it update Sharpness of Swords Sanderson, the publicly-owned UK provider of software solutions to the delivered wholesale and cash & carry industry, continues to offer its services to companies looking to maximise the benefits from their IT systems and strengthen their operations. Birmingham-based electrical wholesaler Awan Marketing needed something to manage its growing C&C and delivered wholesale businesses, improve customer service and expand its product range. It chose Swords, the wholesale IT system from Sanderson, to integrate all areas of its operations, support expansion and improve the company’s overall efficiency. Awan Marketing found this achievable with Swords, which manages the demands of purchasing, pricing, stock and warehouse management – Awan’s key areas. Time-consuming manual processes have been replaced with an automated, company-wide system, enabling the C&C/wholesaler to deliver a high quality service to customers. Stock management has been significantly improved as the company has instant access to real-time stock information, increasing stock control and avoiding under and overstocking situations with informed buying decisions. Telesales also benefit from complete visibility of stock levels and product information, enhancing customer service with alternative products for out-of-stock items. Nasir Awan, managing director, says: “The Sanderson solution was the natural choice for our company to support our sales growth and expansion. It integrates our new warehouse operations with the rest of the business, significantly improving stock visibility and providing essential business information to strengthen our decision-making process.” Another Sanderson customer, Gold Star Cash & Carry, of Harrow, Middlesex, launched its new business with the Swords wholesale solution, which integrates its C&C and delivered wholesale operations. In addition to utilising this system, the company is implementing the Swords Radio Frequency solution, using handheld scanners to further maximise warehouse efficiency. This application facilitates more efficient order picking, shelf edge label checking and stock taking. It also eliminates manual errors.
Swords RF is claimed to instantly match goods-in deliveries against purchase orders with 100% accuracy, highlighting shortfalls and protecting cash flow by reducing costly errors. Also strengthening its operation is food wholesaler Chapple & Jenkins, of Brislington, Bristol. With expansion, it found it was duplicating efforts in areas such as sales order processing, realising that various processes across the business were generating unnecessary administration. A new wholesale IT system was required to increase control of the growing business and to streamline operational processes for maximum efficiency with minimum administration. The wholesaler chose Swords as it fully combines all wholesale operations with an integrated accounts system; it also replaces manual processes with a time-saving automated system, so delivering an efficient and punctual service to customers. C&J director Martin Jenkins says: “I am confident Swords will streamline our business processes and cut out the manual workload for all departments. This will boost our customer service levels, as staff will have less paperwork to administer and more time to assist customers.”
Today’s recognition Customers of Sanderson won seven awards for business excellence at the recent Today’s Group awards dinner. The wholesalers use Sanderson’s Swords solution to manage their business operations. Additionally, JW Filshill, of Glasgow, and Savage & Whitten, of Newry, Northern Ireland, have added the new voice picking module to their systems. Mark Windebank, md of Savage & Whitten, confirms how the Sanderson system is a crucial component in its business. “We pride ourselves on providing the best service to our customers and the Swords wholesale solution helps us to deliver this. By recently adding voice order picking technology, we have saved valuable working time for staff and increased our overall warehouse productivity.” Swords is backed by a dedicated and experienced team, working to continually develop the software to meet the changing needs of the wholesale market. With over 20 years’ experience, Sanderson claims to be the leading IT provider of integrated solutions for the delivered wholesale and C&C industry.
Utilising Sanderson’s Swords wholesale system makes a forklift truck operative’s work so much easier.
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• Cash & Carry Management • January 2012
www.cashandcarrymanagement.co.uk