About how.fm
Scale your Business like Fressnapf
About Fressnapf
The Fressnapf Group, headquartered in Krefeld and specializing in pet supplies, has chosen how.fm’s training software to enhance its logistics operations at its national locations. With approximately 600 employees benefiting from various digital training sessions annually, Fressnapf is set to expand its workforce by welcoming an estimated 100 more employees at the newly constructed logistics center in Neuruppin, Brandenburg.
Fressnapf, a company dedicated to providing pet owners with the best products, offers a selection of 13,000 items and maintains a network of nearly 1,000 stores across Germany, supported by an extensive logistics network. Fressnapf’s commitment to excellence extends to its innovative integration of digital learning within its logistics operations. Discover more about the company’s unwavering dedication to quality and their forward-thinking approach to innovation.
16
Languages
German, Spanish, English, Romanian, Polish, and Russian and many more…
50%
Seasonal Support
who need to be trained within just a few weeks.
100+
External Truck Drivers
who need to be trained before being allowed on the premises and handling goods.
600+
Individual Trainingssessions needed a Year
to provide the essential skills and knowledge to create a safe work environment.
1.000
Stores
strategically located across Germany.
13.000+
Products
that need to be handled, sorted and distributed efficiently to meet the demand.
The Challenges
In Their Worker Onboarding and Training Processes
Language Barriers
Integrating a digital Tool for Training
Implementing how.fm improves learning outcomes and results due to the ability for individuals to engage in their native languages, currently, Fressnapf utilizes 16 out of 30 available languages. Moreover, the multilingual nature of digital training enhances communication and collaboration among diverse groups. Additionally, it leads to time and resource savings, making it a cost-effective approach.
Turnover, Seasonal Staff & Fluctuation
Internal & External Training needs
Daily mandatory training is essential for over 100 external truck drivers, ensuring they are well-prepared for safe operations. Additionally, approximately 600 internal warehouse workers need recurring annual training sessions. Furthermore, during peak seasons, the workforce expands by additional 50% order pickers, making ongoing training a critical component of workforce readiness.
Audit proof Warehouse
Easier to handle
Replacing a cumbersome 60-page training document that needed signatures with an intuitive, user-friendly, digital alternative. The transformation into an intuitive digital training format was made effortless, thanks to the AI-supported how.fm document extraction. This streamlined approach not only simplifies training but also allows for the seamless integration of additional health and safety instructions as needed, enhancing overall compliance and audit readiness.
Growth
Scalable Training with how.fm
During the launch of a new 23,000 pallet storage space how.fm’s digital training solution will play a vital role in Fressnapf’s training strategy. The time-sensitive ramp-up phase is marked by a shortage of key personnel and high time pressure as over 100 employees will require rapid training during this critical phase, making how.fm an invaluable asset.
Case Study
Enhancing Operational Efficiency and Employee Training with how.fm
Fressnapf Group, a renowned pet supplies company headquartered in Krefeld, Germany, has revolutionized its employee training processes by leveraging how.fm’s digital training software. Fressnapf, operating nearly 1.000 stores across Germany, faces challenges due to fluctuating staffing needs driven by seasonal variations, such as the Christmas season’s demand surge. Johanna Latham, Project Manager of Warehouse Operations at Fressnapf, recognized the need for a flexible and multilingual training solution to overcome these challenges.
Seasonal Workforce and Language Barriers
The primary challenge for Fressnapf was accommodating the seasonal influx of up to 50% additional order pickers during peak season. Traditional training methods couldn’t efficiently adapt to these fluctuations. Moreover, language barriers posed a significant obstacle, with a migration rate of approximately 70%. The existing safety training, encompassing 60 pages in printed format, was cumbersome to administer in both German and English and had to be signed by all employees.
External Supplier Training: Certification in Minutes
Fressnapf extended how.fm’s digital training software to external truck drivers visiting its warehouse locations in Krefeld, Feuchtwangen, and Duisburg. The legislation mandates safety training for handling hand pallet trucks before the first pallet turnover. With how.fm, Fressnapf streamlined their training process. Truck drivers can now complete a 10-15 min online course in advance, either on a mobile device or on-site at the logistics location. The courses are offered in 16 languages and supported by a voice function, it also incorporates video sequences for better comprehension. To assess knowledge, the training leads to a quiz generating a digital certificate as proof of training.
A Holistic Approach: Personal and Digital Training
A combination of personal and digital training was adopted. While practical aspects like forklift training remained instructor-led, the theoretical component, including safety training, was expertly covered by how.fm’s training solution. The key benefits soon became evident: increased learning success, time efficiency, and resource savings.
One of the standout features of how.fm’s software is its multilingual capability, supporting up to 30 languages. Fressnapf currently utilizes 16 of these languages to ensure employees can learn in their native tongue. This not only minimizes language barriers but also enhances understanding through a text-to-speech function that caters to different learning preferences.
Streamlining Safety Training with how.fm
Annual safety training, covering extensive printed material, presented an obstacle for Fressnapf. The learning success was questionable due to language barriers and the sheer volume of content. Johanna Latham resolved this issue by digitizing the training, turning it into an intuitive and interactive program thanks to how.fm. The training transitioned from paper to tablets and is now available in each department with multiple devices. For the 60.000 m² central warehouse in Krefeld, which includes an automatic small parts warehouse, special safety training was essential to ensure employees’ proper handling of the facility and to enhance awareness of safety and health standards.
Scaling and Expansion with how.fm
With the opening of a new logistics center in Neuruppin, Brandenburg, in August 2023, how.fm’s training software will be a core of Fressnapf’s training concept. This is particularly valuable during the ramp-up phase, as it allows Fressnapf to quickly train around 100 employees for warehouse processes when there is limited key personnel and high time pressure. In the future, Fressnapf plans to extend its operations to northern Germany, Denmark, and Poland from the Neuruppin location.
Conclusion
Fressnapf’s partnership with how.fm has transformed its approach to employee training, enabling the company to efficiently adapt to seasonal workforce fluctuations, break down language barriers, and ensure that employees receive training in their native language. With the integration of how.fm’s training software, Fressnapf has not only streamlined internal safety training but has also optimized external supplier training, providing certification in a matter of minutes. The success of this digital transformation has positioned Fressnapf for continued growth and expansion into new markets, making how.fm an indispensable part of their training strategy.
Customer Voices | Fressnapf
