Harmons’ Long Game: Using Shelf Data to Unlock Daily Wins

AT A GLANCE

• Retailer: Harmons
• Segment: Regional Grocery
• Stores Deployed: Chainwide expansion to all locations across Utah
• Focus Areas: Pricing accuracy, on-shelf availability, labor efficiency
• Key Wins:
  • 75% reduction in pricing errors
  • 15–30 hours of labor saved per store, per week
  • 3x increase in visibility into on-shelf availability
  • 230% increase in average e-commerce basket size
  • Chainwide expansion approved within 8 weeks of initial results

Harmons, a family-owned grocer known for its elevated shopper experience and high operational standards, had long been focused on running efficient, high-performing stores. But two of the most essential execution tasks—checking pricing and identifying out-of-stocks—relied on manual processes that were hard to track and often too late to prevent missed sales or margin loss.

Before working with Simbe, out-of-stock checks were done three times a week, and pricing audits happened once a month. Associates did their best, but these scans were slow, inconsistent, and often reactive, especially after key events like promotions. If something was missing or mispriced, the window to fix it had already passed.

Harmons needed a better approach: a way to give teams daily visibility without the grind, with a business case that delivered immediate and ongoing return. A system that could make store conditions clear, timely, and immediately actionable.

In early 2025, Harmons launched Tally in five locations to evaluate whether Simbe’s real-time shelf intelligence platform could exceed their strong pricing compliance and unlock broader operational improvements. The goal was to automate manual processes, improve pricing accuracy and on-shelf availability, and give teams back valuable time to focus on customers.

Harmons took a collaborative, pragmatic approach to the rollout. Operational leadership and store teams aligned early on which processes to prioritize, and cross-functional leaders identified where Tally could drive the most value. Simbe tailored reporting and insights to these needs, so store teams could start seeing value faster.

Each store selected a “training lead”—typically the store manager or grocery department head—who received hands-on onboarding from Simbe and Harmons’ operations team. These leads then trained the broader team. To support consistent adoption, Simbe provided process guides, reference materials, and hosted weekly office hours to ensure a smooth transition. Store teams quickly embraced the shift, especially as Tally replaced the tedious walks they were used to.

Harmons saw impressive results during phase 1, but more importantly they saw potential. Near real-time shelf data wasn’t just a tool for fixing today’s issues; it was a way to build smarter operations for the long term. They quickly recognized that automating store visibility with Tally could unlock ongoing value far beyond their initial goals, and serve as the foundation for future decisions across the business.

When shelves become truly visible in near real-time, execution improves. Labor becomes more productive. And the shopper experience gets better both online and in person.

• Pricing errors improved 75% within six weeks—down from a baseline of 1.5–2%, helping protect margin and build shopper trust.
• Store teams got back 15–30 labor hours weekly, redirecting time to high-impact tasks like promo audits, planogram checks, and serving customers.
• Manual OOS walks were replaced with automated scans 3x daily, giving teams real-time visibility and clearer replenishment priorities.
• 20% fewer out-on-shelfs on key high-velocity items boosted sales and shopper satisfaction.

“Giving a task that people dislike and aren’t particularly good at [to a robot] makes everybody happy, especially the workers who can now spend their time doing more interesting and enjoyable things.”

— Scott Lewis, CEO & President

Given the success of phase 1, Harmons approved a chainwide expansion to all 17 locations. The momentum continued immediately. In the first week of rollout across the 12 expansion stores, pricing accuracy improved across nearly every location. In many stores, discrepancy rates dropped by more than 70%, and 60% of stores improved their out-on-shelf availability performance in week one.

Harmons is a regionally beloved grocer with a deep commitment to operational excellence and long-term thinking. What made their initial success so compelling were the numbers and the mindset. Harmons used the pilot to explore what’s possible when real-time shelf data becomes a daily tool. For them, digitizing the shelf was a strategic foundation.

From the start, they saw meaningful gains: improved pricing accuracy, fewer out-on-shelfs, and hours of labor reclaimed each week. But more importantly, they saw the beginning of a broader transformation. Store teams went from operating on guesswork to acting on clear, daily insights. Processes became more precise, and decision-making faster. The shift was operational and cultural.

“With Harmons’ strong culture of human touch, change is hard. But now the stores are excited: no more out-of-stock walks, no more pricing discrepancies. We’re tackling these head-on.”

— Bruce Hatch, CIO

Harmons proves that regional grocers can innovate in meaningful ways too. You don’t need to be a national brand or a tech-first enterprise to make smart investments in visibility and automation. You just need to believe in the art of what’s possible and commit to the long game.