World's largest garden centre achieves cost savings with Microsoft RMS

Davidson-Richards enables Bridgemere Garden World to eliminate manual input of stock data and reduce over-stocks

Davidson-Richards, the UK's number one provider of the Microsoft Retail Management System (RMS) and experts in the garden centre sector, has completed the implementation of a total retail management solution at Bridgemere Garden World, the world's largest garden centre. The solution, based on Microsoft RMS with enhancements from RMSynergy, has enabled Bridgemere to eliminate the manual input of stock data, significantly improving goods-receiving efficiency and reducing the time taken to import new items and prepare Christmas orders by around 50 per cent. Davidson-Richards has also designed a new interface that manages the complex problem of delivery discrepancies. Any over-supplied stock can now be flagged as off-line' pending a decision to either accept or reject it. This has helped to improve stock management and reduce over-ordering.

Following the order win from Bridgemere, Davidson-Richards implemented the Microsoft RMS solution. Davidson-Richards has also implemented the RMSynergy promotions module and a hospitality interface into the garden centre's award winning restaurant. New handheld wireless PDAs enable staff to price check stock levels in real-time, where previously all data had to be manually downloaded. The new solution will ensure that Bridgemere has total real-time stock control across its entire 132 acre site, which includes 20 display gardens and a range of greenhouses, nurseries, cafes and retail facilities with some 27 EPoS tills.

Nigel Adams, IT Manager at Bridgemere said: "Due to the size of our garden centre we needed a management system that would integrate our whole operation. When I started to look for a new system I sent a detailed survey to a number of suppliers but felt that Davidson-Richards was the most open and knowledgeable of them all. The consultants did not promise anything that the system could not achieve. We've also managed to achieve savings by removing the need to carry out end-of-day reporting thanks to our new system's real time capabilities, and Davidson-Richards has also helped us to reduce our overall support costs."

"The integration of our new chip and pin solution presented some real challenges, but Davidson-Richards consultants remained focused throughout the whole process, not all companies would have been so supportive," commented Bridgemere's joint MD Nicholas Mathias. "We are confident that due to its vast experience in this market, Davidson-Richards will be able to continue to offer us the best consultancy and software to meet our needs as we continue to grow and develop."

Keith Bateman, Retail Director, Davidson-Richards added: "We are delighted that Bridgemere selected Davidson-Richards and this order win clearly confirms the suitability of Microsoft RMS and RMSynergy offerings for the garden centre market. The fact that Bridgemere is the world's largest garden centre clearly shows the strength and expertise of our consultants, and confirms our leadership in this field."

As part of the order win Davidson-Richards will provide Bridgemere with the Microsoft Retail Management Solution, RMSynergy hospitality, data management and promotions modules and YesPay Electronic Funds Transfer technology.