Setting
Yatrikart is a tech-enabled transit retail chain founded in 2021, built around a digitised supply chain and an integrated point-of-sale model. The organisation was in high-growth mode and needed an engineering partner who could build the foundational systems that make scale possible.
The real problem
The challenge was not a single application. Yatrikart needed an end-to-end system to streamline and digitise operations across:
- store operations and POS
- warehouse management
- vendor management
- supply chain digitisation
- accounts and performance visibility
- …and to do it while managing large data volumes and keeping communication between components reliable.
This is exactly where many fast-growing retail networks break: when operational growth outpaces system coherence, and teams compensate with manual workarounds that become permanent.
The decision moment
Yatrikart’s founders needed a technical solution partner early—at idea phase—so the business could move without waiting to build a full internal technical leadership layer. The partnership was structured so engineering stayed close to the business team and decisions remained aligned to operating reality.
Implementation thinking
The delivery approach followed a clear internal framework: DOAE (Digitise, Optimise, Automate, Elevate), beginning with digitisation and optimisation across Phase 1 and Phase 2.
The systems delivered were not generic apps; they were IP-grade operational products:
- YK Admin Panel for internal management: real-time insights, account management, store ops, order management, demand forecasting, campaign management, procurement.
- YK Stores Application (POS) on Pinelab POS devices with cross-platform capability and operational features like scanner support, integrated helpdesk, multiple payments, WhatsApp integration, bilingual support.
- YK Franchise Application for oversight, performance analytics, alerts/notifications, mobile access, and security.
- YK Auditing Application with automated tasks, fraud detection, post-audit automation, store health scoring, and inventory management.
- YK Transporter Application for delivery and pickup verification (OTP), GRN and QC approvals.
This combination matters because transit retail is not only selling; it is inventory accuracy, replenishment speed, store compliance, shrink control, and network consistency.
Operational impact
The case study highlights three outcome areas:
- Operational efficiency: reduced losses from expiry, improved delivery time, improved store management, and end-to-end supply chain digitisation.
- Scalability and performance: architecture designed to support 100+ stores with a stated potential for 1000+ stores over time.
- Innovation in control systems: introduction of a Store Health Score concept to guide inventory and store-related decisions.
The conclusion also signals a structured evolution plan: Phase 3 continued into the automation stage as the business prepared to expand further.
Strategic takeaway
Retail networks do not scale because they add stores. They scale when the operating system—POS, auditing, procurement, transport, and governance—remains consistent under expansion. This programme focused on building that operating system first, so growth does not create chaos later.