Jarrold uses Stores Accounts Management System to impove Customer Service

Jarrold’s flagship Norwich department store offers five floors of merchandise ranging from fashion to homewares, a separate sports shop, and furniture and stationers outlets around Norfolk. A year ago Commercial Finance Manager Ginny Porteous oversaw the implementation of the newly developed Store Accounts Management System (SAMS). This Futura-built system handles all card, credit, interest free and business accounts and was developed with the full support of Jarrold staff.

Jarrold’s staff found SAMS was so simple to run with its uncomplicated end of month routine and statement preparation taking about 2 hours instead of 1½ days, that dedicated IT involvement was no longer required.

Visually, the system was quick for staff to learn and simple to use. With its traffic lights showing credit status, quick input control to amend customer details and standard Windows™ functions, SAMS was readily accepted by the team. Account status and ‘available to spend’ are now sent to the tills calling for authorisation under given conditions. It quickly allows the team to check the account status for all account types – staff, temporary or business and authorise additional transactions where appropriate.

Account holder loyalty exploits SAMS facilities to track customer spending and earn loyalty points. These are turned into gift vouchers once a threshold is reached. SAMS continues to be developed in the light of experience and to better meet business requirements. The Jarrold team have seen the benefits SAMS can deliver.