We are well aware that retail operations come in all shapes and sizes, from single site retailers to multiple site and multiple channel retailers. Imperium has been developed to suit your individual business with a huge array of custom options built in to allow for this. Over the years we have dealt with a range of business types from footwear and apparel (with the obvious issue of size, colour and fit) to plumbing supplies. We also have systems operating for concession operators. In essence if you sell products and wish to enhance sales through improved stock control then please contact us, we are always available to discuss with you your individual business requirements and give honest advice as to the suitability of Imperium.
We are aware that your business is individual to you and as such we want our systems to work for your individual business. We are aware of the practices used in the pub and hospitality sector and are sure your business would benefit from the introduction of Inperium. If you would like to discuss any aspect of Imperium Pubs and Hospitality further then please Contact Us
All support is provide in house by our team of knowledgeable and hands on staff. All our systems come pre-loaded with remote access software, so that we are able to instantly view your system as if we were there. Our software is extremely robust and any issues are immediately reported to us electronically, so we frequently have any issues fixed before you are even aware of their existence. With regard to hardware, Imperium Epos comprises only the best components and in most cases we will simply replace any faulty components within 1 business day. You can be assured that we provide a professional and friendly service, with most of our staff and users on first name terms.
The aim of cloud computing is to provide easy, scaleable access to computing resources and IT services. At Coland Systems we actively embrace this technology and have developed Excalibur Core Technology to enhance the provision of these services. In essence cloud computing delivers hosted services over the internet. So what does this mean to me ? Your data is not stored on your individual PC or laptop, but held at a secure off-site location. The data centre (in most cases Coland Systems) ensures that your valuable information is stored securely and backed up regularly. This absolves your business from the need to put in place expensive and time consuming measures to ensure no loss of data. The software used to run your application is likewise stored off-site and as such upgrades are provided centrally by us. No more need for software upgrades - it is all done automatically for you. Every time you log in you will always have the latest version of the software. The Imperium Management system runs directly over the internet, so all you need is a PC or laptop with a broadband connection and you have access to your system from literally anywhere in the world. Since your E-Commerce site uses the same database, product alterations and stock levels are automatically updated to take account of changes as they happen. Our Imperium Epos Systems likewise use the same technology to connect to your central database.This allows for instantly accurate stock look ups etc. All users have access to real time information. As changes are made to your central database the results are visible to all users immediately. Using cloud computing eliminates the need for end of day polling. When using Excalibur Core Technology the data moving between your central database and your Epos terminals etc. is encrypted and compressed, meaning that it is both highly secure and fast. As your business expands, adding a further Imperium Epos terminal is quick and easy - simply plug in, enter the password (that you create at back office) and you are ready to trade.
This is not an unusual occurance and one we are used to dealing with. There are many retailers who have been sold systems that they later find do not actually do what was promised, have not grown as their businesses have developed or support and upgrade costs have escalated to the point that they feel they are not getting a return on their investment. Indeed, some retailers actually put up with bad systems as they believe they are 'locked in' with the vendor and to move suppliers will involve starting from scratch. If you feel you are in this position then we at Imperium are not here to disparage your existing system but will work with you to find a solution. We have several programmers that work daily with Microsoft, Oracle and SQL databases and we are usually able to export data into our own systems. We will always look at attempting to make any transition as easy as possible and we wholeheartedly recommend that you talk to some of our existing users prior to making any committment to ensure that Imperium Solutions will perform as you expect. If you find that you are dissatisfied with your existing solution then please contact us. We are more than happy to give free advice and may even be able to come up with a hardware solution (maybe improved networking, hosting or a VPN) to improve or solve your issues.
All our systems are extremely intuitive making training relatively easy. We are able to provide training facilities at our South Wales office, on site at your business or at an alternative convenient location. That said in many cases we have successfully installed systems with complete off-site training, whereby we are able to provide training via a combination of our on screen tutorials and remote access support. We would discuss this in detail as part of the installation 'timeline', including associated costs.
Although Imperium is a powerful system, the usability of it is simple. At Epos level for example, to make a single sale the user simply enters their password, scans the product and chooses the payment method - that's it. We have developed Imperium to be extremely intuitive so that no-one (regardless of age) should feel intimidated by it and remember because each terminal is delivered with remote access software our support team can view the terminal and provide on screen help if required.
Upon request we can initiate an Imperium management trial that is a fully functional version of our software. Your database will be set up automatically and is individual to you. (this is not a communal database). You can choose between a 'sample database' option whereby your database will already be populated with some basic data to allow you to operate the system without having to fully configure the system from scratch. Alternatively, the 'blank database' option can be chosen, in which case after log on you will be presented with a series of set-up options, company details, department and category settings and so on. We recommend that you choose the 'sample database' in order to quickly acquaint yourself with the system. After registration you will be sent an email with your authentication and log on details. We will send you instructions and a link to allow you to access the system. You can always save this link in your favourites for use in the future. If you have any issues then please Contact Us.
Imperium uses embedded Crystal Reports, which is an industry standard reporting tool. The user has the availability of an array of reporting features using standard performance indicators, such as sell out rate, weeks cover, profit margin etc. The huge benefit of using Crystal Reports© lies in the ability to not just print the report, but to export into a number of the most popular formats, such as Microsoft Word©, Microsoft Excel© and Adobe pdf (to name but a few). The user can even email the reports directly from the system
Imperium has been developed to manage not just the large multi site operator but also caters for the smaller retailer. Indeed, Imperium Management has a function called 'My Store' which allows a single site retailer to operate without the added cost of an Epos terminal. The user simply logs onto Imperium management via any web browser and selects 'My Store'. From here the user can search their stock items and make sales and refunds as well as receive and return stock - allowing you to benefit from all the rich functionality only usually available to the bigger retailers. If your operation expands and later you require an Imperium Epos terminal, then add it to your existing system - simple!
Imperium has been developed with the needs of the business at the forefront - with the mantra of attaining the maximum profit from the least investment. If you are currently running your business and are unaware of what your best / worst sellers are, or if you are unaware of your mark downs (percentage or value), or even if you do not know the value (both cost and retaill) of your stock, by supplier, brand category or department then you are probably not operating at your maximum efficiency and stocking products or brands that are treading water and the investment in these items negating the benefits of your better selling products and brands. Indeed, if you have no easy method to re-order, analyse you Sell Out ratio, your profit margin, your weeks covers etc. then the chances are that you are not trading to the maximum of your potential - this is where Imperium comes in.
Imperium has been built on solid programming development standards using Microsoft languages and SQL server databases and we have in excess of 20 years experience in this sector. However, we actively encourage potential new customers to talk to our existing users and to view our competitors products - we are confident in our ability to provide you with 'best of class' systems with quality support and on-going upgrades - all from a friendly and knowledgeable company.