Retail Store Operations

Today's retailers face numerous challenges including the economy, tougher competition, and higher customer expectations. Microsoft and retail analysts saw the need for a thorough and easy-to-use IT solution that would be economical to buy, install, integrate, change, and expand.

• One easy-to-use package resolves every POS/operations need.
• Automates and expedites checkouts and every back-office task.
• Provides new ways to market, promote, and sell! Scales up smoothly for expansion and eCommerce.
• Cuts operating and system costs.

Improve your customer service by knowing what your customers want.  Because Microsoft RMS allows you to know your customers better, you can deliver the service that they want and build lasting relationships. Some examples are:

• Serve others while keeping a stalled transaction on hold.
• Accommodate partial payments and account payments.
• Sell and redeem vouchers, gift certificates, and gift cards.
• Process returns, issue store credits, and process deposits on orders.
• Supports ActiveX®, XML, and Microsoft .Net to ensure fast connectivity and data integration between POS, back-office, off-site, and enterprise systems.

Target your marketing more effectively. Because Microsoft RMS provides instant access to a customer's complete history of purchases, payments, and account information at the register, you can do the following:

• Suggest up-sells, sale items, and volume discounts.
• Customize receipts with promotions for new products and specials.
• Use the RMS database to create targeted mailing to customers' special interests.
• Remind customers who forget items they normally purchase.

Train and manage your staff more efficiently. Because Microsoft RMS is easy to learn, you will be able to bring new employees up to speed quickly. They will be more productive because of the intuitive design of the RMS software. Additionally, touch-screen interface capability and user-defined keyboard shortcuts enhance the speed employees are able to learn and to process transactions.

Track and manage your inventory accurately. Because Microsoft RMS provides automated and integrated functionality, you can save time, reduce overhead, and position your stock to sell fast. RMS enables a retailer to manage a wide spectrum of inventory types from standard hard and soft goods to non-inventoried items, such as services and warranties. Additionally, RMS enables the simplification of complex inventory and purchasing tasks.

Checkout your customers efficiently. Because Microsoft RMS provides power and speed at the checkout, it reduces the time that your customers spend in queue. Scan and enter unlimited line-items and accept multiple tenders quickly on the same transaction. Reduce the time required for processing payments by entering credit card data into a single location; streamline credit card or debit card entry during checkout. Continue processing transactions offline during network outages.

Maximize your profitability with flexible pricing options. Because Microsoft RMS handles automatic discounts and differential pricing, you will be able to increase sales based upon the functionality of the software. Increase your sales volume by offering your customers discounts for volume purchase by percentage or dollar discounting schemes including mixed case, lot pricing capability (i.e. six pack, case, etc.), and ability to set up mix/match and "Buy X, Get Y" discounts.

---

RMS is recognized worldwide as retail’s best value for thoroughness of application in one package, for economy, ease of use, and scalability.

RMS tracks, manages, and expedites the full spectrum of retail management—sales, inventory control, credit and debit card transactions, discounts/promotions, mailings, pricing, purchasing, receivables, reporting, and suppliers. RMS runs fast and flexible reports on every item, category, associate and promotion.

RMS conforms to your business rules and needs. It gives you the same information tools that retail giants use—customer purchase histories, e-receipts, personalized customer service, and customized sales receipts.

Among all the retail solutions, Microsoft selected and acquired Sales Management Systems and their applications. These highly awarded products resolve information and operations challenges in stores and chains of any size, but are particularly efficient in lean, small and mid-market environments.

• Store Operations manages every POS information and operations facet of single-location, brick-and-mortar stores. It includes multi-channel marketing, communications, cross-platform data integration and chain-building tools.
• Headquarters pulls data from Store Operations installations, then implements corporate mandates on pricing, new inventory, stock transfers, and other decisions into chosen stores.

Integration with Microsoft® Business Solutions’ financial applications brings retailers a sophisticated, end-to-end business information solution including full financials, human resources, CRM, and more. The doors are open.

Technology Advantages of RMS

• Runs under Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Home (SP2), Windows Server™ 2003, or Windows Small Business Server 2003.
• Supports POS devices: Cash drawers, bar code scanners, scales, etc.
• Employs Microsoft SQL Server™ to scale up to terabytes of information.
• Web-integrates traditional, mobile/wireless, and remote retail systems via XML, HTTP/HTTPS and TCP/IP.
• Supports ActiveX®, XML, and Microsoft .Net to ensure fast connectivity and data integration between POS, back-office, off-site, and enterprise systems.

RMS Headquarters

Headquarters allows you to get a new store up and running with a new Store Operations database in a quick, cost-effective manner. Once one store has been created and configured as you like, quickly roll a new store database to other locations with little setup and configuration required.

• Easily create a Store Operations database for the new store by exporting data from an existing store and the Headquarters database.
• Spend time setting up the store—not the software— by using the exported Store Operations database, which already will contain every item, customer, tender, tax, etc.—everything your store needs to be operational from day one.