal vouchers. Worldline also developed some important customisations for bofrost* Italia.

In 2020, one year after the partnership with Worldline was launched, bofrost* Italia’s business increased over 30%, exceeding the ten million receipts issued by the POS (points of sale) terminals, roughly 50% of which were from cashless electronic transactions.

The success of the new tool depended on overcoming the challenges posed by the transmission of electronic payments through 4G network technology, the printing of receipts and the acceptance of paper and digital meal vouchers. When it came to the payments aspect, bofrost* Italia decided to involve a trusted market leader who could support continuous innovation in a sector which is constantly and increasingly evolving to meet consumer demands.

Solid performance during the pandemic.

The lockdown introduced by the Italian government in March 2020 highlighted the value of bofrost* Italia’s partnership with Worldline. During the pandemic, bofrost* Italia remained 100% operational as Worldline guaranteed the availability of its R&D and tailored operations and logistics services. The partnership played a crucial social role in helping people and families who were alone or unable to access food while also addressing health concerns by facilitating contactless payments. bofrost* Italia saw a 70% increase in sales in the second half of March 2020 compared with normal volumes.

bofrost* Italia was founded by J.H. Boquoi in 1966 in Issum, in Nordrhein-Westfalen, the German region on the Rhine near Holland, and arrived in Italy in 1987 on the initiative of E. Roncadin. Today bofrost* Italia is present in 12 countries in Europe and is a leader in the sale of frozen food products with over four million customers, sales of around 1.3 billion euros and over 10,000 employees. bofrost* Italia has over one million customers in Italy, a turnover of €300 million and 2,400 employees.

The bofrost* Italia business model is based on four touchstones: product quality, customer service, logistic organisation of the supply chain and widespread presence in the country. For over 30 years, bofrost* Italia has continuously innovated by bringing the concept of direct sales to the digital sphere and by expanding its range to non-frozen and utility products while always keeping the customer who is passionate about taste in the kitchen at its centre.