"We want to maintain costs in rands and our income in pounds," says Peter Terblanche, UCS Group Limited director responsible for export. "With more than 200 software developers and world-beating software products, UCS is well poised to take advantage of the rand`s weakness against the pound and other international currencies."
UCS is the largest provider of retail software in SA with 450 staff members servicing the computing needs of some 6 000 retail outlets. Group companies occupy dominant positions in providing IT solutions for large-scale furniture and other speciality retailers, fast-moving consumer goods/fast food outlets, and dispense systems for pharmacies.
Listed on the local JSE Securities Exchange, UCS has embarked on an export drive for its range of software products for the retail trade. UCS has identified the UK as the primary market to address. According to Terblanche, the group has opted for a partnership, rather than choosing higher risk options such as opening offices or buying companies overseas.
UCS has partnered with Milton Keynes-based Retail Business Solutions (RBS), for the large retail chain market, which has a strong presence in the smaller retail chains and seeks to move into the top end of the market.
RBS recently launched the UCS Retail Solution, believed to be the first fully hosted managed service for large-scale retailers in the UK. The latest UCS systems are based on licence-free Java and Linux technology where the retailer pays a monthly charge per store effective only once the system has been successfully installed.
According to Richard Goodall, managing director of RBS: "Retailers want to know the exact costs associated with the new systems. It is amazing how often retailers are required to take all the risks in the supplier relationship. With the UCS offering, we are able to reduce the retailer`s risk substantially."
The other export drive comes originates from CCS, the UCS subsidiary specialising in the FMCG and hospitality markets. Its Windows-based POS software is being sold through dealers and VARs by Basingstoke-based Hero Systems. The software is particularly well suited to the UK hospitality market and has recently been installed at the St Cathedral pub in Durham which can accommodate over 1 500 patrons on three floors.
Share
Editorial contacts