Die SAP SE gab heute bekannt, dass sie ihre Partnerschaft mit dem internationalen Retail-Anwendungsspezialisten GK Software erweitert. Das gemeinsame Ziel ist es, branchenspezifische Lösungen für den Einzelhandel zu liefern und das weltweit führende gemeinsame Lösungsangebot umfassend auf die Customer Experience Strategie von SAP auszurichten.

Der Einzelhandel erlebt gegenwärtig einen massiven Digitalisierungsschub. Um dabei erfolgreich zu sein, benötigen Einzelhändler intelligente, genau an die Bedürfnisse der Branche angepasste Technologien. Die seit 2009 bestehende, erfolgreiche Partnerschaft zwischen SAP und GK Software wurde bereits in fast 100 gemeinsamen Projekten auf der ganzen Welt unter Beweis gestellt. Durch eine vertiefte Fokussierung auf die Trends und Innovationen in den Bereichen Cloud-Technologien, Experience Management, künstliche Intelligenz und mobile Anwendungen für den Einzelhandel wird die Partnerschaft jetzt weiter ausgebaut.

Aus der umfangreichen Weiterentwicklung der Cloud-Angebote von GK Software für verschiedene Unternehmenstypen und Handelssegmente ergeben sich dabei wesentliche Vorteile für den Einzelhandel. Zu diesem Zweck wird ein gemeinsames Retail Excellence Center aufgebaut, in dem die beiden Unternehmen ihre Kompetenzen bündeln, um neue Konzepte und Lösungen zu entwickeln, die auf die besonderen Bedürfnisse des Einzelhandels zugeschnitten sind.

"Die strategische Partnerschaft mit SAP hat es uns ermöglicht, unsere Lösungen zu einem Komplettangebot für den Handel zu machen", sagte Rainer Gläß, Vorstandsvorsitzender der GK Software SE. "Mit dem Fokus auf dem Ausbau unserer Cloud-Angebote sowie dem gemeinsamen Retail Excellence Center werden wir neue Trends proaktiv antizipieren und gemeinsam branchenorientierte Lösungen entwickeln."

Zur SAP Pressemeldung: https://news.sap.com/2019/10/retail-cx-partnership-gk-software/

Die bewährte, Cloud-fähige OmniPOS-Plattform bietet nun auch für Tankstellen, die von Einzelhändlern betrieben werden, den vollen Funktionsumfang einer modernen POS-Lösung.

Raleigh, NC - 01. October 2019 - GK Software, internationaler Marktführer für Filiallösungen, stellt erstmalig eine integrierte Tankstellenlösung für Einzelhändler auf der Basis der OmniPOS-Plattform vor. Die All-in-One-Lösung ermöglicht großen Convenience- und Lebensmittelketten, ihre in Eigenregie betriebenen Tankstellen nahtlos zu integrieren und den Kunden im gesamten Unternehmen identische und durchgängige Prozesse zu bieten. Die Lösung wird Anfang Oktober erstmalig auf der NACS Show 2019, in Atlanta präsentiert.

Die Tankstellenlösung für Einzelhändler ermöglicht reibungslose Verkaufserlebnisse in der Filiale und an der Zapfsäule. Als Modul der OmniPOS-Plattform, die von Forrester als international führende Point-of-Service-Lösung bewertet wurde, ist sie perfekt für Einzelhändler, die damit ihre IT vereinheitlichen und eine EMV-konforme Kraftstoffinfrastruktur auf Basis einer Cloud-fähigen Plattform integrieren können.

"Bislang mussten sich Einzelhändler zwischen Lösungen entscheiden, die entweder sowohl in der Filiale als auch an der Zapfsäule nur begrenzte Funktionalitäten zur Verfügung stellen konnte, oder den Betrieb unabhängig voneinander mit verschiedenen Lösungen verwalten", sagte Michael Jaszczyk, CEO, GK Software USA. " Retailer haben jetzt Zugang zu einer modernen, Cloud-fähigen POS-Plattform, die ein hohes Maß an Funktionen und Flexibilität bietet, um ein neues Zeitalter nahtlosen Komforts und Services im gesamten Unternehmen einzuleiten."

Hauptmerkmale der Kraftstofflösung von GK

Die OmniPOS-Plattform von GK Software bietet eine Vielzahl von erweiterten Funktionen und Merkmalen zur Unterstützung des Verkaufs von Kraftstoffen und weiteren Produkten in der Tankstelle. Einige der wichtigsten Vorteile sind:

• Vollständiges Unternehmensmanagement – Integration der Tankstellen und ihrer Infrastruktur in die zentrale Verwaltung sowie die Daten- und Monitoringarchitektur des gesamten Unternehmens
• Offene Omnichannel-Plattform - Die Plattform ermöglicht es Einzelhändlern, die Vorteile der OmniPOS-Plattform, wie hochwertige Convenience-Funktionalitäten, Click-and-Collect, Online-Vorbestellungen oder reibungslosen mobilen Zahlungsverkehr auch an ihren Tankstellen zu nutzen.
• EMV-Konformität - Einzelhändler in den USA müssen ihre Tankstellenhardware aufrüsten, um die EMV-Konformität bis Oktober 2020 zu gewährleisten. Beim Einsatz einer einzigen unternehmensweiten Zahlungsplattform entfällt die Notwendigkeit für zusätzliche Zertifizierungen der in den Tankstellen eingesetzen Lösung. Mit “Quick-Chip” wird zudem die Transaktionszeit verkürzt und die Kundenzufriedenheit steigt.
• Mobile Anwendungen - Durch die umfangreiche Integration von Kiosken für Fertiggerichte bis hin zu mobilen Services wie kontaktlosem Bezahlen, hilft die OmniPOS Plattform, Transaktionen jederzeit und überall abzuwickeln.
• Skalierbarkeit - Die Cloud-basierte Plattform ist hochgradig skalierbar und hat sich weltweit bei großen Einzelhändlern mit Tausenden von Filialen bewährt. Sie wurde entwickelt, um auch sehr große Transaktionsvolumina zu bewältigen und mit dem Geschäft des Einzelhändlers zu wachsen, unabhängig von zukünftigen Funktionsanforderungen.
• Zahlungsoptimierung - Durch den Einsatz von GK´s in den USA führender Zahlungsanwendung Transaction+ profitieren Einzelhändler von erheblichen Kostenvorteilen durch zeitgesteuertes Routing von Kartenzahlungen.

Partnerschaft mit Allied Electronics Integration

Die Kraftstofflösung von GK Software arbeitet in Verbindung mit den Tankstellensteuerungen von Allied Electronics, dem Marktführer für Tankstellenintegrationen. Diese Partnerschaft ermöglicht es GK-Kunden, sich mit einer Vielzahl von Geräten innerhalb einer Tankstelle zu verbinden, darunter Zapfsäulen, Kartenlesern und Geldautomaten, Autowaschanlagen und mehr. Die Partnerschaft ermöglicht es GK, seine leistungsstarke POS-Technologie vom ersten Tag an über den gesamten Bereich des Tankstellen- und Filial-Ökosystems hinweg sofort zu nutzen.

With new fuel solution, GK introduces a complete suite of robust enterprise solutions for in-store and forecourt operations in a single cloud-enabled platform 

Raleigh, NC – Sept. 30, 2019 – GK Software, the international market leader for store solutions, today announced the availability of its market-leading omnichannel point of sale platform, OmniPOS, available to large regional and national convenience store chains. Now offering an integrated fuel solution as part of OmniPOS, GK Software enables convenience retailers to unify in-store and at-pump retailing operations by connecting all enterprise point of sale processes through a single cloud-enabled platform. GK will demonstrate its end-to-end convenience store applications at the NACS Show 2019, taking place Oct. 1-4 in Atlanta.

“Evolving customer expectations are putting significant pressure on large convenience chains to emphasize services such as prepared foods and frictionless checkout, without regard for the complexity of updating their infrastructure to deliver them at scale,” said Michael Jaszczyk, CEO, GK Software USA. “The OmniPOS platform and its powerful solution suite allow retailers to simplify their connection of disparate systems, create streamlined store experiences and enable the evolution of the convenience store necessary to compete in a tech-driven marketplace.”

GK is able to reduce the complexity of managing point of sale processes throughout the enterprise by introducing a centrally managed, cloud-enabled platform with the scalability and agility to quickly integrate new services customers demand today and adapt to unknown future demands. 

Key features of GK Software’s OmniPOS platform for convenience retailers include:

Fuel: GK’s all-in-one, EMV-compliant fuel infrastructure eliminates traditional silos between best-of-breed in-store and fuel systems. In conjunction with forecourt controllers from Allied Electronics, GK’s retail customers can connect their fueling station devices directly to the in-store retailing infrastructure. This means all loyalty, discounting and payments are managed through a single, easy-to-manage and upgrade system. 

Quick Service Prepared Foods: As prepared foods continue to skyrocket in popularity and generate greater percentages of revenue and profit for convenience retailers, GK’s legacy of providing point of sale technology to QSR restaurants means it is uniquely positioned to provide powerful capabilities for prepared and fresh food transactions. 

Self-Service: GK Software’s self-service solution is built with customer convenience as top priority, allowing retailers to achieve one of, if not the, most important services customers expect: speed of service. The solution allows customers to skip the traditional checkout line and manage small-volume transactions quickly and efficiently.  

Frictionless Checkout: Today, loyal customers prefer the ability to skip any line when making quick trips to the store. GK is a leader in providing frictionless checkout technology through consumer mobile applications. By integrating their credit card and loyalty information in a branded app, they simply check out on their phone and are on their way.  

complete omnipos solution suite on display at nacs show 2019

To learn more about how GK Software’s OmniPOS platform and solution suite simplifies and integrates the convenience store ecosystem and enables premier customer experiences, visit GK in the Allied Electronics booth #3967 at NACS Show 2019. GK will showcase and provide demos of solutions including OmniPOS, Mobile POS frictionless checkout, self-service, fuel and payments solutions.

GK's robust, cloud-enabled OmniPOS platform brings full functionality of the most modern POS solutions to large regional and national fuel retail chains

Raleigh, NC – Sept. 25, 2019 – GK Software, the international market leader for store solutions, today announced the release of GK Drive, an integrated fuel solution for its OmniPOS platform. The all-in-one solution enables large convenience and grocery chains to simplify their fuel retailing ecosystem and create seamless checkout experiences for their customers. 

GK Drive delivers frictionless point of sale experiences in store and the forecourt. Deployed as a module of GK's OmniPOS platform, which Forrester has called the strongest point of service solution, GK Drive is perfect for retailers who are eager to transition their siloed and non-EMV compliant fuel infrastructure into a single, cloud-enabled platform.

"Until now, fuel retailers were forced to choose between fuel retailing applications that failed to provide a full feature set in the store or at the pump, or manage each operation independently with best of breed solutions for each application," said Michael Jaszczyk, CEO, GK software USA. "Finally, retailers have access to a single feature-rich POS and payments platform that delivers the functionality and flexibility to fuel a golden age of seamless convenience and service for thier customers. No matter what business or customer demands retailers need to fulfill - from electric charging to mobile food ordering or something we haven't imagined yet - GK Drive is ready to serve them."

Key Features of Gk omnipos and drive

GK Drive offers a wide variety of advanced capabilities and features to support fuel and in-store retailing. Some of the key benefits include:

• Full enterprise management - GK enables central management and monitoring of every point of sale across the enterprise, including all software and data.
• Open omnichannel platform - The platform allows retailers to take advantage of high-value convenience opportunities presented by BOPIS, online pre-ordering and frictionless mobile payments. 
• EMV compliance - As retailers upgrade fuel hardware to accomodate the October 2020 EMV compliance deadline, managing a single enterprise payments platform eliminates the need to completely separate certifications for in store and forecourt payments. With Quick-Chip, transaction time is reduced and customers are more satisfied.
• Mobile applications - Integrating into everything from kiosks for prepared foods orders to customer mobile app transactions and services like contactless payments, GK can help retailers process transactions anywhere at any time.
• Enterprise-class scalability - The cloud-enabled platform is highly scalable and proven with large retailers operating thousands of stores. It is built to manage massive transaction volumes and grow with the retailer's business, regardless of future functionality demands.
• Payment optimization - Leveraging GK's leading payments application, retailers benefit from managing each transaction through the most cost-effective channel.
• Business agility - GK's powerful software extention model empowers retaielrs to quickly respond to competitive threats by modifying the software without impacting support or upgrade path.
• Cloud ready - Microsoft© Azure Cloud avaialbility comes standard with support of other hyperscalers on the GK roadmap, plus the option to customize to meet the needs of any cloud hosting provider.
• Fresh and prepared food order - GK allows cuastomers to order and pay for prepared foods at any touchpoint, driving modern convenience by eliminating lines. 

Allied Electronics integration partnership

GK Software's fuel solution works in conjunction with forecourt controllers from Allied Electronics, the recognized leader in forecourt integrations for service station business. This partnership enables GK customers to interface to a variety of devices within a fueling station, including dispensers, card readers and cash acceptors, car washes, and more. The relationship allows GK to instantly leverage its powerful point of sale technology across the full scope of forecourt and in-store ecosystem from day one.

Powered by artificial intelligence, Dynamic Pricing by GK allows real-time, personalized pricing across all channels and devices

Raleigh, NC – May 7, 2019 – GK Software, the international market leader for store solutions, today announced the global availability of Dynamic Pricing by GK, an AI-enabled solution that allows retailers to optimize their omnichannel pricing strategies in real time and at scale, based on the full scope of their available customer and market data. Also available through GK Software’s exclusive vendor agreement with SAP, Dynamic Pricing by GK is an independent solution that can integrate with any enterprise platform to ensure that retailers avoid a race to the bottom and that price becomes a strategic advantage that protects brand value and margins.

“Until retailers introduce artificial intelligence as a core element of their dynamic pricing strategy, managing data and learning from the resulting insights will be a highly intensive and deliberate process,” said Michael Jaszczyk, CEO, GK Software USA. “Solutions like Dynamic Pricing by GK will be critical for identifying and capitalizing on unique opportunities to leverage price as a competitive advantage in non-digital environments with every customer. We fully expect that leveraging price at a one-to-one level will be critical for producing intended behavior outcomes and profitable growth.

Faster, more accurate pricing optimization

Dynamic Pricing by GK directly addresses the limitations of responsive omnichannel product pricing, especially in the store. Traditionally, this process has relied upon rules-based algorithms that require significant manual oversight, wherein automation tools are confined to rigidly established parameters and are not capable of real-time optimization. In contrast, artificial intelligence enables Dynamic Pricing by GK to proactively adjust pricing for every customer, on every channel, based on the unique context of every emerging interaction, in real time.

Dynamic Pricing by GK can also help retailers increase profitability by optimizing products with strong affinity. By gathering data on products that are sold together, retailers can detect cross-sell opportunities and markdown on one product while driving sales of other related products at full price. Through linking multiple items, retailers can lower prices of certain products while still increasing the bottom line.

Pricing optimization for every customer on every channel

Until now, true dynamic pricing models were primarily restricted to ecommerce platforms. Dynamic Pricing by GK seamlessly integrates with emerging and established technologies that make real-time in-store price updates and personalized pricing a reality. For example, using electronic shelf labels (ESLs), retailers can make price changes to one or every product at any point within a given day based on competitor price changes and evolving business context. Similarly, the retailer can share personalized discounts and offers with a customer through retailer branded apps, integrating Mobile Consumer Assistant by GK.

SAP Exclusive Vendor Agreement

The solution is also sold as SAP Dynamic Pricing by GK through GK Software’s long-established exclusive vendor agreement with SAP. Through this agreement, SAP incorporates a wide variety of GK’s industry-leading solutions into its ecommerce platform. Dynamic Pricing by GK can be deployed independently of other GK solutions or in combination with GK’s OmniPOS platform, Mobile Consumer Assistant, Mobile Merchandise Management, and many other solutions.

Raleigh, NC — May 7, 2019 — GK Software, an SAP partner, today announced that it will participate in SAPPHIRE NOW® and the ASUG Annual Conference, May 7-9 in Orlando, Florida in booth #1339.

GK Software will demonstrate its full range of SAP omnichannel POS and mobile solutions for retail stores and the enterprise, along with the new SAP dynamic pricing product by GK Software. The SAP Omnichannel Point-of-Sale application by GK and other GK solutions are native-integrated into the SAP retail system for a seamless end-to-end experience.

Named the strongest current offering in the Q3 2018 Forrester Wave for point of service solutions, GK Software was also recognized by IHL Group as a leader in innovation, market strength and market share for POS Software and SaaS in the Total Retail, General Retail and Food, Drug and Convenience segments.

GK Software boasts a dominant market position in Europe and has quickly become a key player in the U.S. GK Software now serves U.S. customers representing more than 34,000 locations, in addition to the tens of thousands of additional locations managed by partners.

“Each year, SAPPHIRE NOW is among the most important events for GK Software,” said Michael Jaszczyk, CEO, GK Software USA. “The conference is a unique opportunity to focus on the many ways that GK Software’s solutions can help retailers deploy complete enterprise and store solutions in the SAP environment.”

SAPPHIRE NOW and the ASUG Annual Conference are the world’s premier business technology event and largest SAP customer-run conference, offering attendees the opportunity to learn and network with customers, SAP executives, partners, and experts across the entire SAP ecosystem.

To further enhance end-to-end interaction with consumers, GK Software delivers personalization capabilities to retailers at every consumer touchpoint, powered by machine learning and AI

Raleigh, NC – December 19, 2017 – GK Software, a global leader in omni-channel retail, is bringing real-time personalization to the omni-channel ecosystem with solutions powered by machine learning and AI. By integrating the AI capabilities of prudsys AG, which GK acquired in November, into its OmniPOS platform, retailers can now create personalized customer experiences across any channel, including the store.

“Our expanded omni-channel capabilities present retailers the next level of consumer experience, increasing both loyalty and revenue,” said Michael Jaszczyk, CEO, GK Software USA. “Personalization based on AI was, up to now, a technology limited to one channel. Now, GK Software makes personalization truly omni-channel, both offline and online. We are enabling retailers to recommend products to their consumers based on their personal behaviors at every touchpoint.”

With GK’s expanded capabilities, retailers can use AI-enabled personalization features to fulfill the omni-channel promise of its OmniPOS and Mobile Customer Assistant store solutions, including:

• Individualized product recommendations: Retailers can learn from customers’ reactions in real-time to recommend the most suitable products, increasing both basket size and customer satisfaction
• Personalized and real-time dynamic pricing and promotions: By analyzing the shopping behavior of each customer, retailers can respond to each individual in real-time with pricing and promotions that optimize sales and gross margins.
• Tailored shopping lists: A smart shopping list feature will send recommendations to customers based on the items they regularly purchase, offering the best price to convert the sale.
• Customer-specific newsletters: GK’s Mobile Customer Assistant allows retailers to push individualized newsletter recommendations by leveraging personal shopping history and preferences.

GK Software will demonstrate its AI-enabled omni-channel solutions and mobile customer engagement platform (yMCA) as part of its OmniPOS at booth #3352 at the NRF Big Show, January 14-16, 2018.

About GK Software

GK Software breaks down the barriers to unified commerce with its OmniPOS solution for point of sale, mobile POS, mobile customer engagement and a full range of store/back-office solutions. The company is a recognized leader in omni-channel retail, offering a single, global software platform for all retail formats and touchpoints – which is why 10 of the Top 50 retailers worldwide rely on GK Software. GK Software is headquartered in Germany, with U.S. headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information, visit www.gk-software.com.

Media Contacts

Stacy Lan or Jeff Ketner
Ketner Group PR + Marketing (for GK Software)
(512) 794-8876
Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein!
Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein!

To meet the needs of both its large installed base and new clients, the latest version of TransAction+ delivers powerful, flexible and secure payment management

Raleigh, NC – September 28, 2017 – GK Software, a global leader in omni-channel retail, today announced improved capabilities and services for its TransAction+ payment processing application, a market leader in North America. Designed to meet the demands of an increasingly digital and mobile operational landscape, TransAction+ is a flexible, configurable and secure solution that integrates point-of-sale systems with more than 40 payment authorization providers. Delivering both payments and non-payments interactions at the customer-facing device, users can fulfill any payment processing need without requiring the retailer to invest in additional infrastructure. Originally introduced more than 20 years ago, TransAction+ has successfully been deployed across thousands of locations by major retailers, restaurant chains, and independent operators. As part of GK Software’s dedication to meet the evolving demands of secure omni-channel commerce, TransAction+ now offers:

• Mobile payments processing – Delivers fast and secure transaction processing on mobile terminals and devices to meet the demands of modern retail.
• Pay-at-Table – Brings the point-of-sale to the restaurant customer, improving transaction times and payments security while accelerating the rate of table turns.
• Support for PIN-less Debit – Increases customer convenience and reduces payments interchange fees for merchants.

In keeping with GK Software’s dedication to meeting the modern security and regulatory requirements of its North American customers, TransAction+ is PCI/PA-DSS and PABP certified. It also supports End to End Encryption (E2EE) and EMV for the major US payments processors. The solution is continually updated and enhanced to support security, processor and card brand mandates as a part of standard product maintenance. “TransAction+ is an exciting solution for retailers and restaurants requiring more power, speed and security in their payments processing systems,” said Michael Jaszczyk, CEO, GK Software USA. “TransAction+ has been widely adopted by organizations across North America, and we’re thrilled to introduce an improved feature set that provides a new level of power and security without operational disruption.”

About GK Software

GK Software breaks down the barriers to unified commerce with its OmniPOS solution for point of sale, mobile POS, mobile customer engagement, payments and a full range of store/back-office solutions. The company is a recognized leader in omni-channel retail, offering a single, global software platform for all retail formats and touchpoints – which is why 10 of the Top 50 retailers worldwide rely on GK Software. GK Software is headquartered in Germany, with U.S. headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information, visit www.gk-software.com or contact GK at Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein!

Media Contacts

Aidan Griffin or Jeff Ketner
Ketner Group PR + Marketing (for GK Software)
(512) 794-8876
Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein!
Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein!

GK Software bietet dem Einzelhandel eine neue KI-basierte Lösung für Dynamic Pricing, die auch von SAP unter dem Namen SAP Dynamic Pricing by GK vertrieben wird.

• Automatisierte Unterstützung unterschiedlicher Preisstrategien
• Internationaler Vertrieb der Lösung durch SAP

Basierend auf der von GK entwickelten AIR-Plattform ermöglicht die Lösung Händlern, ihre Omni-Channel-Preisstrategien in Echtzeit auf der Grundlage der verfügbaren Kunden- und Marktdaten zu optimieren. AIR steht dabei für Artificial Intelligence for Retail und ist eine auf KI-Verfahren wie z.B. Reinforcement Learning basierende Plattform, auf deren Basis maßgeschneiderte Prozesse für den Handel zur Verfügung gestellt werden. Dazu gehören neben Dynamic Pricing z.B. auch Lösungen für Personalisierung oder Fraud Detection.

Die neue Dynamic-Pricing-Lösung kalkuliert in Echtzeit den marktgerechten Preis für jedes Produkt im Sortiment. Auf der Basis dieser Information können Händler permanent ihre Preise automatisch an sich ständig ändernde Marktsituationen und Rahmenbedingungen anpassen. Die Lösung ermöglicht die Umsetzung unterschiedlicher Preisstrategien wie Umsatz- oder Ertragssteigerung, Abschriftenoptimierung oder Promotion-Pricing. So kann Dynamic Pricing aktiv zur Vermeidung von Abschriften bei Frischeartikeln (Food Waste) beitragen, indem rechtzeitig mit der optimalen Preisstrategie die Bestände reduziert werden. Auch längerfristige Strategien zum Abverkauf von saisonalen Artikeln z.B. im Fashionbereich lassen sich definieren und damit Verluste oder massive Preissenkungen vermeiden. Entsprechend der Festlegung, welche Preisstrategie zum jeweiligen Zeitpunkt zum Tragen kommen soll, sorgen die selbstlernenden, KI-basierten Pricing-Algorithmen für die automatische Optimierung der Preise, entlasten die Verantwortlichen für die Preisfindung und erhöhen deren Effizienz.

Die automatisierte, selbstlernende Preisoptimierung auf der Basis einer klaren Strategie bietet im Vergleich zur klassischen erfahrungs- und regelbasierten Preisgestaltung erhebliche Vorteile. Denn die KI-Algorithmen sind in der Lage, zahlreiche Preisbildungsfaktoren nahezu in Echtzeit einzubeziehen und eignen sich auch für große Sortimente. Gleichzeitig bieten sie den Einzelhändlern eine deutlich größere Flexibilität und der Erfolg der Preisbestimmung ist durch den Abgleich mit den definierten Zielen sofort messbar.

GK Software SE's full-year results for 2018, which have been published today, show that the company has been able to sustain its strong growth to achieve record sales of €106.2 million.

• Core GK/Retail business grows by over 27%
• Breakthrough in US market

A significant portion of that growth has come from the core business related to the GK/Retail solutions, which increased by an impressive 27%. One important development in the 2018 financial year was the company's breakthrough in the USA, a key market where GK Software won four new customers including two of the country's top 20 grocery retailers. This trend is continuing in 2019, with a further two new US customers already having been signed up, plus the company has added a new South American cloud customer to its portfolio this year.

GK Software also made significant investments to strengthen its market position in the 2018 financial year, particularly in terms of expanding the cloud capabilities of the GK/Retail solutions and integrating its recently acquired expertise in artificial intelligence and mobile solutions into its product portfolio. Besides this higher level of product investment, the main causes of the earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) – at just €1.6 million – falling short of the board's expectations can be identified as the declining sales in the IT Services segment and a number of sales opportunities which were expected in 2018 but failed to materialize.

Overall, the board of directors regards the 2018 financial year as very successful. Therefore, the medium-term forecast for the 2020 financial year, which was made in the 2017 full-year results, remains unchanged: the 2020 revenue should be one and a half times that of the 2017 revenue and the profit in the core segment should be approximately 15% (EBIT margin on operational performance). The GK/Retail turnover is likely to grow further in 2019. This year is a key step in the company's journey towards achieving its profitability target for the 2020 financial year, so the board expects the company to exceed the 2018 results.

The financial statement was published earlier today at https://investor.gk-software.com/de/veroeffentlichungen/financial-reports?task=download&cid=661.