Store Management Software I still remember my grandpa telling stories of his store, his shoe-box that served as storage for his hard earned cash, his keeping track of all his entries in a book judiciously making each entry as a sale was made. But the oft repeated story was how he single handedly thwarted off the attempts of a gang of rioters who were out to loot him of his shoe-box. Now as I think of the incident, it sends shivers down my spine. But I thank the developments in the history of retail that has helped me in keeping my grandpa’s store intact and running. When I first took over the store my PC was a revolutionary addition that attracted more people to the store than the goods I sold. Now we have tools that make our lives easy, but also allow us to work smarter and faster. I have upgraded the modest PC to allow me to serve my customers better but I can vouch for the retail store management software that has served me in good stead. I have listed below some of the things that this software does other than just allowing you to work happily behind your counter! • • • • • • • • •
It allows you to see what is in great demand, so that you can buy them and keep them in stock. Earmark those goods that are not selling well and get rid of them Spot trends so that you make space for the merchandise that is best to sit on your shelves Churn out reports that gives you an idea how your inventory looks at the end of the day Helps you to keep your stock levels and your sales levels in tandem. Schedules your employees time and tracks it accurately Interfacing with your accounts Tracking customer database Advices with marketing tools
My hereditary gut-instinct made me to invest in a PC when I took over the store. The same instinct made me to install the store management software for I needed additional ‘eyes’ to run my business efficiently. I do make do with a simple notebook and a pencil but I am sure many of us need much more than a notebook and pencil to make the leap into being successful.