Electrical wholesalers | News

On track at Qualplas

pvc-u window manufacturer Qualplas has integrated bisTrack software into its infrastructure. WFI finds out why.

Qualplas supplies windows, doors, conservatories, decorative claddings and roofline systems to trade customers, as well as offering a supply and fit service to the retail market.

Up until January 2006, sales transactions were simply recorded by a till in the showroom, Andrew Smith, managing director of Qualplas, was therefore keen to introduce business software, which would give the company closer control over order processing and make management information more accessible, helping to develop more business.

After running the system successfully at the ST Group, his family-run builders merchants, Andrew decided to implement the system into Qualplas, As he explains: "I wanted a Microsoft Windows based system with the ability to interface with other Windows products and was designed to develop in line with my own plans for growth."

Staff training

"There are now six customer facing bisTrack users at Qualplas. Staff training at both companies was taken particularly seriously," explains Andrew. "We attracted funds from the Learning and Skills Council, which enabled us to set up a training suite, employ a qualified trainer and set up a sort of 'conveyor belt' of training activity. We have found that there are rarely any problems teaching staff how to use the software because it has been designed to look similar to Microsoft Outlook and features familiar drag-and-drop and drill-down mechanisms."

The software enables the user to find customers, suppliers and products quickly and easily. It supports partial name searches so there is no need to remember product codes. Andrew comments: "Quotes and sales orders are easy to find by document number, customer/supplier, date range etc. On the sales front, features include full sales order processing (including Quotes), order conversion and special pricing rules. All stock movements are traceable from receipt through to issue. Manufacturers such as ourselves can process works orders on the system and monitor material costs, wastage and profitability."

The software is Windows based, which means that hand held/wireless devices are easy to integrate with the system, speeding up stock taking. It can also be integrated with many leading Windows based products for sales, purchase and nominal ledgers.

© 2006. Kindly reproduced courtesy of Windows Fabricator and Installer.