Retail sectors and their requirements for software depends on having accurate sales, a barcode system, quarterly results on hand to track productivity, and a method to create work schedules. Current retail software can vary from company to company. It depends on how far each one has decided to update their technology.
Some have the most up to date systems available, others are in what could be called the ‘digital stone age’. All have short falls however, as the main systems in retail sectors are simplistic, only focusing on a few tasks, completely ignoring others. The result of this can create a great deal of work for a retail manager, who may have to face a lot of manual paperwork.
EPOS or electronic point of sale systems focus on the individual sale itself and the time and date of when that sale took place. A receipt displaying this information is printed.
The concept of the software is simple. It is essentially simply calculating the sale and compiling all sale information together. It is for this reason that it could easily be implemented into an ERP system as it would not require much effort. All aspects of the business, sales as well as facility management subjects could be grouped into the ERP system used by all retail sectors.
Work schedules employees have in a retail environment may have sporadic rotations. Employees in the retail sector do not always provide flexibility or notice for absence, and may suddenly decide to change their schedule at the last minute. For a retail sector manager, can be a great challenge.
On top of the work load, the manager at times will have to manually figure the work schedule out. This can waste time and money being very time consuming. Implementing an ERP system however, could make this frustration a bit easier. The retail manager could utilize it, and change the work schedule as needed. It would be a balanced answer to a common problem.
On the facility management side of retail, often times the subject of managing facilities themselves within a retail establishment is avoided and even completely ignored. If there were a proper ERP system in place, this problem would be significantly reduced. Having such things being actively monitored in combination with the retail sector itself would improve the current lack of focus on such matters.
If the ERP system was known by each employee, and a part of the training given upon hire, results would surely be produced. Having all systems together in this way would be second nature to management as well as each employee over time; and the functions of the retail sector as a whole would improve. Everyone in the retail workplace would be cooperating with the system, due to being trained to do so. The results would be a more functional, clean, and well maintained work environment.