Precious Soles Case Study - Cybertill and Epson is the perfect fit

Described by Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, as the ‘lifeblood of the economy’, small businesses make an important contribution to the local community. Creating employment, revitalising neighbourhoods and boosting productivity, sole traders are an invaluable element of today’s retail landscape.

Located in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, shoe store Precious Soles is a perfect example of an independent sole trader giving something back to the local community. Stocking a wide range of well-known children’s brands such as Start Rite, Buckle My Shoe, Echo and Sketchers, it prides itself on more than simply selling shoes. Being the only shoe shop serving the local community, Precious Soles offers a full-fitting service and runs a special scheme whereby shoppers can collect vouchers for schools to exchange for equipment and supplies.

Like many independent retailers, Precious Soles initially relied on a manual till, however this was not without its problems. Owner Peter Varnavas explains, “With so many styles, sizes and width fittings to contend with, keeping track of stock and sales proved difficult. We needed a system which could easily gather this kind of information to enable the business to run as smoothly as possible.”

The company looked at many different EPoS solutions, but it was a sophisticated Application Service Provider (ASP)-based software package from Cybertill, including Epson’s fast and reliable Intelligent Register, which won out. Using barcode recognition, the system allows Precious Soles to keep track of exactly what goods are selling, enabling it to base buying and merchandising decisions on reliable sales forecasts.

In addition, Epson’s IR - with built-in, high-performance TMT-88 receipt printer - delivers faster customer service, keeping queues down to a minimum. Plus, as the system is based on a remote server, new product lines can be uploaded and added quickly and easily without disrupting till use.

“The cybertill system has surpassed our very high expectations in every way. We now have at our fingertips exactly the data we need to generate reports on all aspects of the business such as stock, sales and financial information,” commented Peter. “Epson’s IR has transformed our retail operation. So simple to use and trouble-free - it’s extremely customer and staff friendly. In fact, the simplicity of the system even allowed my thirteen year old son, to input all of the styles and stock easily and efficiently, so that we were able to get the system up and running very quickly.”