B&M completes checkout system rollout across 790 stores

B&M has completed a point-of-sale rollout across more than 790 UK stores with PMC, replacing legacy till systems with new hardware and software across its estate.

The project covered one of the UK's largest discount retail estates and was delivered with support from PMC and point-of-sale partner Flooid. The work was intended to modernise store operations and improve the in-store experience for customers and staff.

B&M had been looking to replace an older point-of-sale setup with a standardised system that could be deployed across hundreds of locations with limited disruption to trading. Given the size of the estate, the rollout had to be repeated store by store while day-to-day operations continued as normal.

According to PMC, the programme used automated hardware builds, centralised software deployment and real-time monitoring. The approach reduced the time needed at each store and removed the need for on-site engineering work during installation.

The businesses have worked together for more than seven years on managed IT services. That existing relationship helped underpin the latest project, with B&M working alongside PMC and its internal IT teams during the rollout.

Store estate

B&M said the updated system provides a more reliable and standardised platform across its store network. It also expects the change to reduce faults, improve the experience for store colleagues and speed up transactions for customers at the tills.

The deployment moved from pilot stage to full rollout in January and was completed in August, with support from PMC teams in the UK and India.

For retailers with large physical estates, point-of-sale projects remain a core part of broader store technology spending. Replacing legacy systems can affect checkout speed, uptime, staff training and the ability to make software changes centrally across large networks.

David Laithwaite, Implementation Services Manager at B&M, said: "PMC have proven experience with delivering POS solutions. Their collaboration and seamless coordination with our other service provider and B&M staff have been exemplary. The synergy in communication and a joined-up working approach across the board has significantly enhanced our operational efficiency, enabling remarkable progress with this project."

Sheila Whitfield, Retail Service Delivery Manager at B&M, commented on the delivery timetable: "We've seen PMC rise to the challenge, proactively plan for the narrow time window and ramp up resources to ensure the work gets done on time."

Checkout changes

The updated tills are intended to make checkout more efficient and reduce friction for both customers and staff. B&M also said the system should support colleague onboarding by providing a more consistent user experience in stores.

Flooid worked with PMC on the point-of-sale element of the programme. The arrangement combined software deployment, hardware installation processes and estate-wide monitoring under a single rollout plan for the retailer's store base.

The project also reflects continued investment in physical shops at a time when retailers are under pressure to manage labour, maintain uptime and keep queues moving. In discount retail in particular, small improvements in till speed and reliability can have a noticeable effect across a large national estate.

Jake Allmond, Managed Services Director at PMC, said: "By building in operational agility and more seamless checkout experiences, B&M has improved customer and colleague experiences. The solution will not only create friction-free and faster transactions at the tills but will modernise B&M's in-store technology landscape, allowing it to further enhance checkout capabilities in line with customer demands and evolving expectations."