In a harsh market, Swan has proved itself to be both adaptable and responsive – and we’re more than grateful for all the help and support we’ve received throughout the system’s development and installation.
David Shepheard, Financial Controller, Glasswells
Glasswells
Glasswells has been one of East Anglia’s best known furniture and homeware retailers for more than 60 years and has built a highly successful business that includes five stores, a contracts division and a removals and storage operation.
The Problem
Having installed an IT system in 1998, significant shortcomings were becoming apparent within a few years and by 2005, problems of scalability, interfacing with Windows products, unreliable tilling and lack of integration were all having a serious effect on the company’s efficiency and profitability.
The Solution
The decision was taken to look for a turnkey package from a supplier who could provide appropriate products, expert support and real value for money in both. Having looked at a number of alternatives, Glasswells chose Swan Retail for a range of reasons – including the provision of a full test system to explore operational issues and identify potential problems, the opportunity to make a major contribution to the development of the system and the potential of a fully integrated customer service package to provide on-going customer care and support.
Roll-out of the system began in February 2008, with the installation of new touch screen tills, barcode scanners and receipt printers, with the system handling customer special orders, purchase orders, stock control and the relevant accounting. Implementation in the gift department of Glasswells’ Bury St Edmunds store went so smoothly that the remaining small ticket departments were using the system within three months – and full implementation for both small and large ticket transactions throughout the branch network is expected to be complete by the end of the year.
The Result
Till reliability and functionality has been an immediate benefit, with greatly enhanced reporting, significant reductions in paperwork, and greater accuracy and completeness of customer information all contributing to the improvements in day-to-day operations – while the inherent flexibility and scalability of the system is confidently expected to yield considerable cost and performance benefits on an on-going basis.