Robert Collins, General Manager of Progressive Solutions, talks to PBM about the challenges of developing software for builders' merchants and the opportunities that today's sophisticated systems offer to those merchants who are prepared to maximise their potential.

Jobs for biochemists were thin on the ground in 1973 so Robert Collins — newly graduated in biochemistry — took a role with a computer company instead, taking advantage of its comprehensive training programme in sales, accounting and software development. A successful career in the rapidly developing software industry followed, including growing two businesses from scratch and finally in 2000, setting up a software house to develop bisTrack. Now owned by Canadian company Progressive Solutions, bisTrack software continues to be developed on both sides of the Atlantic with Robert in charge of the Cheshire-based UK operation.

PBM: How would you respond to the oft-repeated criticism that builders’ merchants are somewhat hesitant to embrace the latest technology?

Robert Collins (RC): Attitudes are changing. Traditionally the industry was managed by highly practical people with in-depth knowledge of building materials, industry regulations, etc. Often the attitude ‘I’ve purchased a computer system therefore my problems are over,' meant that the functionality of the system wasn't used to its full advantage.

But this approach is changing as a new generation of IT savvy managers are entering the industry who know what they want and understand how to implement software in a meaningful way.

PBM: So what do increasingly IT savvy merchants want from their software?

RC: There are normally three key requirements. The first is for rock solid financial control to keep account of the cash, to tell you what margin you're making and if you're getting a return on your investment. The second is for a good operational system which is accessible to all levels of staff, with a straightforward way of fulfilling orders, managing stock and purchasing, all of which is secured by a level of control and permissions.

Smart merchants are already enhancing these basic functions with new technologies such as closely linked EDI

Finally, as a system matures and amasses information about customers and their buying habits, merchants want an instant reporting capability to extract business intelligence from the data collected, to help them plan for future growth. Smart merchants are already enhancing these basic functions with new technologies such as closely linked EDI, integrated websites for out of hours selling and mobile devices.

PBM: What are the challenges to developers as merchants demand more functionality?

RC: When you have an 'elegant', fast system like bisTrack, developers need to be aware of the potential for it to become 'lumpy' as more and more features are put in. We designed bisTrack from scratch using Microsoft tools and Microsoft SQL Server (the database system) which means it's very powerful and a breeze to use, especially for staff who are familiar with Outlook and other Microsoft applications.

We don't hear people saying they have to shut down one system and use another when they move from bisTrack to sending an email in Outlook; it's all the same system as far as they're concerned.

PBM: Does bisTrack enable merchants to sell products over the internet?

RC: Yes. Using the new Web Track module, merchants can flag up the products they want to sell over the web to either account or credit card customers and can export those products to their own website. Account customers can also recall their existing sales orders, quotes and check the status of their account. However, we've chosen not to expose stock levels via Web Track which allows the merchant to choose how best to fulfill the order, depending upon stock levels at each branch.

Trading over the internet is a huge opportunity...

Trading over the internet is a huge opportunity for merchants and our customers already doing it tell us they are constantly surprised at where sales come from — and what people are prepared to pay.

PBM: You are just about to launch a new version of bisTrack. How does this differ from the original?

RC: At operational level we've added a whole series of general improvements in terms of control and visibility. Specific new features include signature capture at the counter for credit sales which works using our Scan Track scanned document management system — developed for capture and quick retrieval of signed PoDs.

Our new Profile Designer allows customers to modify or create new task pads and menus and link these to a particular user. Smart Views lets users tailor the information they can see to limit views, for example, to just one rep's customers as opposed to all customers or only those customers with credit limits greater than £10,000.

In the journey module, we can now use modern web technology for the precise tracking of vehicles and can even deliver this information via SMS text messaging if required —an important capability when you're booked into delivery slots into sites in congested areas like central London, for example. And we now have integrated chip and pin handling for credit cards without needing dedicated phone lines into each branch — we see this as a major step forward.

PBM: And what are the coming developments we can expect to see?

RC: As a software house, we need to have the vision to predict what devices and gadgets will be available two or three years ahead so we can develop applications to coincide with how our customers will want to use the emerging technology. For example, our bisTrack Mobile module already allows sales reps on the road to access selected live bisTrack data via smart phones but screen size is limited on these devices and we're really a putting a stake in the ground, ready for what's coming in terms of new hand held internet devices. Development seems to be focused on A5 sized gadgets which will be easier for view stock and enable merchants to use bisTrack wherever a whenever they want!

Our other challenge, as our products mature, is to maintain the development of our support collateral, our help structure and our training material at the same time. And it’s important we don't remain insular — we are a global company and we share knowledge with our US office. For instance, they are developing the integration of kitchen planning software and we'll be taking advantage of this soon.

 Case study — Long way round

Long & Somerville has recently installed Progressive Solutions' bisTrack software and here talk about the changes they've made.

Enfield-based Long & Somerville has recently installed Progressive Solutions' bisTrack software, replacing a legacy system which lacked the required openness and access to information and could not offer an EDI function. Plus points of the new system for Strategic Development Director Robin Somerville include benefits at the trade counter.

Robin commented: "Because you can enter much 'richer' descriptions in bisTrack, staff are able to find products much more quickly. On the payments side, the software makes taking deposits much easier and it's enabled us to strip out quite a lot of administration. Also, we used to use a separate system for archiving documents and if, for example, we needed a delivery note from a month ago, it was fairly time consuming. Now, a 'related documents' feature makes it dead easy to find things quickly."

From a management point of view, he says bisTrack has made it easier to design and produce reports and the business is also about to implement an eBusiness module. Robin said: "Suppliers are our primary target for EDI. Initially we'll use it with one or two of them but I like to think that within six months or a year, up to 90% of our suppliers will be using it. Potentially we will use it with customers who have the technology too."

_{© 2008, Kindly reproduced courtesy of Professional Builders Merchant.}