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Webinar on enhanced features of iVend Retail 5.6

August 28, 2012 by Leave a Comment

iVend Retail version 5.6 is indeed by far the most path breaking release of iVend Retail. This version incorporates a substantial number of iVend Retail Enhanced featuresfeature enhancements, which include:

Training mode: to help retailers ramp-up their new staff on realistic LIVE data without integrating these training transactions in to the LIVE system.

Coupons: Retailers can define their own coupons or allow coupons extended by manufacturers to be redeemed in the retail chain

Enhanced Promotions Engine: This includes bonus buys by defining “buy conditions” and “get options”. There are over 20 different types of promotions, which can be configured.

Tax Condition Setup: There are approximately 9 different parameters based on which tax condition can be determined

Discount Groups: The application can now categorize discounts into 4 types – Manual, System, Coupon, and Promotion Discount

Store Groups: To ease manageability of stores by categorizing them into different groups.

Not only this, the application is now capable to be implemented in a stand-alone mode – we call this iVend Unplugged – an ERP agnostic, complete retail management solution.

Join our webinar as per your convenience on the dates mentioned below to know more about iVend Retail

1.30pm – 3.30pm AEDT – Sydney Time
September 11th 2012
7.30am – 9.30am EDT – New York Time
September 13th 2012
Filed Under: Events, iVend Retail, Product update Tagged With: , ,

iVend Retail 5.6 released

August 14, 2012 by 6 Comments

iVend Retail 5.6 brings host of retail functionalities making iVend a much stronger retail management suite of application. 

iVend Unplugged 

iVend Unplugged is an Unplugged version of iVend Retail – unplugged from a core financial application. iVend Unplugged encompasses all that is offered by core iVend Retail. It retains the original features of iVend Retail and offers more. Unplugging the application from a core financial solution lets the Retailer run his retail operations the way he wants to run them, and not be constrained by the investment & processes of a financial solution. iVend Unplugged can be integrated with any third party financial system/ ERP using iVend APIs.

User Training Mode 

User Training Mode has been introduced in iVend to make iVend more users friendly. A new user can work in the training environment and learn to use the functionalities of iVend Retail better. The production environment however, remains unaffected by user activities in the training environment.

Coupons 

iVend Coupons are vouchers entitling the holder to a discount off a particular product(s). It is a promotional tool that can be used to get discounts while purchasing goods or services. Generally coupons are classified into Manufacturer and Store issued coupons, however in iVend treatment for both of these coupon types remains same and depends on the coupon setup.

Promotion – Bonus Buys 

iVend Promotion engine are used to handle complex promotion scenarios using Buy and Get conditions as means to define the prerequisites set by the customer. Some of the promotions that can be setup are

  1. Buy X and get X free
  2. Buy X and get Y free
  3. Buy X and get discount on any item from Product Group Y
  4. Buy N quantity from Product Group X and get discount on any item of Product Group Y
  5. Buy N quantity from Product Group X of worth R and get discount on any item of Product Group Y
  6. Buy any 5 Quantity and get X percent discounts.
  7. Get X discount percent on the entire sale if Bill values exceeds N amount.
  8. Get Gift Certificate /Coupon/Loyalty points if you buy item/item group X worth R.

Tax Condition Setup 

Using Tax Condition setup, a user can setup different Tax Conditions based on different parameters like Customer/Customer Group, Product/Product Group/Product Class, Warehouse/Store Group, Item Price range and Shipping Conditions etc.

Discount Group Setup 

Earlier in iVend, Discount was defined for a single Discount field. With iVend 5.6, Discount Group setup has been introduced where Discount field has been categorized into four types of Discount Group.

  1. Manual Discount Group
  2. System Discount Group
  3. Coupon Discount Group
  4. Promotion Discount Group

Depending on the grouping done, the user can determine the relationship of a particular group with the next Discount Group.

Sale Order Cancellation 

Cancellation of Sale Order at Point Of Sale can be done using Cancel option introduced in iVend 5.6. Previously Sale Order was cancelled using Sale Edit option.

Heartland Payment Processor 

Heartland payment processor integration for US has been incorporated in this release. The integration also supports the debit card sales with the PIN entry.

Signature Capture 

iVend 5.6 supports capturing of customer signatures on transactions. The captured signatures can then be printed on the thermal receipt. iVend 5.6 recommends that you use the Id Tech Sign & Pay (IDFA-3153) for this (http://www.idtechproducts.com/products/pos-peripherals/116.html).

SAP Business One Israel Localization Support 

Support for Israel localization is extended in iVend 5.6. Along with this iVend supports the Arabic language and also has support for RTL.

Extended Language Support 

Apart from English, iVend application is now also available in the following languages:

  1. French
  2. German
  3. Greek
  4. Italian
  5. Latin American Spanish
  6. Simplified Chinese
  7. Vietnamese
  8. Arabic

Enhancements 

Custom Transaction Information Grid 

Custom Transaction information can now be set individually for different store(s) using Custom Transaction Info Grid option in management console. This would enable users to setup the different button panel for individual stores.

Store Group 

Store group provides the flexibility of grouping the multiple stores based on their pricing, taxation and inventory needs.

  1. Pricing Store Group: Price list can be attached to a pricing store group and therefore all the stores falling under this group would have a same price list applicable.
  2. Taxation Store Group: Stores can be group based on their Taxation and then this store group can be used to setup different Tax Condition within iVend.
  3. Inventory Store Group: Different warehouses can be clubbed together using an Inventory store group. Store would only be able to see the inventory or do inventory transactions with the stores/warehouses which are in his inventory store group or the stores/warehouses which are not part of any inventory store group.

Import/Export Data 

Import /Export of Data templates can be done in iVend using Import/Export data option. Forty two templates are available for import/export in iVend. The default location for these templates is iVend Retail Installation folderManagement ConsoleImport Templates.

Print Profile Enhancements 

The user can specify report printing option(s) (xml report, crystal report, printer selection on runtime) using Print Profile option. All the reports like Z-Tape, X-Tape, Labor session chit and others can now be printed on document printer also.

Business Date Validation 

On enabling this, the user would not be allowed to login in iVend POS if the system date and the business date are not same.

Force Clock Out while performing End of Day at Store 

If a user does not clock out from Point Of Sale, on commencement of the End of Day process, the user is force clocked out.

Display Loyalty Details under Customer Information Panel 

At Point of Sale, Loyalty details for the selected customer are available under Customer Information Panel. Loyalty details include Loyalty Points, Loyalty slab etc.

Changes in the serial scanning on GRPO 

While doing a GRPO, instead of manually entering the serial number(s) for the products, the serial number(s) can be directly scanned by the user.

Fulfillment Address Integration with SAP B1 documents 

The address captured on fulfillment in iVend will be populated in delivery address of corresponding document of SAP Business One. Since in iVend user can attach multiple fulfillment(s) on same document, therefore only first fulfillment address will be integrated with SAP Business One.

Customer Remarks Integration with SAP Business One 

Customer remarks captured in SAP Business One would be integrated with Customer comments of iVend.

Returns on Credit Card 

While doing a refund on a credit card, the original reference number will be auto populated by the system from the original sale transaction. This would ease the operation of cashier as currently cashier enters this number manually.

Z Report 

Apart from Fiscal Z-Report, iVend 5.6 provides the functionality for printing the Z-Tape Report for other countries.

Support for Rounding in Payment 

iVend 5.6 supports the following type of rounding of Payments

  • No Rounding
  • Round to Five Hundredth
  • Round to Ten Hundredth
  • Round to One
  • Round to Ten
  • Round to Fifty
  • Round to Hundred
  • Round to Thousand

If you are using SAP Business One as ERP system, then please ensure that you specify the over/under payment amount according to the Rounding selected in iVend. If this is not done correctly then your invoice may remain open in SAP Business One.

Issues Fixed 

Issue Description: The GRPO fails to integrate if the purchase UOM is set on an item while creating the Purchase Order.

Issue Description: While creating a backup of Store from iVend Enterprise, if the numbers of records are large then creation of backup fails.

Issue Description: If warehouse is created later in SAP Business One after system is initialized then the inventory records for that warehouse were not generated which was resulting in error while doing the goods receipt at the store.

Filed Under: iVend Retail, News @ CitiXsys, Product update Tagged With: ,

TOPGOLF – Integrated Store functions for efficient & effective Retail management

August 6, 2012 by 1 Comment

COMPANY : PT Topindo Lucky Sport ( TOPGOLF)

Country : Jakarta, Indonesia

Industry : Speciality Retail – Sports

PT Topindo Lucky Sport is a leading retail company dealing in GOLF equipment, accessories & apparel under the brand name TOPGOLF. The store is one of the biggest golf equipment store in Indonesia & they not only sell golf club but also offers club fitting.

TOPGOLF was established in 2007 where they opened their first store in Bellezza Shopping Arcade, PermataHijau, South Jakarta. Expansion soon followed by topening a chain of stores across Jakarta. They also have stores outside Jakarta such as in Bandung, Balikpapan and Banjarmasin. The TOPGOLF Chain has already grown to 16 stores& very soon they will open another store in Bali. Currently TOPGOLF chain of stores is present in Jakarta, Java, Kalimantan & Sumatra.

The company has aggressive plans of expansion this year with the launch of its new business unit “BIKE” which too will run on iVend retail.

TopGolf

Challenge

  • Non-integrated data management
  • Inefficient stock monitoring & movement
  • Inadequate Customer Information
  • Complex & inaccurate data retrieval process

TOPGOLF – As a leading provider of Golf accessories & a wide range of products is a chain that has been continually growing. The company was previously using a home grown legacy system that failed to cater the requirement of uninterrupted inter store connection.

As the number of stores grew they failed to consolidate & update data on a single location that led to constant discrepancy at store level & delays in processing of orders. Company wanted to take advantage of the latest retail technology in order to offer its customers the most efficient and streamlined purchasing experience, with a focus on fast, effective, and efficient service to each customer. In addition, the company needed an Integrated solution that facilitates control on their stores & showrooms across geographical locations.

Solution: iVend Retail Management Suite with SAP Business One

Benefits :

  • Increased employees’ overall efficiency by eliminating work duplication on disintegrated processes
  • Synchronized data transfers between Stores & enterprise ensured accuracy across Retail chain
  • Considerable reduction in stock errors and replenishment planning errors
  • Achieved faster order processing

iVend Retail has considerably helped TOPGOLF in smoothly upgrade to a Retail system that gave accurate, reliable & integrated Data in a very short time span.

Customer now is fully functional on a unified solution that leverages every customer touch point and connects the entire retail operation—with a goal of knowing, engaging with, and serving their customers better. All of company’s 16 stores are connected to the same backend server & iVend’s failsafe integration with SAP keeps the Head Office always connected with the store operations across the complete Retail chain.

“iVend Retail has been able to facilitate the integration of the transactions of starting a store, iVend Enterprise Server to SAP Business One. It has integrated & Synchronized data between the SAP system with iVend Enterprise, Enterprise iVend with Store / shop and store / shop with a store / shop. We have been able to Reduce Errors in Coding & re-entry of data.” 
Erna, Finance Head – TOPGOLF, Indonesia

 

Filed Under: Customer reference Tagged With: ,

The roaming checkout –Why mobility is the new imperative for Retail?

July 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment

iVend Mobile Today’s tech savvy shoppers are adopting new mobile technologies at a record-setting pace. The use of wireless devices is multiplying exponentially, with countless app stores and applications springing up to meet the demand.

As customers use Internet-enabled technology to accomplish even more of what they do, these applications and devices have become increasingly personal, anticipating customers’ needs and offering goods and services to meet them. Retailers must keep pace with this rising expectation of on-demand service whenever and wherever desired—including inside the retail establishment.

Mobile POS (Point of Sale) is a readily available solution. Mobile commerce has become increasingly familiar, convenient and secure, with consumers feeling more comfortable making purchases using this option. Big retailers have capitalized on the change—boosting sales and gaining repeat business via transactions on mobile devices.

But there is no reason to limit such sales to Smartphones. With the advent of wireless networks, Mobile POS equipment offers an ideal solution to (1) address poor service and missed sales opportunities resulting from insufficient information about features and promotions at product displays; (2) alleviate customer frustration due to long or slow-moving check-out lines; (3) replace outdated and non-scalable immobile software systems; and (4) avoid lost revenue from reduction in valuable floor space when additional hardware is installed to increase sales points.

Typical features include:

  • User authentication / security
  • Equipped for credit card payments
  • Scan and manual entry capability
  • Access to item details such as inventory
  • Recovery, suspension, cancellation or deletion of transactions
  • On-screen stylus signature

As a portable solution for completing sales transactions and processing returns, Mobile POS makes it possible to add to the number of “cash registers” without multiplying the number of stationary machines. Whenever there are long lines at the registers, portable POS devices can be distributed to store personnel so customers can engage them to make purchases.

Associates scan the customers’ items with the attached UPC (Universal Product Code) scanner, after which customers are able to pay by swiping a credit/debit card along a slot in the same machine. The transaction details are transmitted from the mobile POS to the business’s server using a secured wireless network. The server then communicates with third party agencies such as Visa or Master Card to authorize payment.

Once authorized, information is sent back to the business’s server, which then communicates with the mobile POS to produce a receipt for the transaction. The design of the device allows it to be integrated with legacy POS systems so the store’s data and processing will not be disrupted.

When using the mobile device to process transactions, the payment gateway connections should not be disrupted (they should be as effective as broadband) and location specific mobile payment security guidelines should be strictly followed. That said, it is clear mobile POS represents a positive change with a number of benefits and features to help forward-thinking retailers leverage technology to improve business.

Closely related to a reduction in customer wait time are:

  • Interaction with the store personnel to assist in making shopping decisions
  • Retailer can increase the number of POS without adding new cash registers
  • Can be carried to any location in the store, as needed.
  • Helpful in handling additional volume during peak shopping seasons
  • Keypad will feed in customer information with receipts sent to customer’s mail ID

Mobile technology represents an enormous opportunity to improve store operations and consumer interactions, with mobile POS offering another innovative way to win customer loyalty and gain greater market share by addressing the consumers’ never-ending desire for speed and convenience.

Filed Under: Mobile POS Tagged With: , ,

What’s new in iVend Retail 5.6

July 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment

After so many months of wait, iVend Retail 5.6 has finally arrived. The release is scheduled for 7th August 2012. While few of our partners and certified consultants are already using the beta release, some of the cool features are listed below for everyone to get a glimpse on the latest innovations. A video is also created. Have a look.

iVend Stand-Alone 

iVend Stand-Alone runs independently without the need for an ERP at the backend. Retailers can now manage their entire retail operations just with iVend Retail Suite without having to implement an ERP.

User Training Mode

User Training Mode has been introduced in iVend to make iVend more users friendly. A new user can work in the training environment and learn to use the functionalities of iVend Retail better. The production environment however, remains unaffected by user activities in the training environment.

Discount Group Setup

Earlier in Ivend, Discount was defined for a single Discount field. With Ivend 5.6, Discount Group setup has been introduced where Discount field has been categorized into four types of Discount Group.

  • Manual Discount Group
  • System Discount Group
  • Coupon Discount Group
  • Promotion Discount Group

Depending on the grouping done, the user can determine the relationship of a particular group with the next Discount Group.

Custom Transaction Info Grid

Custom Transaction information can now be set individually for different store(s) using Custom Transaction Info Grid option in management console. This would enable users to setup the different button panel for individual stores.

Coupons

iVend Coupons are vouchers entitling the holder to a discount off a particular product(s). It is a promotional tool that can be used to get discounts while purchasing goods or services. Generally coupons are classified into Manufacturer and Store issued coupons, however in iVend treatment for both of these coupon types remains same and depends on the coupon setup.

Promotion – Bonus Buys

iVend Promotion engine are used to handle complex promotion scenarios using Buy and Get conditions as means to define the prerequisites set by the customer. Some of the promotions that can be setup are

  1. Buy X and get X free
  2. Buy X and get Y free
  3. Buy X and get discount on any item from Product Group Y
  4. Buy N quantity from Product Group X and get discount on any item of Product Group Y
  5. Buy N quantity from Product Group X of worth R and get discount on any item of Product Group Y
  6. Buy any 5 Quantity and get X percent discounts.
  7. Get X discount percent on the entire sale if Bill values exceeds N amount.
  8. Get Gift Certificate /Coupon/Loyalty points if you buy item/item group X worth R.

Tax Condition Setup

Using Tax Condition setup, a user can setup different Tax Conditions based on different parameters like Customer/Customer Group, Product/Product Group/Product Class, Warehouse/Store Group and Shipping Conditions etc.

 Store Group

Store group provides the flexibility of grouping the multiple stores based on their pricing, taxation and inventory needs.

  • Pricing Store Group: Price list can be attached to a pricing store group and therefore all the stores falling under this group would have a same price list applicable.
  • Taxation Store Group: Stores can be group based on their Taxation and then this store group can be used to setup different Tax Condition within iVend.
  • Inventory Store Group: Different warehouses can be clubbed together using an Inventory store group. Store would only be able to see the inventory or do inventory transactions with the stores/warehouses which are in his inventory store group or the stores/warehouses which are not part of any inventory store group.

Import/Export Data

Import /Export of Data templates can be done in iVend using Import/Export data option. Forty two templates are available for import/export in iVend. The default location for these templates is Ivend Retail Installation folderàManagement ConsoleàImport Templates. 

Print Profile Enhancements

The user can specify report printing option(s) (xml report, crystal report, printer selection on runtime) using Print Profile option.

Business Date Validation

On enabling this, the user would not be allowed to login in iVend POS if the system date and the business date are not same.

Force Clock Out at EOD

If a user does not clock out from Point Of Sale, on commencement of the End of Day process, the user is force clocked out.

Display Loyalty Details under Customer Information Panel

At Point of Sale, Loyalty details for the selected customer is available under Customer Information Panel. Loyalty details include Loyalty Points, Loyalty slab etc.

Sale Order Cancellation

Cancellation of Sale Order at Point Of Sale can be done using Cancel option introduced in iVend 5.6. Previously Sale Order was cancelled using Sale Edit option.

Changes in the serial scanning on GRPO

While doing a GRPO, instead of manually entering the serial number(s) for the products, the serial number(s) can be directly scanned by the user.

Fulfillment Address Integration with SAP Business One documents

The address captured on fulfillment in iVend will be populated in delivery address of corresponding document of SAP Business One. Since in iVend user can attach multiple fulfillment(s) on same document, therefore only first fulfillment address will be integrated with SAP Business One.

 

 

Filed Under: iVend Retail Tagged With: , , ,

Elvy Lifestyle increases topline revenue with iVend Retail

May 16, 2012 by 1 Comment

Company : Elvy Lifestyle

Country : India

Industry : Exclusive Lifestyle Retail

Elvy Lifestyle Private Limited is India’s exclusive lifestyle shopping Catalogue Company. Elvy Lifestyle gives contemporary, exclusive and stylish options to set up a great home and office thereby reinforcing the brand values of uniqueness, exclusivity, convenience, lifestyle, value, international quality and easy shopping.

elvy lifestyle products

Elvy launched its first stylish shopping catalogue on 23 March 2006. Elvy’s has a prime network of self-owned showrooms in the National Capital Region – New Delhi and other cities, in addition to a fully functional internet mall, to support the catalogue with its Corporate office located in commercial hub of Gurgaon. Being in business for over six years now, elvy has notched significant achievements by forging strategic alliances and tie ups with major airlines, MNC banks, hospitality partners and restaurants, real estate conglomerates. It has opened up stores in New Delhi & NCR (National Capital Region) and has expanded to different cities. Elvy also runs loyalty programs for its customers across all segments.Elvy Lifestyle showroom

Challenge  

Elvy wanted to take advantage of the latest retail technology in order to offer its customers the most efficient and streamlined purchasing experience, with a focus on fast, effective, and efficient service to each customer. In addition, the company needed an Integrated solution that facilitates control on their stores & showrooms across geographic allocations from their centralized hub located at Gurgaon.
Catalogue sales were another area that Elvy aimed to integrate with iVend. elvy is engaged into inflight catalogue sales where, customers demand efficient, convenient and consistent shopping experiences from retailers by catalogue. By using iVend Retail, Elvy could compile all the customer sales data at the warehouse, leading to cost savings while retaining customers. iVend Retail helped elvy manage efficient warehouse & inventory management functions to meet customer expectations to deliver a consistent experience at all Retail touch points. As the demand for the merchandise grew during the festival season, the scalable iVend Retail assisted well in coping with the added demands. More points of sale terminals were added to consolidate the mounting sales & faster order processing to meet the stringent delivery schedules. To support its aggressive expansion plans the solution they chose had to be scalable so that it grows as the company grows.

Some challenges that required immediate attention were-

  • Inefficient stock monitoring & movement
  • Inadequate Customer Information
  • Scattered MIS reporting
  • Non-integrated financial system

Solution & Services : iVend Retail Management Suite 

Benefits 

iVend Retail sufficed ElVy’s need of an unified solution that leverages ever customer touch point and connects the entire retail operation—with a goal of knowing, engaging with, and serving their customers better. They no have real time management of stocks at their centralized Gurgaon hub. In addition to the regular sales transactions, using iVend Retail, Store employees can use sales executive points situated in the store to check stock position and other information and create sales orders that are automatically sent to SAP Business One for further processing.

Some immediate benefits that Elvy noticed were-

  • iVend Retail Management Suite with SAP Business One
  • Increased employees’ overall efficiency by eliminating work duplication on disintegrated processes
  • Improved cash tracking and stock and replenishment planning
  • Achieved faster order processing
  • Standardized business processes based on industry best practices

“ CitiXsys has successfully implemented iVend Retail and Elvy is pleased to have a functional experience of integrated Retail at its store. iVend Retail has been a perfect choice for our Retail business, since it leverages Right Technology in the right manner to maximize customer & Inventory service levels ”
Mahender Sharma
COO-
Elvy Lifestyle Pvt. Ltd.


 

 

Filed Under: Customer reference Tagged With: , , ,

Mexico Calling Retail – Expo Antad begins on 14th March

March 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Expo Antad is an annual event conducted at Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico begins on 14th March and lasts for 3 days to finally conclude on 16th March. The event has exhibitors from reputed corporate production houses and suppliers for retail sector. Each year the attendee list adds up and for past year there were approximately 35,000 representatives and owners for retail chains and associated wholesalers, distributors, international buyers, etc. who attended the show. Expo Antad is a perfect platform to showcase new products and ideas for the Retail fraternity across Mexico which is the Retail hub for South America.

CitiXsys Technologies with its proud partner Interlatin shall be present at booth#2070CC, where company shall showcase their innovative IT solutions for Retail. CitiXsys flagship Solution iVend Retail runs in thousands of stores across 20 countries and is a comprehensive retail management solution to manage Head Office, Stores and POS operations along with iVend Loyalty, Web Storefront, Mobility solution and Retail Analytics shall be on display at the event. A leading SAP gold partner worldwide and Pinnacle award winner, CitiXsys strengthens its foothold in Mexico with its esteemed partner Interlatin, which has brilliant work force to carry out swift implementations and can give prompt local support for SAP and CitiXsys products.
Meet CitiXsys at booth#2070CC to choose from exclusive retail solutions like Loyalty Management, Promotions, Inventory Management, Inventory Planning, Business Intelligence, integration with good backend solution apart from having a great Point of Sale and Store Management.

With iVend Retail management suite, retailers get every aspect of IT needs under one umbrella, meet us at the event or mail us at [email protected] for an exclusive demo.

Filed Under: Events, News @ CitiXsys Tagged With: , , , , ,

CitiXsys Leadership Summit 2012

March 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment

The message was clear: The CitiXsys group wanted to Rediscover the purpose & Realign the Objectives

CitiXsys Leadership team

March 2nd 2012-The entire leadership team was together under one roof at Bangkok for a complete working week. Series of meetings, group discussions, product demonstrations, and welcoming partner meets made this event a grand success.

CEO speaks, interacts and thus discovers that the team is passionate, committed, reliable, trusted, and has that ‘Quality’ software and services being delivered globally to the Retail & Wholesale Distribution space of the ERP segment. Internal processes were strengthened, the management institutionalized controls and the strategy was laid forward for the Year 2012-13. CitiXsys proud Partners from Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, China and Thailand, attended the parallel Sales & Implementation Tracks where the products were showcased and the roadmap ahead was shared. Our immense Thanks to the associates for their invaluable participation and providing their inputs to improvise our systems.

Not to miss the cocktail dinner party towards the end that really upheld further that this young group is fun loving and definitely “Party Harder” category!

The message is clear: the CitiXsys group has a purpose and a team to fulfil that purpose.

We will soon be meeting again… Destination Europe? LatAm?

Filed Under: Blog, Events, Thought leadership Tagged With: , , , ,

How an SME Retailer Can Create Loyal Customer Evangelists

January 11, 2012 by Leave a Comment

How does your small to medium size retail business treat and utilize the good will of your customers?

Consider these two scenarios:

Retailer A is a boutique wine shop with several locations in upscale, suburban communities. When prospective customer A walks thru the door, she is greeted in a friendly, genuine manner. A staff member approaches after a couple of minutes, offering her assistance. She engages customer A in conversation and finds out that she enjoys big, bold red wines. She then recommends several new wines that would suit her appetite. Customer A mentions that she read about the monthly wine social club on their store’s Facebook page and was interested in getting more information. They then have an informal discussion about several of the wines carried by the boutique. The customer decides on her purchase and provides her name and relevant information to the clerk when asked. Finally, the sales clerk obtains her permission to enroll her in the customer loyalty program. This customer continues to make regular purchases at this wine shop, earning savings and discounts on her future purchases. What’s more, she engages in frequent postings about events and wine education on their Facebook page, allowing her friends to see the activity and resulting in several new community members and potential sales.

Retailer B is an upscale boutique women’s apparel shop with two other locations in nearby suburban communities. Customer B walks into the shop and is not greeted at all because the two sales clerks are busy gossiping behind the counter about last night’s dates. She browses around the small boutique, seemingly unnoticed, as she searches for her favorite designer that is often carried at the shop. She finally approaches the counter to check if the store has a specific dress in her size. The clerk tells her they are currently out of stock and turns back to her conversation. She then goes online and purchases the dress from a different vendor.

The kicker? One of Retailer B’s other locations had this exact dress in the size needed. If the clerk had bothered to check, they had could have shipped the desired merchandise directly to the customer. Instead, Customer B bought her purchase somewhere else, and more importantly, communicated her displeasure with Retailer B’s lack of service with several local friends. Additionally, Customer B had shopped in their boutique several times over the past years and spent an average of $500 each time.

 If Retailer B would have had the systems and processes in place as Retailer A, they would have been able to quickly save the sale and enhance the customer relationship by identifying the out of stock item and locating it at another location. The culture of their store would have been one of fanatical customer service.

To the small and medium size retailer, a loyal customer is their best advertising. There’s no room for big budget marketing and splashy campaigns – word of mouth can make them or break them. Every customer, whether they are a happy or dissatisfied one, is an exponential tool for public relations. Did you know that acquiring a new customer costs over six times what it takes to keep an existing customer? That’s why every retailer should have a detailed strategy in place for tracking customer feedback and rewarding loyalty. The customers you currently have are worth their weight in gold.

A good strategy is

simple – concentrate on the CCR’s of customer service: Connect with your customers; communicate with your customers; and reward them regularly.

Connect

  • Whether you run a one man retail shop or multi-location store with several POS, you should be greeting customers as they come into your establishment. Encourage your team to pleasantly address customers and make a connection with them within five minutes of walking into your shop.
  •  Reach out and get to know your customers. Find out what their likes and        dislikes are. Ask for their name and zip code when they purchase an item, allowing you to track their buying habits.
  • Build a social networking community and engage with your clients consistently. Why is social media important? People may love your product, but will likely forget about it unless you are in front of them regularly. Remind them of all the services and products you offer. Inform them of special events. Give them information so they can become a loyal evangelist of your business.

 

Communicate

  • An SME’s size allows for flexibility and quickness in its ability to gather customer feedback and react on a timely basis. Reach out to your customers to find out what they like and don’t like about your operations. Are you able to special order an item that a frequent customer would like? You may want to consider the cost versus its benefit, as that satisfied customer will likely tell five friends about your individualized service, which will ultimately snowball into great PR for your business.
  • Encourage customers to provide negative feedback along with praise, then deal with it quickly. Tools such as the company Facebook page, customer conversations, and requested feedback from after-sale follow ups can allow you to gain great insight into what they want, as well as what is working in your business. Respond to each negative comment constructively and quickly, as your customers will value your response.
  • Track customer buying habits and proactively inform them about upcoming sales, new merchandise they might like, and special events.

Reward

Are you rewarding your frequent customers for their purchasing loyalty? If not, consider that a large portion of your business is derived from repeat customers. They obviously like your operations – and if they know they will receive regular rewards and savings by continuing to be loyal, why would they go anywhere else?

Be careful, though – if your business doesn’t have a methodical system for tracking customer purchases, you may unknowingly omit loyal customers who aren’t as visible to your staff. Is the quiet shopper that comes by twice a year and spends $600 on each occasion any less valuable then the frequent visitor that spends $50 a month? Your staff may be more familiar with Customer B, who stops by the store weekly and makes small purchases. Forget about that infrequent regular shopper who isn’t familiar to your staff, and you risk engendering hard feelings. Word travels fast in a community.

Having a retail solution that tracks this data seamlessly for your business eliminates this problem. It’s also integral to make sure there is a policy in place for obtaining a named customer with each purchase.

The iVend Retail Management Solution, along with the iVend Loyalty solution, has the functionality that allows you to track important data about your customers so that your team can utilize it to make better use of their sales and service efforts. The iVend Loyalty solution gives you the capabilities to reward your valuable customers at every level and allow them to interact as well.

Fanatical customer service can only happen when supported by proper systems and processes.

Are your systems enabling your staff to create that bond with your customer base?

If the answer is NO and you are looking for a solution write to us on [email protected], we have a solution for you.

Filed Under: Blog, Customer Loyalty, Retail Trends Tagged With: , , ,

iVend expands its Retail Application offerings at NRF 2012

January 11, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 

Banner to register

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CitiXsys introducing iVend Loyalty, Analytics, Web Storefront & Mobility at their booth#2463

Join CitiXsys at the National Retail Federation (NRF) 101st Annual Convention & EXPO at the Jacob K. Javits
Convention Center in New York City to View and experience the Retail Industry’s innovative and easy to use
iVend Application’s for Retail Management, Business Intelligence, Loyalty. We share our Knowledge and expertise
to unveil the most comprehensive Retail Management Suite that’s Agile & Scalable.

CitiXsys booth at NRF shall be abuzz with Demo and display of iVend Retail Management Suite and we will share
our experiences to provide a solution for retail challenges faced by modern day retailers

iVend management Suite focuses to address following topics:

  • Understanding Mobility for Smart Retailing
  • Loyalty for an engaging shopping experience for your customers
  • Promotions to imbibe Loyalty to your brand increasing repeat footfalls.
  • Leveraging analytics to gain organization insights to make smarter decisions

Register here for a free Expo pass and book an exclusive demo of iVend Retail Management Suite
at our Booth#2463

For more information and details about CitiXsys products, log on to www.citixsys.com or mail us at [email protected]

 

Filed Under: Events, News @ CitiXsys Tagged With: , ,
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