Cape-based construction and industrial equipment rental supplier Sales Hire has contracted PQ Africa`s PQ Software Factory to develop a custom stock control, sales and invoicing application that integrates with Sage Enterprise Solutions`Line 200 business management software, supplied by PQ Tetra.
"In our business, especially in the current economic climate, profit margins are so low that competing on price is no longer an option," says Shaun Sale, founder of Sales Hire, formerly De La Rey Hire.
"We have therefore had to get smart about how we`re going to stay competitive, and the best way to do that is by getting a grip on the day-to-day running of the business using integrated and purpose-built IT systems."
Sales Hire has eight branches spread across the greater Cape Town region, servicing a broad range of clients (including DIY enthusiasts, contractors and companies) needing equipment for all types of building, maintenance and installation work, such as scaffolding, high-pressure washers for painting preparation, and industrial diamond drills and wall chases for wiring and networking.
"In the past consolidating customer records, stock and sales data from each branch took too long and was too cumbersome for effective and proactive management," says Sale. "Our objective going into the project was to manage branchwide stock and get a better idea of our customers` profiles so we could benchmark and exceed the service levels our customers expect.
"It was equally important to find a reputable company with a proven track record with which we could build a long-term relationship, which understood the nature of our business, and which could provide rapid local support for its products. Because the project involved the development of custom software, the ideal fit was a company that could supply both the financial software for the back office and the client-facing software at branch level that would have to be built from the ground up.
"PQ Africa measured up on both counts, given that PQ Tetra is the largest Sage partner in the country and that PQ Software Factory has over a decade`s experience in writing application for Sage products."
Sale says the combined systems provide a bird`s eye view of the business, allowing him effectively to control the hire contracts, maintenance intervals and utilisation of hire equipment, while maintaining a high level of productivity and quality service for customers across the region.
"If we can stay ahead of our competition by processing the information we have more quickly and accurately, then we`ve done what we set out to do," he says.
"Taking into account the head start we have with the backing of PQ Africa, I`d say we`re well on our way to making that happen."
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Based in Cape Town with offices throughout SA, PQ Africa`s PQ Tetra division forms part of the PQ Africa Professional Services group in the Western Cape.
It is the largest certified Sage Enterprise Solutions implementation partner in Africa, with the only Sage-certified support centre for Sage resellers and clients in Africa. It also hosts the only Sage-accredited professional training centre outside the UK. PQ Tetra`s service portfolio extends to Crystal Decisions` (previously Seagate Software) business intelligence tools, Preactor`s advanced planning system software and DPS International`s routing and planning tools.
PQ Software Factory
Based in Cape Town, PQ Software Factory was founded in 1993 as part of Quantum System Integrators and initially served as a custom development team for Sage Enterprise Solutions` (SES) (formerly Sage Tetra) CS/3 financial suite.
As part of PQ Africa Professional Services Western Cape, PQ Software Factory offers a comprehensive portfolio of business development solutions, from customising existing systems, building new tools as add-ons or as standalone solutions, to building and integrating new and legacy systems into seamless, consistent business environments.
PQ Africa
PQ Africa was formed as a result of the merger of Persetel Holdings and Q Data. Comparex Holdings Limited has a 50% minus one share interest in PQ Africa. The black empowerment group NITAC (the National IT Acquisition Consortium), led by Real Africa Holdings Limited, holds a controlling interest of 50% plus one share in PQ Africa.
PQ Africa is SA`s leading provider of competitive, innovative and flexible business solutions based on Information and Communications Technology ("ICT"). These comprehensive business solutions include systems integration, consulting, package implementation, software development, outsourcing, hardware, software, peripherals, voice, video and data communication systems, customer relationship management solutions and networking equipment and services. Internet solutions include the development and deployment of electronic commerce and electronic data interchange-based solutions and digital authentication.
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