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POCO, Germany’s largest discount retailer for furnishing and renovation, offers more than 33,000 items in its physical and online stores. The furniture retailer’s assortment ranges from furniture and kitchens to household goods, home textiles, paints, wallpaper, carpets, floor coverings and electrical items through to gifts. The range includes products from well-known brand manufacturers as well as own brands that are produced exclusively for POCO. POCO Einrichtungsmärkte GmbH currently operates 126 furniture stores nationwide and employs almost 8,000 people.
Low-code as a catalyst for business success
The initial situation for POCO was the need to drive digitalization in the company, despite limited resources and personnel capacities. The first contact with Simplifier took place back in 2020. At that time, low-code was not yet a particular priority for the furniture retailer. However, the contact left a positive impression, so contact was resumed when the need arose over time to develop more efficient tools for internal use and to optimize the associated processes.
“For us, low-code is the key to efficiently implementing digital innovations. Working with Simplifier enables more agile development and opens up new possibilities, even with limited resources. It is the optimal technology to meet the current challenges.”
Given the limited capacities and the challenge of managing the growing backlog, low-code was considered as a solution for app development. The use of low-code enables significantly faster and more agile development. Updates and changes to the project can also be carried out more quickly. In addition, low-code platforms cause lower costs, are faster and cheaper to develop and therefore use IT resources more efficiently.
Partnership on equal terms
After a careful evaluation process, Simplifier was selected as the partner for POCO’s digital transformation. The transparent licensing structure and the shared technical requirements of POCO and Simplifier were decisive factors in the decision.
“The partnership with Simplifier is more than just a technological decision. In addition to the clear license structure, we attach great importance to working together as equals.”
In particular, the fact that the Simplifier platform is based on web technologies played a decisive role here. The company also impressed us with its competent contacts, uncomplicated, collegial exchange and cooperation on an equal footing.
Alliance with a vision
The collaboration is already showing concrete results. POCO is successfully using the assortment module information app with Simplifier. This app allows assortment modules to be viewed, compared and maintained more quickly and efficiently, which creates added value, particularly in the clear presentation of data.
The current focus is on gradually replacing legacy applications and modernizing existing processes with a digital solution. Simplifier not only enables faster app development, but also offers the gradual introduction of citizen development. The current focus here is on enabling and familiarizing the platform within the IT department in order to be able to securely control future processes, e.g. through governance mechanisms.
“The results achieved show that the decision to use Simplifier was absolutely right. The weekly enabling meetings with the Simplifier team are an important building block for a smooth development process.”
In the long term, working with Simplifier offers POCO the opportunity to work together with an efficient team of developers to create applications more quickly and easily that are in line with the corporate identity and at the same time comply with governance. Thanks to short deployment cycles, all devices can be served and the platform makes it possible to react flexibly to the company’s changing requirements.
“Digital transformation is more than just a buzzword at POCO. It’s about optimally coordinating not only the furniture, but also the internal processes. Simplifier enables us to follow this path efficiently and meet the challenges of the future.”
