APPLIED TECHNOLOGY has published a case study on the implementation of an automated parking lot layout system at Seven-Eleven Japan. The system was introduced to shorten the time required to prepare drawings on site, achieving on-site adoption and operational efficiency gains within 1 year of implementation.
Seven-Eleven Japan, which operates approximately 22,000 stores nationwide, had traditionally outsourced the preparation of drawings required for new store development plans. The high outsourcing costs and the approximately 1-week lag before drawings were completed had been challenges. APPLIED TECHNOLOGY made a web browser-based automated layout system available for on-site use, creating an environment in which RFCs in the field could prepare drawings quickly on tablet devices and other equipment. Within 1 year of implementation, on-site adoption and operational efficiency improved significantly.
The system’s on-site functions include browser-based CAD and manual fine-tuning capabilities. It supports the entire process from determining the site and store location to automatically placing parking space lines and fine-tuning the lines to accommodate vehicle maneuverability. Following implementation, online training and an immediate support system led approximately 70% of the approximately 250 RFCs nationwide to use the system to prepare new store development plans. The lead time for preparing drawings on site was reduced from the previous 1 week to as little as 10 minutes, and the system is expected to reduce outsourced drawing costs by approximately 1,000 projects per year. Going forward, further advances in store development DX are planned, including more efficient preparation of in-store layout drawings and the visualization of suitable properties through the use of digital maps.