The Black Forest is not a region. The Black Forest is a promise. It stands worldwide for traditional craftsmanship, precision and the joy of innovation. The cuckoo clock was invented here, as were the wind turbine and the fuel cell. The Black Forest is also a real tourist magnet with more than six million visitors every year. In search of regional specialties and beautiful woodwork, many of these tourists find their way to the small village of Todtnauberg. This is where Markus Vienenkötter runs the Todtnauberg mountain store together with his wife. What makes it special: The mountain store is one of the first stores in the area to use a modern self-checkout system (SCO checkout). We spoke to Markus Vienenkötter and asked him why he opted for the SCO checkout and LocaFox.
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After a drive of just under eight hours, we reached our destination: Todtnauberg in the district of Lörrach. Here, in the far southwest of Germany, Markus Vienenkötter opened his mountain shop nine years ago. We can certainly understand why. After all, the landscape of the Upper Black Forest —with its mountains, forests, and quaint villages— is the perfect postcard scene. Or to put it another way: here, the world is still in order. But time hasn’t stood still here either. “Many retail stores have had to close in recent years,” says the shop owner. “If you want to stay successful, you have to keep evolving.”
The Bergladen’s product selection has thus evolved steadily. In addition to fresh fruits and vegetables, hearty stews, and delicious sausages, the Bergladen also offers watches in the traditional Black Forest style, which are particularly popular with tourists and are handmade by the shop owner himself. The goods are displayed in a cozy atmosphere that invites customers to linger and browse . “Here in Todtnauberg, we generate most of our revenue from food products that we source from regional producers we know personally,” explains Markus Vienenkötter. “But the handcrafted wooden items are also an important part of our selection and one reason why we’re here in the region .”
To ensure this continues, the shop owner isn’t resting on his laurels. On the contrary: By opening a second store in nearby Todtnau a few years ago, the couple established another source of income. In the past, payments at the mountain shop were often made in cash via a trust fund. “But in both stores, we’re finding that more and more customers want to pay by card or digitally ,” the entrepreneur reports. “We’re also not always on site to operate the register.”
In his search for a modern solution, Markus Vienenkötter quickly came across LocaFox's self-checkout tills . "ANKER has already provided me with excellent service in the past. I was therefore curious to see whether the SCO checkouts from LocaFox would be a solution for our business." A brief internet search and a personal consultation later, the entrepreneur was convinced. "With the SCO checkout, our customers can also pay independently by card or digitally, the application is really uncomplicated and the checkout itself fits perfectly into our store." The owner and his wife can now commute between the two stores and don't have to be on site all the time. The temporary staff are also relieved and now have more time to advise customers. "The investment in the SCO cash register will quickly pay for itself. From the initial consultation and installation to operation and support, I can only give positive feedback. The collaboration with LocaFox was just as personal and trusting as I wanted it to be. "The entrepreneur is certain: "With the SCO cash register, we are a kind of pioneer in the area. But I am convinced that many farm stores will follow suit. Tradition and technology have always been a strong combination in the Black Forest. We want it to stay that way in the future."
Would you like to find out more about the functions and benefits of an SCO cash register? Then we recommend this article or a personal consultation with our LocaFox team. We look forward to hearing from you!
