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Case study - Tilemania

The ability to control and monitor stock is vital in the retail business, but for multi-site retailers especially, this can prove to be no mean feat. Take Tilemania, for example, a major importer and retailer of ceramic tiles, mosaics and porcelain. Founded in 1998, the company has grown to a chain of 14 outlets nationwide. However, its expansion brought with it concerns surrounding stock control, product availability and customer service. It was such issues which the management team felt were best addressed by the latest retail technology.

Steve Charman, Tilemania’s Financial Controller, explains: “When the company was smaller, getting a handle on stock was fairly easy. Our MD took charge of the inventory and did all the necessary buying, but as we grew it became far too complex to manage manually.” With around 1,000 different product lines to contend with, Tilemania lacked a formal and automated stock control method which was hindering the business. “We needed an EPoS solution which could provide instant access to inventory figures to enable us to be sure of exactly what stock we had and where. It was imperative that it would help us streamline the running of the company and so make us more efficient,” said Steve.

In the demanding DIY and home improvement market, it was essential that Tilemania implemented an EPoS system which was both robust and reliable. The company set about evaluating all the available options. “We couldn’t find anyone suitable with expertise in our market. Suppliers were either too small to offer the level of service we demanded or too large to want to take us on. We needed a sophisticated system and it was important to us that the complete package – hardware and software – be supplied and supported by the same source,” commented Steve. It was on a visit to the Retail Solutions show at Birmingham ’s NEC that Tilemania found the answer - specialist VAR, Nisyst .

“We were really impressed with Nisyst’s track record of supplying tailor made EPoS systems,” said Steve. “We had confidence that it could supply a complete solution with the PoS and back office functionality that our business needs; stock control, interbranch transfer, support for flexible pricing and promotions and purchase orders.”

Tilemania selected a package including Nisyst’s advanced NPoS software and Epson’s touchscreen MR-800. With its experience and expertise, Nisyst’s in-house development team was able to tailor the system to Tilemania’s precise requirements. For example, in order to quote for customers’ tile requirements, staff need to work in various units – Nisyst was able to develop this conversion functionality especially for the company.

“We have a solution which totally meets our needs and has all the functionality we require. With a proper system in place, we have been able to improve many areas of the business. For example, with an accurate measure of stock, we have been able to tighten up security as we have full stock visibility,“ added Steve.

Regaining control with sophisticated EPoS technology is just the start for Tilemania. Nisyst has also developed the system to enable Tilemania’s staff to serve customers on the move. With a Wi-fi enabled, handheld device, staff are able to walk around the store with the customer to build a ‘short-list’, performing instant quotes, checking availability, and suggesting complimentary products. Once complete, the information is sent wirelessly to the point of sale to conclude the transaction. Alternatively, with the addition of a wireless printer, the information can be printed for the customer to take away for consideration. “Offering customers this kind of service is becoming increasingly popular across many retail sectors,“ said Dave Chunilal, Technical Director at Nisyst. “Not only does it enable greater efficiency, for example, by providing the ability to check inventory remotely, but it also allows retailers to deliver a more personalised and valuable experience in-store.”