necessary to load individual prices on the system manually. Furthermore the POS did not link into the newspaper system, requiring additional time-consuming manual work to transfer data from one system to another.

When Chris decided to join the Bestway Group, renowned for its fl exibility of service and wide range of products on offer, he began looking for a new potential EPOS supplier that could offer a reliable and fl exible solution with the necessary functionality to run the business effi ciently. Key elements were fl exible stock ordering, enabling access to the Bestway Cash and Carry ordering system, and control of pricing. In addition, the system needed to seamlessly link the news solution ‘News Slave’ into the EPOS solution.

Although several companies were evaluated, IT Retail Systems was the only company able to meet all the requirements, tailoring its solution to fi t the exact needs of the business. Commenting on the selection Chris Patel said, “ITS was recommended to me by a Bestway representative due to its wealth of experience in the convenience sector. This gave me confi dence in their ability to deliver a solution appropriate to the needs of my store.”

ITS recommended the latest state-ofthe- art POS unit, the Toshiba ST-A10 TouchPOS. Its compact footprint fi tted neatly into the counter space and the stylish design blended in perfectly with the aesthetics of the new counter.

prices are now automatically loaded and updated. Reporting is much quicker and easier, enabling store management tracking and analysis of sales by the hour, if required.

The store has also been able to utilise ITS’s Pico scanning gun facility, linked into the ITS software to connect to Bestways on-line ordering system. This facility enables the store to scan all barcodes, including Bestway codes, allowing identifi cation of all products on the system. Speaking on this point Chris Patel said, “We needed access to a greater range of stock to meet the needs of local customers, which is why we selected the Bestway limited membership option. This level of membership allows us to meet Bestway’s minimum order requirement whilst still retaining the facility to purchase from other suppliers. It was therefore vital we had a fl exible POS solution that enabled us to access the Bestway ordering system as well as manage orders from other suppliers.”

The store uses the ITS / Toshiba solution to manage promotions, such as special offers and BOGOFs and also to print off discounts. Visibility of sales patterns has enabled Chris Patel to identify periods of peak trading in the shop – information which has helped him to manage staffi ng more effciently.