Multi-Store Collaboration
Retail chains that support multiple store front locations
face many unique business and software challenges.
EXEControl® has been designed since its inception
to address these unique multi-store concerns. At
the root of EXEControl’s multi-store
support lies the ability to consolidate or separate
business transactions by store as well as by other
criteria such as business unit. This feature has
been termed by some customers as our ‘slice
and dice’ feature. Just about any corporate
structure, including multi-tiered reporting structures
are supported within EXEControl®. Other multi-store
collaboration features include:
- Ability to have inventory visibility across all
store locations
- Ability to perform consolidated purchasing functions
- Ability to perform store transfer of goods
Rapid UPC Checkout
A primary objective for many retail stores is the ability
to ‘checkout’ a customer as quickly as
possible while capturing all necessary data. The solution,
however, can be quite different depending on the company.
EXEControl® supports a number of POS checkout
process solutions. One of these solutions is the ‘rapid
UPC checkout’, which allows the store clerk to
simply pull each product across the eye of a barcode
reader. When all items have been scanned a sales completion
button may be pressed to complete the tender process.
Integrated On-Line Credit Card Verification
EXEControl® supports both high-speed Internet
verification and traditional dial-up verification.
For those stores where Internet service is too expensive,
EXEControl®’s dial-up credit card verification
process allows for all counter stations for all store
locations to share a single dial-up line. Should multiple
counters request verification at the same time, EXEControl®
will process all requests with a single connection
so that
all counters experiences a rapid response.
Keyboard Lock/Unlock With Password Entry
There are times when employees need to leave their
registers unattended. EXEControl® supports the
ability for that employee to lock and than later unlock
their keyboard. This can be done through a single keystroke
and password or through the use of an employee badge.
When using employee badges, the unlock password may
be encoded on the badge which lessens the ability for
the password to become public knowledge.
Cash Drawer Management
One of the greatest risks of financial loss to a retail
company is the cash drawer. Strong cash drawer management
is critical for the protection of the company and their
employees. EXEControl® supports such functions.
One of EXEControl’s security features
is the ability to balance any cash drawer against a
day, a shift or an employee.
Sales, Service and Rental Transactions
EXEControl® supports a variety of point of sale
transactions. Besides the traditional ‘cash and
carry’ transactions, EXEControl® also
supports rental and service items. The POS ‘check
out’ option will produce all necessary paper
work for all items sold.
Accessory and Optional Up Sales
In some businesses when a customer purchases one item,
that item comes with accessories or options (may be
services and/or contracts). In either case it is important
to offer the accessories and optional up sales to the
customer. Failure to encourage a customer in the purchase
of these items can result in a noticeable reduction
of profits. EXEControl® provides an easy and
quick way to offer such accessories and options. Those
accessories and options purchased by the customer are
automatically added to the customer’s bill.
Companion Item Purchase Requirements
In some businesses when a customer purchases one item,
another item, service or contract is required. EXEControl® gives
the ability to either automatically add the required
item(s) to the customer’s order or to present
a message to the sales clerk asking if the item should
be added. Sales clerk can have the option to say yes
or no.
Employee Access Badges
EXEControl® supports the use of employee badges.
This is useful for many purposes including; electronic
time clock, register lock and unlock and cash drawer
identification.
Customer Loyalty Programs
When one looks at the various customer loyalty programs
in use by retail companies, you find that there are
almost as many variations as there are companies offering
such programs. EXEControl® can be used to automate
many, if not all, of your customer loyalty program
needs. Some of the loyalty programs supported include:
- Discounts on all or selected products
- Sales analysis tracking
- Mailing campaigns
- Gift certificates
- Points accumulation
Override Alert Messaging
EXEControl® allows for cause and action trigger
point messaging. This feature allows management to
give selective authority to store managers or sales
clerks with the ability to have the EXEControl® system
alert management when unusual override privileges have
been exercised. The alert can be an email, text page,
fax, screen pop up message, an audit report or any
combination. The content of the message can contain
any and all information desired including date, time,
store location, counter device and employee.
Scale/Weight Transactions
Some businesses require more than simple ‘each’ transactions.
An example would be products that are sold by the pound
or some other weight. In these situations, the EXEControl®
POS counter option may be interfaced to the scales,
provided
the scale supports some type of electronic communication.
Sales Tax Management
EXEControl® supports the sales tax requirements
of all 50 states. Each store location is identified
to their specific state and tax jurisdiction. The
system will also automatically change the tax jurisdiction
to the shipping address should the product be shipped
to the customer. Use tax is also supported. For retail
operations with special tax requirements such as
FCC
telephone tax, the EXEControl® system provides
the tools necessary to create automatic calculation
and charge routines.
Processing of ‘Call In’ Orders
EXEControl® supports the ability to have customers ‘call
in’ or place an order in advance and then come
to the counter to pick up the product. Such transactions
are originally entered into the system via the normal
order entry process, picked/pulled via the normal picking
process and then finalized at the POS counter.
Payment Only Transactions
For companies that have customers coming to the counter
to pay off, or down, their account A/R balance, EXEControl®
provides a simple to use process to collect the
money. EXEControl® also
supports prepayments, down payments and payments
on accounts.
Suspend a Sale and Later Recall
Depending on the type of equipment in use at the counter,
the EXEControl® Rental software will allow a
cashier to suspend a sales transaction, perform other
tasks including new sales transactions and then later
recall the suspended transaction for completion.
Search Product by Item Description
EXEControl® has a very feature rich search engine
that allows a company to specify what fields they may
wish to search by. Once selected, any cashier has the
ability to search for a product based upon any and
all of these field values. The fields include: description,
vendor part#, alias (other words for search purposes),
serial number’s, etc. Every field supports searching
by full words, partial words and sound alike matching.
Layaways and Gift Certificates
EXEControl® provides simple methods to record layaways
and gift certificates. Appropriate accounting entries
are generated to show the dollars outstanding toward
these two advanced payment conditions.
Multiple Payment Types
All sales transactions support multiple payments. These
payments can include: cash, check, credit card, gift
certificates and any other company defined payment
code.
Tracking of Bad Check Customers
There are basically two common ways to track customers
who have issued bad checks. The first method assumes
that each customer is uniquely identified at the
time of checkout. In this case the actual customer
master record is flagged as a bad check customer.
When the customer comes in the next time to purchase
product the system can then alert the cashier that
this customer needs to speak to customer service.
The other method is to track bad checks to a check
account number or the name on the account. Then if
the check account numbers or the name on the check
is entered, the system can then alert the cashier.
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