Holland & Barrett updates store IT

Holland & Barrett, the health foods and supplements retail chain, is investing in new management software to manage store-based tasks.

The company is updating processes in its stores with new web-based software that will enable it to manage products, pricing, promotions, training and general administration in its 500 stores over a broadband network.

Jason Oakley, Holland & Barrett buying director said existing processes are largely paper-based and communicated via post, fax and telephone, which is proved time-consuming, costly and prone to error.

The retailer has purchased three web-based business forms within the software package Retail Manager from IT software and services specialist Triangle, that are due to go live in September 2007. They are Accidents and Incidents, Starters and Leavers and Petty Cash and link directly to other databases, such as Planner, so that all events are managed as a workflow.

For example, for Starters and Leavers, there is a direct link to human resources (HR) and Payroll, so that pay scales and commissions can be calculated according to training levels achieved.

The web-based format of Retail Manager automatically knows which store is using the systems so that it can display all forms in the relevant Holland & Barrett fascia. And the business is looking to streamline data collection and management processes to deliver cost and efficiency savings to its bottom line, as well as improve customer service levels.

"By automating these and other processes, we expect to be able to provide a better service to our stores and enable our associates to move from administrative tasks to serving customers," said Oakley.