Berry’s Group Streamlines Efficiency with Multi-Shop Pursuit System
14 Jun 2022
High-end watches and diamond jewellery specialist Berry’s sees Pursuit as the optimal means of integrating the management of 11 shops and planned new openings.
Founded in 1897 and with five generations of family ownership, 2022 is the group’s 125th year in business. Celebrations are crowned by its exclusive anniversary Opeia collection of diamond jewellery by Berry’s in-house designer Emily Rose Holdich.
Continuing the steady expansion of its portfolio of shops in recent years, the anniversary is also being marked by two soon to be opened boutiques – Vacheron Constantin in Leeds and Omega in Nottingham. In addition, a subsidiary in Leeds, Owen & Robinson – established in 1801 -- is being re-branded as Berry’s.
Simon Oxby, Berry’s group Head of Operations, states,
“Pursuit is best described as our central nervous system. In providing a live, continuous, monitoring of sales transactions and stock movements, it gives management a moving picture in real time tracking all shops and web sales.
“We have 95 customer-facing and 31 administrative staff, all interactively linked through a combination of 30 PCs and nearly 40 tablet-type computers that run on Pursuit’s Lifestyle mobile point-of-sale terminal software.”
Understandably, there is extensive variation in stock between the group’s present five shops and boutiques in Leeds, two in York and individual shops in Hull, Newcastle, Nottingham and Windsor.
To avoid losing a potential sale, if a specific type of item a customer is looking for is not part of a shop’s stock, the system’s quick-search function of group-wide stock records makes it easy to locate a suitable piece or pieces at another branch – or centrally held inventory – and arrange transfer.
Simon Oxby explains,
“Instant access from any terminal enables staff to drill down by product type, brand and other criteria – including ring size for example – and locate stock held either centrally or at an individual shop. This streamlines efficiency in a manner that directly translates into sales-winning customer service.
“The core advantage of the Pursuit system is that sales and stock records are interconnected and continuously updated in real time. It is genuinely all embracing – and streams directly into the Sage accounting system. Irrespective of location, shop and online sales – and corresponding stock positions – are correct to the most recent transaction and the latest delivery of new stock.
“When we selected Pursuit as our technology partner, over and above the interlinkage of sales and stock records, a decisive feature is the way the system provides a live overview of all-aspects of business, product and brand performance right across our retail portfolio.
“The information the system delivers ranges from stock level alerts and trending items to sales by brand, price points and product category. All of this feeds our daily, weekly and monthly reporting requirements and gives us exactly what we need to know for properly informed business planning in the widest sense – stock optimisation for a particular shop for example, and seasonal stock planning.”
Berry’s has been running the Pursuit system for six years. On a marketing level, the group’s use of the system includes targeted email sales promotions, and profiling customers to invite to particular events.
Simon Oxby ends,
“One of Pursuit’s great advantages is its capacity to accommodate change – an essential attribute for an organisation that’s steadily growing its network of branches. Also, it is tailored to the jewellery industry, unlike a general retail IT platform that would need extensive customisation.
“At the outset, any concerns we had about transferring customer records, stock and other information from our previous system were smoothly allayed. Pursuit was able to automatically transfer getting on for 700,000 stock and customer records. In terms of time and accuracy, doing this manually would have been a massive challenge.
“Businesses in general are guarded about factors that contribute to their competitive edge. Prior to switching, we sounded out other multiple shop users, who were generous in recommending Pursuit without hesitation.
“Pursuit understands us – and is a software supplier that provides responsive support.”
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Source: Pursuit