James Hargreaves

James Hargreaves buys into bisTrack

Burnley-based plumbers merchant James Hargreaves has implemented bisTrack software across its branch network.

The system is being introduced across its 25 branches and two showrooms. Branch managers will have greater control over their branches using the 'dashboard' system and pricing rules at their disposal.

The company is also using bisTrack's Web Track customer portal, an optional module for the system that will allow James Hargreaves' customers direct online access to their accounts and the company is also considering implementing an internet trading option that bisTrack can provide.

James Hargreaves' managing director Gordon Rothwell says that he expects the system to improve customer service once the system is fully rolled out later this year.

“We had been using a Unix based merchant package that we recently migrated to Linux,” he says. “However, it wasn't giving us the information that is crucial to the running of our business and we found we had to use third-party products to generate information in a useable format.

“A fellow member of our buying group told us about bisTrack although we looked at around four or five other software packages. Key factors in the eventual selection of bisTrack were its SQL platform and our confidence in the progressive personnel with whom we dealt.”

Rothwell believes that the system will make life easier for his showroom staff, as they will be able to create specials quickly from an electronic catalogue, rather than producing them manually.

He says: “Supply chain management is crucial to the merchant side of the business and we believe that the bisTrack package covers all bases in that respect. In day-to-day terms, the staffs speed of access to products within the pricebook is a key feature.

Gordon Rothwell“As an expanding business we regularly need to train new staff on the sales order processing side. Whereas our previous system was very poor in terms of product search, bisTrack will revolutionise our trade counters due to the ease of locating product on the system. The lead time to get a new recruit up to speed should fall from about three to maybe as little as a week.”

 

 

© 2009, reproduced courtesy of Builders Merchants Journal.

Testimonials

  • "Progressive's experience was important, as was the link with Microsoft. We think that's the way ahead for all merchant systems."

    Stephen Fairbairn, MD, Henry Alty

  • "Our staff have margin figures right in front of them now, so they're much more aware of the profit they are making."

    Robert Blumsom, Blumsom Fine Timber

  • "We helped ourselves by getting bisTrack on board quickly and painlessly while business was slow, so we won't have disruption as we start to implement a very aggressive three year strategic plan."

    Neil Fuller, Managing Director, Alsford Timber

  • "Our relationship with PSI has been transformed this year. This is due almost entirely to having an Account Manager as a single point of contact, who knows our system and our business."

    Eric Jones, IT Manager, Alsford Timber

  • "There’s no doubt that bisTrack is a good tool. We’ve a fantastic record for growth and we’re getting a lot out of bisTrack now, particularly over the control of our business."

    Mike MacLellan, MD, GPH Builders Merchant

  • "We improved net margin by 3% within 6 weeks of going live on bisTrack."

    Payne Timber

  • "It's a very nicely laid out system with easy to follow structural menus and taskpads which, even if I haven't used a particular function before, I find relatively simple to complete."

    Chris Pratt, Pratts Timber and Builders Merchants Ltd

  • "We spent a long time evaluating several systems and I'm confident that bisTrack is the best available."

    Andrew Laver, Arnold Laver Timberworld

  • "The people at Progressive Solutions are likeable, straight-talking individuals who have a commitment to continuously develop and push the software forward."

    Joe Tipper, Walter Tippers Ltd

  • "The great thing is we can always export information to Excel and produce any report we need — such as aged debt by sales rep, or a bespoke exposure report, which assesses potential credit risk & protects us."

    Damien Cosgrove, Credit Control Mgr, Noyeks Newmans

  • "We spent a long time evaluating several systems and I'm confident that bisTrack is the best available."

    Andrew Laver, Arnold Laver Timberworld

  • "To stand out from the crowd, you need great customer service. Really great customer service."

    Progressive Solutions' guest blog, Builders Merchants Journal

  • "If we hadn't changed to bisTrack we simply couldn't have grown like this."

    Nigel Williams, Chairman, Premier Forest Products

  • "Stock counting is one of the best facilities in bisTrack ever. Stock counting across multiple locations is effortless with multiple entries of the same product. Entering a count is even easier. Counting 10,000 lines used to take two of us 4 days. This time it was 8 hours."

  • "We spent a long time evaluating several systems and I'm confident that bisTrack is the best available."

    Andrew Laver, Arnold Laver Timberworld

  • “A member of our buying group told us about bisTrack, although we looked at four or five other software packages. Key factors in the eventual selection of bisTrack were its SQL platform and our confidence in the people we dealt with.”

    Gordon Rothwell, James Hargreaves (Plumbers Merch)

  • "We helped ourselves by getting bisTrack on board quickly and painlessly while business was slow, so we won't have disruption as we start to implement a very aggressive three year strategic plan."

    Neil Fuller, Managing Director, Alsford Timber

  • "I was working with 2.7 in our test environment and looking at all the work you have done. Just wanted to let you know how much we appreciate all you do to make this a great technology partnership."

    Brian King, Lumber USA

  • "The people at Progressive Solutions are likeable, straight-talking individuals who have a commitment to continuously develop and push the software forward."

    Joe Tipper, Walter Tippers Ltd

  • "bisTrack is a terrific system and its potential is incredibly exciting. I have absolutely no regrets over choosing bisTrack and great confidence that we have something we can build on."

    David Bryan, Director, Ridgeons

  • "Once we started building up information we could trust, we started seeing real benefits. If stock accuracy was the main benefit, then quality of management information was next."

    Peter Kerr, FD, Palmer Timber

  • "We saw benefits straight away, particularly with the time we saved on monthly stock takes and sourcing information for management reports."

    Nigel Williams, Chairman, Premier Forest Products

  • "Our relationship with PSI has been transformed this year. This is due almost entirely to having an Account Manager as a single point of contact, who knows our system and our business."

    Eric Jones, IT Manager, Alsford Timber

  • "The people at Progressive Solutions are likeable, straight-talking individuals who have a commitment to continuously develop and push the software forward."

    Joe Tipper, Walter Tippers Ltd

  • "Our real differential is not in software features, it's in our relationships with customers. How we work with them and how we can make an effective difference. You need the staff and the expertise to be able to do that."

    Arthur Duffy, managing director, Progressive Solutions

  • "Our staff have margin figures right in front of them now, so they're much more aware of the profit they are making."

    Robert Blumsom, Blumsom Fine Timber

  • "I was working with 2.7 in our test environment and looking at all the work you have done. Just wanted to let you know how much we appreciate all you do to make this a great technology partnership."

    Brian King, Lumber USA

  • "Progressive's experience was important, as was the link with Microsoft. We think that's the way ahead for all merchant systems."

    Stephen Fairbairn, MD, Henry Alty

  • "We looked at several systems, but most of them were using the same out-of-date technology as the system we were replacing!"

    Rodney Scoles, Director, T Brewer & Co

  • "Our real differential is not in software features, it's in our relationships with customers. How we work with them and how we can make an effective difference. You need the staff and the expertise to be able to do that."

    Arthur Duffy, managing director, Progressive Solutions

  • "I'm convinced there's no other system that can deliver better what we need. Apart from its Windows architecture and its powerful functionality, it now has ten years of development behind it."

    Peter Buttle, Buttle plc

bistrack Customer Portal | Progressive Solutions UK

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