Mr Low said they started to realise the limits of their old system after the downturn in 2008 when, with a bit more time on their hands, they started to analyze everything a lot more and notice inefficiencies. "For example, there could no longer be any excuses for dead stock or overstocking products" he said. "I also realized that we were putting orders and data into the system but we weren't getting any business intelligence out of it. We purchased bolt on reporting software and wrote our own reports but this was becoming almost a full time job for our IT team. We were also restricted over what information we could put in to the system and how we could share it. It was clear that we were being held back."
Mr Low said he was aware how fast technology was progressing and was worried Rembrand would start to fall behind the competition, suppliers and even customers. "More and more customers are moving towards using the internet and e-mail for doing business and our system didn't integrate well with either. We had several demonstrations from the Epicor team so we were 100% confident BisTrack could do exactly what we needed it to. We looked at other systems briefly but chose BisTrack because it was clearly the best fit for our business now and where we see it in going in the future. We were also reassured by the company's reputation and customer base in the industry."
Anticipated benefits
Specific benefits Mr Low was looking forward to included a significant improvement in reporting as BisTrack's business intelligence features will highlight areas that need looking at instantly, rather than his team having to spend hours or days interrogating data in the system. Rembrand will also be able to manage their stock better. "Accurate stock control is something I believe a lot of merchants struggle with" he said. "But by moving to BisTrack we are starting again. We know it can handle stock the way we want to and we are committed to putting in the efforts to see some real benefits."
Mr Low said Rembrand is always looking for ways to improve customer service. "Whether it's downloading PODs from our website or getting an e-mail to inform them their delivery is on its way, BisTrack has made it easier and quicker for customers to do business with us - and has let them concentrate on the important job of running their own businesses!" He has also reduced fax, postage and printing costs by using the software to email orders, purchases and quotes as well as invoices and statements. "We will save at least 25% on postage costs and 20% on stock holding by managing stock better. We also want to reduce stationery and printing costs by 50% by using BisTrack to e-mail and scan information where possible."
Rembrand is a family run company. MD George Low's philosophy of remaining very approachable to everyone within the business has meant that decisions affecting progress and change, such as the selection of new software, have always been made relatively quickly. Jeff Low said, "We are still expanding so it was crucial we chose a supplier who was ready to support us and help us on our journey. If you think about all your suppliers, the software supplier- who impacts on every aspect of your business - should really be right at the top! We are looking forward to a long relationship with Epicor who have helped us put powerful effective software into our new stores on time."