IT Technology Gives the Builders’ Merchant Sector an Advantage

There are a number of ways in which builders’ merchants can utilise technology to help them free up time and save costs – one of these is through more streamlined inventory management. This is a key consideration for builders’ merchants because losing track of inventory can be very costly and can also drain time and resources to correct mistakes, and affect a business’s reputation when customers are disappointed by delays. Luckily, there have been some fantastic advances in inventory management, meaning businesses can automate their inventory tracking and manufacturing, thus streamlining the entire process.

An inventory management system means staff no longer have to manually receive inventory – the system enables a shipment to come in, the purchase orders can be scanned, and everything will appear in the system. This will eradicate any human errors that could affect this process. The system can also flag where an item should have been received but hasn’t been, and then add it on back order. This type of system also means that business owners will have more time to focus on other areas of their business and how they can grow.

Another way in which technology is proving advantageous for builders’ merchants is through Point of Sale (POS) software. By having an electronic POS system, a business gains access to detailed customer and product information during the checkout process. This not only helps to manage their inventory systems, it also helps to improve productivity and satisfy customers. Good POS systems are designed to get customers through the checkout process quickly, creating a positive experience that promotes repeat business.

These systems make it easy for staff to quickly scan items and look them up in the system. Processing returns is also easy, and transactions can be sent by email or fax, giving flexibility and saving paper. With some POS systems it may also be possible to import data from external software, eliminating the need to rekey these items, saving time and preventing mistakes.