App lets managers check on sales figures on the move, Alworths tries it out
A new apps from retail solutions company Futura Retail Solution AG lets managers who are out and about check on sales figures and other head office data from their mobiles, as companies increasingly embrace mobile in the management of retail outlets. Leading retailer and Woolworths replacement Alworths has tried it out and finds it gives quite a boost to morale and productivity. Designed for busy managers on the move, Futura4Phone will enable users to interrogate their head office data to see overall performance figures or to drill down into sales of specific lines, promotions or individual store performance to whatever detail they require. Initially available for Blackberry and iPhones, Futura4Phone provides the missing link for managers who need to know how their business is performing when away or out of contact. Futura’s research has shown that most senior management travelling, or on leave, call their offices at least once a day for the most up to date figures. Allowing managers to access this live information directly means they will be in a better position to respond to changing conditions without having to take key staff from their duties. If potential problems are spotted, managers can then quickly email or call staff to take remedial actions, who will also have access to this data at Head Office. Having instant information in a manner that they find valuable will allow managers to make better informed decisions, faster and allow them to stay in control at all times. Trialling the Futura4Phone application Andy Latham, MD of Alworths said: “Futura4Phone gives me live, up to the minute sales and other management information while I am out of the office. This enables me to keep up to date with company performance and to instigate actions in line with performance; it creates a business environment that is able to react to the changing wants and needs of our customers in the most cost effective way.” Latham added: “It’s great knowing you can be anywhere and be confident that you know how your business is performing in real time. All this, without having to rely on members of your team producing and sending you the information. This frees them up to do what is most important: to act on the information available rather than spending time producing it. Futura4Phone works by connecting mobile phones via the internet to the head office server, which is constantly collecting all live shop and stock data in the Futura system. CEO’s not using Futura as their shop system can also use the technology if their retail system passes all branch data to their Head Office live or on a trickle fed basis. Managing Director of Futura Retail Solutions Ltd Ian Royall said: “In line with our perpetual drive to provide innovative value added products and services to our customers we are delighted to be at the first retail system supplier to embrace this mobile technology so extensively.” Futura4Phone is available immediately to Futura customers priced from £400 plus installation, maintenance and support. For users of other POS systems prices are available on application. The system is flexible allowing additional functionality to be defined by the client.