Leonard Coombe Master Saddlers is a family run equestrian and country clothing shop, which has been established for over 200 years.  They are stockists of a wide range of riding apparel, country clothing, and equine tack.  Leonard Coombe recently changed their EPoS and stock control system to a solution provided by Retail Technology Limited.  I recently went back to speak to Edith Learmouth and Jo Ligthelm to find out how it all went.  

Prior to implementing an system from Retail Technology Limited, you were using an automated EPOS and stock control system. Why were you looking to change?
The system that we were using had no road map for the future.  This meant that the application was not being updated and key functionality that is required in running a retail outlet such as ours was missing and when requested was either added ad hoc or the request was not possible.  I think it would be fair to say that we outgrew the system and the software providers didnít have the manpower or capabilities to meet our needs.   The level of support that we were receiving was also an issue ñ our calls were not being dealt with timeously.  These issues thus forced us to find a solution that would meet with our requirements and a company that could offer us a level of support that we need.

It is always difficult in making a decision of which software and company to go with as there are many options out there.  How did you make your decision on whom to go with when choosing your system?  
We first made contact with Retail Technology Limited at the Moda Footwear Show and then one of your current customers strongly suggested that we looked at what Retail Technology could offer.  Some time before that we had already looked at Microsoft.  Going with a company that is backed by Microsoft, gives one a sense of security and peace of mind.  
We met with numerous providers, but we certainly got the feeling from our initial consultation that you understood us and our requirements.  Your application also seemed to be very adaptable and could be tailored to meet our specific needs.  Everything that we require has already been thought of and implemented.  Unlike some of the other software we looked at ñ where some had great POS functionality but the back office management side of the application was missing key functionality and reporting features and vice versa.  It can all be very overwhelming, as there are so many solutions that vary in price and functionality ñ it was important for us that the solution we chose met with our retail requirements, ie could deal with matrices (items that come in colours, sizes, fits etc) and report on these, the company was able to offer a high level of support and that the product has a future road map.  We felt that Retail Technologyís solution ticked all these boxes!

Did Retail Technology understand your requirements?  
From the initial meeting we knew that Retail Technology understood our specific needs.  We felt extremely comfortable in dealing with you and you had the ability to discuss the application and functionality in a way that we felt at ease with laymanís terms.î    Retail Technologyís experience in this retail vertical was evident and we felt comfortable to entrust the company to install our stock control system.  
As we already had been using an EPoS, we had hardware in place.  Retail Technology looked at what could be salvaged and integrated with their system, keeping our costs down.  

Once your decision was made, what was your overall impression on how Retail Technology dealt with the training, installation and implementation of your system?  
We sent our key IT Administrator, Jo Ligthelm on the training course.  Jo would then be able to train our staff on how to use the system.  It was good that training was held away from our offices so that she could concentrate solely on this and not be interrupted with the day to day running of the office.  
The level of training meant that Jo was able to come back to the office and start using the application straight away.  Initially her time was spent using the back office software to input all our style information.  
Retail Technology took care of our hardware requirements and installed the software.  After the training session, Jo brought the equipment back to our premises, plugged it in and we were ready to go.  When it came to the installation of our Point of Sale equipment, a support technician talked us through the installation of the hardware.  We found this extremely trouble free.
Getting the system implemented did take us a considerable amount of time because we had to manually input all our data, unlike say for example your shoe retailers where Retail Technology have access to their catalogue information and these retailers can then automatically download this information onto their system.  This means that they could be implemented and up and running far sooner than someone like us.  Because we didnít get the Point of Sale implemented straight after training, it meant that Jo was a little rusty when these were installed.  However the knowledge base articles from your self-service customer portal were very helpful.  Jo was also able to work through the exercises in the training manual and familiarise herself with the point of sale again.  

What is your overall impression of the system now that you have been using it for some time?
Even though we havenít been using it for very long, we donít find it overwhelming and we find it very easy to use.  It fulfils our needs and does a lot more.  It is exciting and we look forward to reaping the full benefit of our investment.  
In the future we may think about implementing a web store and we know that the system has the ability to extend itself to integrate with a web store.  

How do your cashiers find the system to use?
The Point of Sale has been set up in a way that it is very intuitive for the cashier.  Macro buttons make everyday functions very easy.  Receiving goods through the point of sale, also allows the users to quickly receive in purchase orders, without having to go into the back office.  

Would you encourage other retailers that are not automated to implement an automated stock control and EPoS System?  Why?
I can't imagine how they cope in our industry without it.  It is not unusual for us to have something on order for 6 months.  It is near impossible to remember this kind of information.  With an automated system this information is available at the push of a button.  It is also extremely easy to look at your stock positions when a rep comes in, thus enabling you to only order what you need, ensuring that your money is not sitting on shelves but working for you.  

What level of support do you receive from Retail Technology?
There is no comparison between the level of support we were receiving from our previous providers and Retail Technology.  Our calls are dealt with effectively and quickly.  The support desk is local and can be accessed via telephone, e-mail or logging a case via your self-service portal.  

Would you recommend Retail Technology to other retailers?
We would be more than confident to recommend Retail Technology ñ we were very happy with how we were dealt with and really appreciate how Retail Technology utilised existing equipment.  We really did appreciate this.  

Any other comments:
Retail Technology's Add-ins enhance the application and give it that extra edge over "vanilla" RMS.  Retail Technology also advised us to invest in a Dolphin HP 7600 for stock taking purposes.  This means that we can keep a very tight control on our stock and minimise of our stock holdings.