Claire Brown, national sales manager, weCAN Solutions
So, you supply electronic point-of-sale (EPOS) systems into bakeries. Much interest?
A few years ago, I asked the financial director of a large bakery firm, "Do you have a keyboard I can borrow?" My question was met with a quizzical, then a glazed look. "We bake bread, we don’t do IT," she said.

More concerned with bread than chips, then?
Well, quite. But how to make IT work for their business is a common concern for bakers. Technology enhances a business process, it doesn’t shape it. For example, shop revenue comes from adding up the sales items, receiving payment, working out change and keeping the money safe. Using EPOS, exactly the same process occurs, but the computer removes any human error. EPOS systems typically increase takings by 3-5%.

So it’s an easy-solve?
There are so many IT solutions, it is difficult to know which is best. Ideally, it must be user-friendly and cost-effective. Better cash control and better price control will lead to increased profit. Any EPOS supplier should be prepared to back up this promise with concrete references.

Great in theory, but managing a new IT system sounds like a headache.
Finding time to implement a new system is crucial. Your supplier will help, of course, but you do need to invest some time if the system is to fit the business needs properly. With considered implementation, a successful IT and bakery partnership will lead to increased profits.