Soal Kasus

A Technology Company with Convenience Stores

Ito-Yokado Company is Japans most profitable retailer. In 1974, Ito-Yokado bought the franchise
rights to 7-Eleven in Japan from Southland Corporation (Houston, Texas). The first 7-Eleven
store opened in Japan in May 1974, and by 2000 the Japanese franchise had grown to over 6000
stores. In the meantime, 7-Eleven parent company Southland was also expanding its
operations. However, heavy dept forced it to seek bankruptcy court protection from its lenders.
In an attempt to raise cash, Southland was forced to sell assets. In 1990, Ito-Yokado Corporation
purchased 70 percent of Southland Corporation (see 7-Eleven history).
While 7-Eleven in the United States was losing a considerable amount of money, 7-Eleven Japan
made over 40 percent profit on sales. Such high level of profit is extremely unusual, not only in
Japan but also in other countries. What enabled a franchiser of 7-Eleven to achieve such a high
profit margin while its parent company was filing bankruptcy? The answer is a consumerfocused orientation based on information technology.
In the early 1990s 7-Eleven Japan created a $200 million information system for its stores. The
purpose of the system was to (1) discover who the customers are and what they want and (2)
create a sophisticated product-tracking system.
The information system is also used for other purposes, such as monitoring inventories. By
implementing the just-in-time approach, in which inventory arrives at stores just as it is needed,
a minimum inventory is kept on the shelves. This reduces the cost of investing in and keeping
inventory, as well as the cost of spoilage. Also, because stores know customers preferences, they
seldom run out of stock. In addition, most stores have arrangements with their suppliers for
quick delivery of products they sell, and so they do not need large inventories. Other uses of the
information system are to (1) electronically transmit orders to distribution centers and
manufacturers (via satellite), (2) determine which products to keep in each store (70 percent of
the products are replaced each year), (3) determine how much shelf space to allocate to each
product, and (4) track employee performance (for rewarding high performers).
In addition, the company maintains a high level of quality. A team of 200 inspectors visits 7Eleven stores regularly. Even the companys president occasionally drops into stores incognito to
check quality. Quality control data are collected and analyzed continuously by a computerized
decision support system at headquarters. Brands that do not meet strict quality requirements are
immediately discontinued. Quality is extremely important in Japan, where fresh hot meals are
sold at convenience stores.
As a result of its information system, 7-Eleven Japan has extensive knowledge of its market. It
maximizes sales in limited space and optimizes its inventory level. Also knowing exactly what the
customers want helps the company to negotiate good prices and high quality with its vendors,
who support the just-in-time approach. (About 20 manufacturers have special factories that
make only or mostly 7-Eleven products).
7-Eleven Japan has also created a time-distribution system that changes the product mix on
display in its stores at least twice a day, based on careful and continual tracking of customers
needs. The company knows that consumers needs in the morning are completely different from
those in the evening. So the system allows them to display the most appropriate items at
different hours of the day.

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In late 1997, 7-Eleven was the first convenience store chain to introduce Internet access
terminals in their Seattle area stores. These terminals allow customers who do not have
computers to access the Internet by paying a user fee to 7-Eleven. In 1998 it introduced a
computerized system to track inventory and forecast sales in the United States. In 1999 it
introduced multimedia-based Internet kiosks in its Japanese stores for ordering from the stores
site, with capabilities to pay for the goods in the stores. The stores are also used as a receiving
station for the merchandise ordered.
Sources:
Based on Minicase 2 of Chapter 3, in "Information Technology for Management - 3rd Edition", by
Turban, McLean, Wetherbe
Beberapa pertanyaan yang menarik untuk didiskusikan:
1.

Menurut saudara apakah 7-Eleven telah menerapkan konsep SCM dan CRM? Jelaskan

2.

Apakah prosedur pengumpulan informasi tentang kustomer mengganggu privacy dari

kustomer? Mengapa ya atau mengapa tidak?

3.

Jelaskan beberapa hal sebagai berikut:

a. Jelaskan just-in-time approach? Bagaimana penggunaan pendekatan ini?
Benefit apa yang dapat diperoleh?
b. Jelaskan bagaimana data berkaitan kendali kualitas (quality control)
dikumpulkan dan dianalisis?

4.

Berkaitan dengan penggunaan teknologi Internet.

a. Bagaimana Internet access memberikan benefits bagi kustomer 7-Eleven?
b. Bagaimana Internet kiosks dimanfaatkan? Nilai atau value apa yang diberikan
Internet kiosks bagi 7-Eleven?

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