Ixchange has implemented its SaleAbility application at specialist retail discount group Stax in a record time of three weeks. SaleAbility is part of Ability, Ixchange`s enterprise management solutions suite.
The R120 million-a-year Stax is part of the Metro Cash and Carry group. It specialises in high-tech, photographic, sound, sports, outdoor and white goods. SaleAbility has been installed on all point-of-sale, receiving point and back-office terminals at the six Stax Superstore outlets.
Stax financial executive Gary Katz says the company was dissatisfied with its previous point-of-sale system. "We chose SaleAbility (formerly Precept POS) on the advice of our auditors, Ernst & Young, who evaluated it for us. Ixchange was given three weeks in which to install the software at all the stores. The project was completed within the timeframe."
Since then certain modifications have been made in order to customise the system for some of Stax`s specific needs. Precept was started in South Africa by Ian and Mark St Clair, and bought by Ixchange in late 1997. The POS system now forms part of the Ability suite of products and has been branded as SaleAbility. The system has been upgraded, finetuned and redeveloped extensively over the last 11 years. Customisation to meet Stax`s operating requirements included the development of an interface to the Stax general ledger.
SaleAbility was installed on an existing Windows NT Server with DOS-based POS terminals. Its ability to operate on a standalone basis enables the checkout points to continue operating independently should the need arise. "SaleAbility provides us with the management information and tools we need to help control and increase management productivity of the stores. All store data is uploaded to head office each night, from which various consolidated reports may be produced," says Katz. "This type of information enables us to maintain optimum reorder levels and enhances our buying position."
Stax IT manager Raymond Stirling says SaleAbility`s stock control features are impressive, such as the ability to monitor stock movements for the last 12 months, review stockholding by super-department, department and sub-department online, and monitor sales and gross profit online.
Daily communication between stores and head office enables head office to maintain replica files of each store, while facilitating effective transfer of critical files (price changes, promotional prices, orders) and allows efficient purchasing strategy.
Ian St Clair, business unit manager of SaleAbility, says: "SaleAbility was created to monitor and analyse stock and sales, giving retail mangers more time to manage the stores. Optimisation of stock levels leads to enhanced profitability and that is the bottomline."
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