Builders merchants continue to adopt innovative technologies to enhance control of, and improve efficiencies in, their businesses.
Amassing as it does vital and real-time information about your inventory and customers, point of sale is more than just the place where the money comes in, it is the place that will help you grow your business and keep your customers coming back. With details of thousands of SKUs they enable an immediate and accurate assessment of your inventory allowing you to set an alert that lets you know when a given item is at the re-order point. When it’s time to re-order, some POS systems tell you both the most recent price you paid, as well as the average price you’ve paid in the past. The range of products on the market is continuously evolving; here we look at some of the latest packages and features available on the Irish market.
Getting a competitive edge
Herbst Software is a leading business management software provider, operating for over 25 years and offering industry-leading business management software with ePOS for SMEs across Ireland and UK. According to the company, its software is designed with an industry focus to solve key management problems such as the duplication of data and disorganised systems, while enabling time savings and allowing for complete management control. Herbst Software says that a clear advantage of having an integrated solution is the simplification of stock control and administration, as it provides a system that delivers information in real-time, thereby stopping paper-chasing and preventing duplication.
Orson Herbst, Sales and Distribution Director for Herbst Software comments: “Ours is the only system you require, with no bolt on or add-on software that invites further work and configuration. We strive to make business simple for the end user, and we consider our integrated ePOS solution invaluable for the hardware industry.” With an integrated ePOS, automation is a big advantage and a key differentiator over a traditional POS system that isn’t fully integrated with accounts, he explains. The ability to fully control what the user can see and have access to at any given time can enable increased efficiency and control throughout. The ePOS also supports multi-branch capabilities, stores account information and pricing for individual customers, while allowing for special pricing and discounts as well as document authorisation for transaction approval.
Understanding the power of IfTTT
Intact Software says that the growth of ‘if this, then that’ (IfTTT) business
applications have important implications for merchanting. and how to make it work in business. IfTTT is a productivity concept that helps you to automate your most important tasks and processes. According to Intact, it’s all about putting your business systems to work for you. It’s about linking everyday scenarios or ‘triggers’ with actions to ensure you stay aware, in control and ahead of your competition. This is done by creating chains of simple conditional statements, which are triggered based on pre-set criteria. For merchants, it means removing the noise from your business data and channeling the important, relevant information to you and your team.
Intact has built Intact iQ with unique IfTTT agents to enable you to alert, prevent, highlight, remind, hide and authorise actions.
A spokesperson says: “It’s an extremely handy tool for protecting your margin.” An example is: ‘IF’ a sales quotation margin is less than 23%, ‘THEN’ stop or warn the user. It can also be used to keep on top of customer account balances e.g: ‘IF’ a customer is over their credit limit, ‘THEN’ display in red. Another example indicates an approach to improving security across your business with: ‘IF’ a user’s role is X, ‘THEN’ they can access Y.
And that is only for starters, the spokesperson adds. As our lives get busier and busier, the practical use of IfTTT applications in life will become more and more prevalent in business.
Versatile business management software
Merchant is a versatile business management software available from RNH Software designed specifically for wholesalers and retailers, such as builders merchants, electrical wholesalers, DIY stores, stationers and garden centres. The feature-rich software seamlessly integrates all sales, stock management, accounting and reporting processes into one easy-to-use package. The system is designed to facilitate fast, efficient sales transactions by giving counter staff instant access to all the information they need at the point of sale, according to RNH. All accounting and back office systems are fully integrated, thereby automating routine business tasks. Merchant also features comprehensive customer communication facilities including email and SMS text messaging services, empowering businesses to effectively communicate with customers.
Functionality can be enhanced through the addition of optional add-ons. These include a business intelligence solution that enables companies to analyse and improve business performance. RNH also offers two tablet apps. RNH SalesRep allows field-based sales representatives to access extensive customer information while on the go, connecting with Merchant via Wifi or 3G/4G, while RNH StockTake simplifies the stock count process, again connecting with Merchant via the internet.
Merchant is available as both a traditional on-premises solution (with servers located on site) and a hosted cloud solution (with servers located in a data centre). On-premises deployment is suitable for those businesses that require the flexibility and control of housing their own hardware, while cloud deployment lowers up-front costs and eliminates the burden of updates and maintenance.
Enhanced Profile for your business
The world of electronic point of sale (EPOS) is changing fast, and proud new member of HAI, Profile Technology, says it is leading the way with new remote options.
Profile has a modern counter checkout system using features such as barcode scanning, touch screens, biometric identification and many other new POS features. These features can all be used on a remote POS device, such as a tablet, allowing sales staff to move around the store taking orders, checking products and scanning without being tied to their desks. Profile also employs Surface Pro Tablets for sales reps, meaning they can create live sales from your customer’s location or on the road.
The merchant’s customers will also be able to log in to their accounts from any location on any browser, to access their own documents and statements and make purchases using their own individual pricing.
Good POS software must be supported by a comprehensive back office system, according to Profile Technology, which offers a customised suite of modules with its system to look after everything from customer and supplier accounts to stock control and purchasing.
The system allows a business to easily identify which products are selling well and, more importantly, where the business is losing money, according to Profile. This, coupled with the CRM module, means you can accurately target customers for promotions and loyalty schemes.
