Two months after its implementation, Windows-based bisTrack software has speeded up trade counter service at Phoenix Merchants in Newry, County Down.
As one of the most successful suppliers of timber and building materials in Northern Ireland, Phoenix was established in 1990 and describes itself as a heavyside operation which can supply its customers with everything from damp-proof courses to chimney pots.
Phoenix had been working with an ancient legacy system which held price book and customer information and could produce basic management reports. The system was coming to the end of its life and, with support no longer available from the original provider. The time had come to source a modern alternative.
Using bisTrack, an order can be 'parked' if the user is interrupted, so that they can go back and finish it later.
Although it is early days for bisTrack at Phoenix, managing director Jack McClenaghan is already enjoying the better stock control and management reporting he wanted. Using bisTrack, all stock movements are traceable from receipt through to issue and it is easy to use the system's 'cube builder' to look at figures and pick up patterns that would take an age to spot with traditional printed reports.
bisTrack's customisable dashboard and smart views let the user constantly monitor the key performance indicators which are important to them, in the style that they choose. There are six bisTrack users at Phoenix and it is on the trade counter where the system has already made the biggest impact.
“Order processing is much faster now as you can use any search criteria to call up products."
According to Andrew Taylor: “Order processing is much faster now as you can use any search criteria to call up products. Also, when we typed an order into the old system, if anything needed to be changed, such as the name on the invoice, we had to start it all over again. Using bisTrack you can also park orders if you're interrupted and then go back and finish them. It's much more flexible than the old system.”
Ronnie Magowan adds: “On our old system, we could not convert quotes to orders like you can in bisTrack. And I like the way I can immediately check a customer's history on screen instead of going into the back office to find out what he bought and how much he paid for it.”
With internet access at the trade counter, there is also easy access to product specifications on suppliers' websites and a faster way to validate Irish customers' VAT numbers online.
“Although it is very powerful, there is nothing intimidating about bisTrack.”
Mr McClenaghan is looking forward to developing his business with the help of bisTrack. “Although it is very powerful, there is nothing intimidating about bisTrack,” he concludes. “It looks familiar and is easy for the staff to use. Although we're not using it to its full capacity yet, I'm fully aware of its potential. I was impressed with its functionality when it was demonstrated to us, but what also appealed to me was that the system is constantly being developed.”
© 2009, Kindly reproduced courtesy of Builders' Merchants News.
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