Testimonials

Turramurra Music

Turramurra Music is Australia's premier music store. This privately owned company began in 1976 and has grown into one of the most trusted and best recognised music suppliers in the country. Store Manager Point of Sale Software has been helping them achieve this outstanding result since 1992.

We've got staff of approximately twenty five. We've got a turnover of approximately $8 million per year. We're at the higher end of small business I suppose. Certainly the size where a system is necessary to keep it under control.

We ran a predecessor of Store Manager Systems and it was really good for our business. It enabled us to keep full control of all our stock, inventory, customers' accounts and all that sort of thing. The new system was really just an update of the old system - internet facilities, email customers, and to bring it into the 21st Century.

It's a real multi-user system. So we've got two buildings, the staff can move from one terminal to another, they can start a sale on one terminal, they can finish it off on another terminal. You can unpack stock no matter where you are in the building. So it gives you a lot of flexibility. You're not stuck at the one desk all the time.

The stand out feature is really the stock control … It helps us with our ordering by keeping track of stock, by keeping track of minimum stock quantities. And it's very, very flexible. You can have alternate suppliers, you can have alternate products. You're not, sort of, locked into a single situation, which a lot of other systems do.

If a customer rings up on the phone you can give them an instant answer as to whether you've got it - you don't have to go and look at it, cause the computer says you've got two - you know you've got two. It's very, very good at controlling your stock. So we don't need to keep as many of things, cause we can reorder and get things much more quickly. It's helped cash flow especially by managing that part of the business.

When I'm not in the shop I can actually log into the system. I can be overseas and still keep track of orders and customers. I can match stock with emails that I get from people. Basically I can be at home or away and be almost like I'm physically in the building.

The support is excellent. Haven't had a problem yet that's put us off the air, so to speak.

I'd definitely recommend it to other people. It's a good, efficient system. It's very flexible - it doesn't lock you into its way of doing things. You've got flexibility to do things the way that you want to do. It's made a big difference to our business. And it's very, very helpful for running the business in a professional manner.

Rob Stevens - Owner, Turramurra Music

Hornsby Wheel Alignment

Could you tell us a bit about your businesses?

Bought a business January '92 - a transmission business. Ran that for 15 years through varying expansions. Seen a lot of transmission businesses go broke round Hornsby. Lived that through. Bought property 5 years ago. Another two more businesses: a spare parts business and also a tyre mechanical. So initially at the moment in 2011 there's three prime businesses: Transmission Physician, Ultimate Brake & Clutch and Tyre Plus Hornsby Wheel Alignment. So the Ultimate Brake & Clutch side feeds the trade and also the two prime businesses with spare parts. And then we can also service the tyre mechanical with transmission service. We can also feed the transmission side with tyre mechanical. So little bit of a handful. I'm hands on five, six, seven days a week. Five days officially.

What was your reason for change?

Oh, I was desperate! (Laughs) I was absolutely desperate! Bad service seems to be fairly sort of common in this software industry at the moment. People get fairly arrogant once they've got you, and they've got your database and all your information and all that, you are convicted with them. And you just don't really have a choice. And to take that information and to go somewhere else is extremely awkward because then you're relying on somebody else to try and retrieve the data and then place it on their software, if you don't know their software is actually going to work!

What did you think when Store Manager first showed you the software?

It's like getting a new car - you've got to hop in and find out where the gadgets are. And for some people...or for most people... its very uncomfortable for them, because they really need to know, and they need to know straight away. And we've spoke about it before. But at the end of the day, the tool itself is very, very important. And getting around using the new tool is very, very comfortable and its actually quite easy. I know its a new toy. To navigate around can be a little bit daunting. But once again, the after sales service definitely made it worthwhile. I mean, Store Manager is onto it all the time. A phone call instantly gets a problem solved. Through the internet - through Log Me In getting onto your machine - no problems whatsoever.

How did the Installation go?

It went well. The data recovery was awkward. And that was by no means your fault. It was just how it was so deeply put into the software, and where it was put, and how many places it was put. It was just horrific. So no wonder that we had software problems. We had data problems. We also had backup problems. We also had service problems where she had issues with trying to resolve our problems. That no longer happens anymore. Its just everything goes in the right spot and finding that information is easy. Its recoverable in so many different reports. Either reports or backups or whatever.

How was the software before in its usability and so forth, compared to Store Manager?

Your Store Manager software is so much commonsense. And I've said it to you before. I mean I've sat down and had a beer after work and I've just looked at your system and I've looked at the little underscore under all those things and I've rung you up and I've said: Tony... and he goes ohhh, did you see that did you? And I go, yeah! So how do you operate the function? You go Alt-T. I've gone: Gee that's clever! That's really, really clever! And it is, because you don't have to touch the mouse, mate! Its speed. Its time. Its money. And its commonsense!

What does Store Manager do for you that the other didn't?

Its the after sales service. Its what Store Manager makes of it. Because its so channelled to the business individually that I can't see anyone else using it except us, because it fits us perfectly! So if you use it in the music industry or you use it in a pizza business and all that - I can't believe that this system is so adaptive! Its absolutely fantastic!

How was the staff transition?

It wasn't too bad actually. All in all, generating invoices and nutting out issues initially don't take long whatsoever. I mean, once you've got the perfect support, which you guys supply with Store Manager, its simply not a problem. The transition is so much easier.

What do the staff think of it now?

Fantastic. Its really... and we know ourselves both professionally and personally... its very, very hard to find fault with Store Manager. When it comes to business, like truly, how many times do I ring you? Once every three months? And its only because I'm getting old or I haven't done it before. Its not something you've done wrong. Its got nothing to do with Store Manager at all. Store Manager is just absolutely fantastic mate!

How has End of Month changed from your old system to the new system?

The speed is in the product. You roll over the month's end and then its done. Everybody is emailed a monthly statement. The people that don't have email addresses, a statement is printed. Its easy.

What sort of feedback have you had from Customers?

Retail customers is not really a big concern. At the end of the day its still the face behind the counter that they're all quite familiar with. Whether the header's changed or the look of the invoice changes - it really doesn't make any difference. The trade customers have actually appreciated the new Store Manager system. One of the things I'm very, very impressed with is that on the footer of every invoice is an existing statement of what their position is. You know, what their current ... their thirty , sixty or ninety days etc is on the bottom. So at any stage... never mind to anybody... they and we know exactly where they stand. So if we've forgotten to get a cheque out of them or they've forgotten to pay their last monthly statement, we can just say: can we have a cheque please. And they go: not a problem. And they didn't have to look for a statement because its on the bottom of the invoice. Which is thought ahead. Its great!

When feedback is given to Store Manager, how is that accepted and received by them?

Oh, welcomed! Store Manager is looking for improvements. As I mentioned before with the different types of businesses - whether its being in the motor trade or its in the music industry or the pizza business - it really doesn't make any difference. Nothing is any.. nothing is ever too much effort, to make a small change which is relevant to the particular type of business.

What's the cost like for Store Manager?

Very cost effective! I have no... no two minds about it. Yeah. Highly - highly recommend it cost effectively. There's speed - in saving money; generating invoices; storing the data and information.

And how about stock and inventory ... and keeping of inventory does it...

Easily done! Very easy.

What's the standout feature that makes running your business so much easier with Store Manager?

Its the after sales service. Its flawless!

How good is Store Manager directly for your business?

Its just timesaving. There's no issues. I look at Store Manager and I don't have any anxiety about it whatsoever. You know if I want a problem fixed I ring you, and instantly it is fixed. And that's no bull! I mean, you are looking for improvement, you are looking to sell a product, and in my mind the product is flawless! What do I say?

Owner, Hornsby Wheel Alignment
132 George St, Hornsby NSW 2077
(02) 9476 3000

Right on Track Auto Parts

What sort of problems were you having?

A: We were having computer crashing. That's the main thing. And we had to do the Accounting system twice. Once through the Software and once through MYOB. So we were doubling our job. And at the end of the day you'd be doing two Stock Order pages and it crashes on you.

Q: So you'd be entering the Stock in and…

A: …it crashes…

Q: ..you'd put it all in and then you'd have to re-do it again I assume?

A: Re-do it again from the start.

People are looking for a solution that gives them their time back…

A: With us there's only three of us, so we don't have much time so we used to stay later at night to finish paperwork.

Q: So what time were you going home in the evening then?

A: Anywhere between 6.30 and 7 and then starting at 7.30 in the morning.

Q: And what sort of time do you go home now?

A: Now we go home leaving at 4 or 5.

Q: So pretty much when trading finishes you're ready to go home?

A: Yep!

Q: That's good! That's one of the things that we wanted to give you back was your time. Cause you've got a young family…

A: Yes. Very young. And it doesn't help it when the wife is working as well, being late home.

What sort of hassles did you have previously with stocktake?

A: It takes a longer time to do the Stocktake on the software we were using and it wasn't as efficient. You had to do too many reports to get one report out of it - to do the final report.

Q: So your printing costs were high…?

A: … were higher. Use of paper, power, toner. Frustration!

The transition from the old to new software, what issues did you have?

A: Well to be honest with you, from previous experience, I thought it was going to be a big transition. But I was surprised when it was all done overnight. Because before I've changed from - in a previous job - I've changed software and it took 2 - 3 days and there were heaps of mistakes. But transferring to SMS [Store Manager] was the easiest I've ever seen.

Can you describe what there was in the way of training in how to use the system?

A: We had training for a day … or a few days in my case. The support is great. I forgot to tell you before you can work with SMS [Store Manager] - it doesn't work against you support-wise. If we call you and you're not available the return call is heaps faster than previous. We used to wait a day or two for support before, now we get it instantly.

Q: Now there's another mechanism in there that you probably haven't come across yet. There's now a support ticket system in there where you can go and click on the "Support" and then click "Support Request" and it'll take you off to a Support Ticket Website for Store Manager and you can just type in the details of the information you want to find out and so forth. And it logs a ticket and then it keeps everything tracked and you can go and check on previous Support Tickets you raised.

A: Very good!

Q: So that's all ready to use. Have you used the Video Help at all?

A: Not yet because I didn't need it.

How have your customers taken to the new system?

A: At first they didn't like it. But now they can see everything in front of them - how much they're spending. Before they couldn't see that. And yeah, they love it now! As you know, people don't like change. And because there was more information on the actual invoice than the previous one, so they got confused. But when they saw what the extra information there was that they had on the invoice, they appreciated it more.

Q: So they're less kept in the dark about how much they owe you?

A: Yes that's right. Especially for your COD customers or the weekly customers.

Q: Cause if its paid COD then it tells them how it was paid and the information's all laid out…

A: That's exactly right!

With having such a large range of products, how do you find Store Manager helps you?

A: Stock Control.

Q: Can you just look at the Computer and see you've got two and know there's two in Stock?

A: Yep.

Q: So its a highly accurate Stock…

A: High accurate Stock. Yep. Very good. And easier to use than the other one. Especially when you set your minimums and maximums. SMS [Store Manager] does it for you. Before you had to do it manually.

Q: Do you find yourself running out of Stock as much as previously or do you find that now you can control the level of Stock you hold so that you don't run out but you don't carry too much?

A: We used to run [out] before from Stock because our Stock Control software wasn't as good as SMS [Store Manager].

Your suppliers' response when they get an order from you is what?

A: They prefer it to the other one because before they used to give you three options. Now you get one option - their part number is there, not our part number, or product code.

Q: So it reduces confusion on the part of the Suppliers?

A: Exactly!

Q: Which obviously means you're likely to get your supplies sooner as well, and with far fewer mistakes?

A: That's right!

The Capricorn method of payment [for automotive customers] - how is store manager dealing with Capricorn?

A: Very well. Its a lot faster than the software that we used to use before.

Q: Have you had any problems with Capricorn not getting any of the information correctly?

A: Not yet - for the past 5 months - not yet.

Q: Are you expecting to? (Laughs)

A: (Laughs) Well hopefully not and I'll cross my fingers! Well put it this way - I haven't had a Computer crash for five months.

Q: And previously how often were you crashing?

A: Nearly every half hour.

What do you think of the reliability of your new system?

A: Very reliable! As I said, I haven't had a crash for 5 months… unless I press too many escapes.

Q: Then it hasn't crashed, its just exited! (Laughs)

A: Just exited (Laughs)

Q: So basically, what you're saying is since Day One you haven't had a crash?

A: No. And the good thing about it is wherever you've finished you don't have to go back to the same terminal to do it - you can do it on another terminal.

Q: And if you're half way through entering an Order and someone pulls the power out?

A: It comes back to where you were.

Q: Right. So you're not having to re-enter stock?

A: No!

For end of day and end of month now what timesaving is there?

A: A lot of timesaving. You don't have to do much. Virtually it does it by itself.

Q: And End of Month when you do your statements and things like that?

A: It cut the time by at least a day.

Q: For doing the Statements?

A: For doing the Statements. So all you do is your full Reports - the Aged Creditors, the Aged Debtors and you're ready to do the Statement. And instead of taking six hours its taken three quarters of an hour.

Q: More timesaving?

A: More timesaving. Its very flexible. As I said before, it works with you, not against you. And if we need extra things for our own working ideas its manageable. All you have to do is ask.

What recommendations would you be making to people in a similar situation as you?

A: I recommend the Software. Highly! I've actually already … you might get a call soon from another Importer, actually, or a Wholesaler. So I recommend the Software very highly. And don't be afraid from the change. Its easy to use. I can do an Invoice now with my eyes shut. And that's serious! (Laughs)

Q: That's good! I know that previously you've made a recommendation to another local Supplier in Hornsby and they've taken it up. And they're extremely happy with it…

A: Well their Invoice is the easiest Invoice to read.

Q: Yes its the same Invoice you produce.

A: Yes, exactly (Laughs).

Q: And they are a Supplier to you as a Customer. So not only does it works in the situation for you as a Retailer and a Supplier to Trade, it also works for your Supplier supplying you…

A: Exactly. Yeah.

Adel Saleh - Co-owner, Right on Track Auto Parts
136 George St, Hornsby NSW 2077
(02) 9476 3000