Würth wins reta award for its digital sales assistant PICO
Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG and Würth IT GmbH together won the renowned reta award in the Best Enterprise Solution category, an award presented by EHI Retail Institute for exceptional technologies in the retail sector. Teaming up, the two companies developed the PICO voice and chat assistant, which speeds up important sales processes.
“PICO frees up time for our sales staff in the field as well as for our inside staff to respond better and more efficiently to the needs of our customers,” says Jens Neumann, Managing Director responsible for Sales Operations at Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG.
“The development of PICO is not only a technological milestone for us, but also evidence of our ambition to create added value through advanced IT solutions. This award underlines the innovative strength of Würth IT and motivates us to continue delivering top performances in digital transformation,” says Christian Berndt, Managing Director of Würth IT GmbH.
The chat and voice assistant is based on artificial intelligence and a large language model. PICO gives our sales reps more time, allowing them to focus on personal customer contact. Having PICO handy, the sales force can handle administrative tasks such as sending invoices or delivery notes via voice control on the go. PICO is constantly being developed further and will also provide support in other areas such as HR, logistics and vehicle fleet management in the future. The tool is an important component of Würth’s sales strategy and paves the way for future innovations.
About the reta awards
The reta awards were presented for the 17th time in Düsseldorf on 27 February 2024. These awards are presented by EHI, honoring outstanding technology projects in the retail sector. The focus of the awards is on the degree of innovation and strategic benefits of technology projects. The international jury selects three equally qualified winners in each of the five categories: Best Customer Experience, Best Instore Solution, Best Enterprise Solution, Best Connected Retail Solution and Best AI & Robotics Application. EHI and the German trade magazine Lebensmittel Zeitung further recognize the technology partners involved in the successful projects with the Top Supplier Retail prize.
A jury comprising representatives from the industry, universities, and research institutes determines the winners from the numerous submissions in five categories. This year, around 70 applications were submitted.
About the Würth Group
The Würth Group is the global market leader in the development, production and sale of assembly and fastening materials. Other trading and production companies, known as the Allied Companies, operate in related business areas, ranging from electrical wholesale and electronics to financial services. The Group currently employs more than 87,000 employees in over 400 companies with more than 2,700 shops across 80 countries. According to the preliminary annual financial statements, the Group generated sales of EUR 20.4 billion in the 2023 fiscal year. With over 7,900 employees, Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG in Künzelsau is the largest single company in the Würth Group.
Würth IT is the Würth Group’s global IT service provider. With more than 1,300 employees, the international full-service provider of holistic IT solutions and services is represented at various locations in Germany, India, China, Brazil, the USA, Switzerland and Italy. Würth IT customers include national and international trading and service companies both inside and outside the Würth Group.
