“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Widely attributed to Albert Einstein, the truth at the centre of this famous quote is clear: if we want to bring about change, we have to change the way we do things. And with sustainability top of our collective agenda, against a backdrop of global economic and political unrest and an evolving customer base, change is definitely needed. Merchanting is a deeply traditional industry, dealing at its heart with construction materials in all their complex physical form. Therefore there will always be a limit to how digital or remote its workforce can be. But that should not be a limit to innovation. The role of technology in helping merchants to drive forward and innovate is a vital one. The product itself may be physical, but there are multiple ways in which digital tools can help to improve efficiency, sustainability, accuracy, productivity, profitability and customer service. In this short round-up we take a look at 5 technology innovations which have great potential benefits for merchants, from specific providers to broader concepts - and they’re not all about being online! Digital technology can revolutionise the in-branch experience and bring people to your depots, as well as your website, and can ensure they have a much better experience once there. We’d love to add to this list so please let us know what tech you’re using to build better business! Impartiality notice: We have not been asked to promote any of the businesses mentioned below, nor do we receive any form of payment or incentive for talking about them. We just thought you might be interested! NearSt. NearSt. is a service which enables customers to see exactly what stock is available in a local branch via Google or Facebook. Customers can either look up a particular store or branch to browse the available products, or can search for local outlets selling a particular product. It saves wasted trips and gives merchants a huge opportunity to showcase availability to their local market, as well as gain valuable insights into how local markets behave. One of the brilliant things about NearSt is that it can integrate with any stock or inventory management system using its own tech to identify inaccuracies and clean up data, so it can successfully work alongside legacy systems as well as newer digital systems. It doesn't even necessarily an online presence or webstore at all, as its own tech does all the heavy lifting, making it a great additional to the sales toolkit for a wider range of merchant customers. Find out more at Near.St There are plenty of other innovative businesses out there helping merchants to extend range and ease access for customers - check out VirtualStock , for example, providing businesses with "new generation supply chain and procurement solutions allowing [them] to compete in the digital age" by helping extend product range online via dropship. Woodscanner Availability issues have plagued the construction supplies sector in recent months and those challenges aren’t going away any time soon. Sites like Woodscanner make it easier for merchants to track down suppliers of materials they need to procure, as well as offering additional awareness for the merchants and suppliers concerned. More and more online services, such as price comparison sites and availability checkers, are springing up, so it pays to keep track of what’s out there, as things are moving on fast. Having trusted platforms at the ready can really augment your customer service proposition and product availability so it’s always worth a look. Discover more about Woodscanner here . In-branch technology Better Branch is a great example of digital technology helping to drive physical sales. Using robust customer behaviour and psychology modelling, Better Branch helps merchants to optimise layout and flow in-branch to boost sales; in fact, they calim to: " increase your average basket value by 40% or more while improving customer safety and satisfaction." There are loads of other examples of innovations helping customers get a better experience in-branch – point of sale hardware and software integration, in-branch digital kiosks to facilitate product search, information and ordering and digital signage, to name just a few. Find out more about Better Branch here. Better ERP / order and stock management systems Not just blowing our own trumpet here, as there are lots of great systems out there in the market. The improvement in cloud-based ERP software in recent years has been truly revolutionary, going from highly complex, unintuitive systems requiring vast amounts of training, physical server-space and clunky upgrade capability, to streamlined, user-friendly digital systems which keep all your business information up to date and easy to access. Stock management has improved in leaps and bounds and merchants can really benefit not just from stock management software that is more accurate and up to date, but systems which can massively improve efficiency, predict and minimise errors, help drive greater turnover and profitability, and offer intelligent insight into how products are selling to help inform replenishment, merchandising, pricing and much, much more. If you’re still thinking your manual system or legacy software is doing the job, it really is worth scouring the market to see what’s out there – it might be getting the job done to a point, but there could be huge scope for improvement. For 30 days of free online demo access to Merchanter, just register here. Interoperability A pretty tongue-twisting term but a vital concept in modern technology. Interoperability basically means integration. It means merchants can move away from cumbersome, monolith ERP systems which claim to do every single function in your business, instead offering a less disruptive, best-in-class solution allowing merchants to hook their order and stock management system up with the very best in the market for PIMs, product data, eCommerce, CRM, financials / accounting software, logistics and transport planning, dropship SaaS platforms and much, much more. These days, there is no need (or particular advantage) to having one system that does absolutely everything. Yes, a comprehensive ERP system can often do the job, but for merchants, the major benefits of industry-specific ERP software is usually in the product management and stock optimisation – the things which set merchants apart from other retailers. For accounting, for example, they’re unlikely to rival systems like Sage, Xero or Quickbooks – and they don’t need to. Modern system infrastructure allows for experts in each sector of industry to link together for the best possible combination of opportunities. The future’s not set Famously spoken in Terminator 2, this line has never felt more relevant. We may not have total control over what happens in the wider world, but we do have control over the decisions we make in business today which will have an impact on our collective future. Embracing the possibilities that technological innovation have to offer in the world of merchanting and construction can open a whole range of possibilities to a brighter, more sustainable future.

Supply chain management is an integral part of any business, but for timber and builders merchants – and any other merchant business for that matter - it is crucial. Efficient and effective management of a complex and often volatile supply chain is essential, to ensure timely delivery of goods, optimal inventory levels, and effective collaboration with suppliers and customers. Supply chain is the backbone of the industry and to keep things running smoothly, you need the right tools. Increasingly, cloud-based, industry-specific Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software is being adopted by timber and builders’ merchants as the best way to improve supply chain management. ERP software typically integrates the core aspects of a business, including inventory management , order processing , sales management , business intelligence, accounting, customer management and so on. It's important to note that these days, systems don’t necessarily have to incorporate all areas of a business themselves, as long as they are highly interoperable – i.e. as long as they can integrate effectively with specialist third party platforms, like eCommerce or finance platforms. By using ERP software tailored specifically to the timber and builders merchant industry , companies can improve their supply chain management in several ways. These include: Stock Management One of the most critical aspects of supply chain management is inventory management. Industry-specific ERP software can help timber and builders’ merchants to manage their inventory effectively by providing real-time stock visibility across multiple locations . The system can also automate replenishment orders, track inventory levels, and ensure that the right products are in stock when they are needed. Using an industry-specific stock management system for this ensures a level of accuracy and detail that “off-the-shelf” business management simply can’t match. It enables merchants to accurately track weights, lengths and volumes, not just unit products, and account for the timeline and logistics complexities that merchanting requires. Order Processing Efficient order processing is critical to ensuring that deliveries are made on time for customers, keeping communication reliable and information readily available. Industry-specific ERP software can streamline the order processing system, from order entry to fulfilment, allowing companies to process orders more quickly and accurately. This software can also provide customers with accurate delivery times, ensuring that they receive their products on time, and in the metrics or currencies that they work in themselves. An industry-specific system also allows for additional processes, finishes or milling instructions to be added to orders, streamlining internal processes and ensuring that everyone is fully informed about how stock needs to be handled and processed on its way to the end customer. Supplier & Customer Management Collaboration with suppliers is essential for timber and builders’ merchants. Industry-specific ERP software can improve supplier management by automating the procurement process, tracking supplier performance, and providing real-time visibility into supplier lead times and inventory levels. By doing so, companies can optimise their supply chain and reduce lead times. Advanced industry-specific software like Merchanter can also provide invaluable insights into supplier reliability, enable merchants to track and compare pricing changes and much, much more. Software like Merchanter also lets you keep accurate notes on customers so you can check past pricing, see order histories and accurately assess a customer's long-term value to the business. Ultimately it lets you offer better customer service - and one of the best ways to do that is through improved supply chain management. Logistics Management Effective logistics management is essential to ensure that goods are delivered on time and in the right condition, as efficiently as possible. Industry-specific ERP software can help timber and builders merchants to optimise their logistics by providing real-time visibility into shipments, automating shipment tracking, and streamlining the logistics process. This software can also help to optimise the delivery schedule, reducing the time and cost of transportation. Reporting and Analytics Having actionable insight into what’s happening in your business is essential. Industry-specific ERP software can provide businesses with comprehensive reporting and analytics capabilities, providing real-time visibility into stock levels, order fulfilment rates, supplier performance, customer management and logistics costs. Effective reporting and analysis lets merchants make faster decisions backed up by solid data, saving time and money at every step. Convenience Having a cloud-based ERP system means that your workforce has the information they need at their fingertips, whether they’re with a customer, in the yard or working from a home office. That level of accessibility keeps everyone informed about what’s happening in the business, giving the right people the right level of control and visibility where it’s needed, and speeding up day to day processes and operations. Ultimately, that all leads to better internal and external communication, better customer service and more efficient and profitable business management. This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of how industry specific ERP software can help timber and builders’ merchants to optimise their supply chain. Instant, reliable access to up-to-date information around stock levels, order fulfilment, supplier and customer management, accounts and analytics is critical for maintaining services levels and commercial success. By implementing ERP software tailored specifically to their industry , timber and builders merchants can improve their operational efficiency, reduce costs, and increase customer satisfaction. Try the Merchanter Demo Pricing Features

Located in a newly purpose-built, four-acre site near Stafford, Global Timber Products is a rapidly expanding timber business which has seen successive 20% year on year growth since its beginnings in 2009. Due to expansion and the need for future-proofing operations, early in 2020 the team at Global Timber decided some changes were needed to modernise not just the look, but the underlying capabilities of the business.. As well as a new website and updated brand look (currently underway and due to be unveiled soon), the team knew an upgrade was needed from the existing Sage-based operating system to something with more scope for growth. Global Timber: Planning for the future Suki Bains, Specialist Sales Manager at Global Timber, describes the selection process as exhaustive – and not helped by the emergence of a global pandemic. “We looked at all the main systems on offer in the market,” he says. “I’ve worked with several other systems in the past, but we wanted to make sure we chose something that would be just right for our business. And even more than that, we wanted to work alongside a team who understood what we’re about, and who we knew we could trust to respond to our evolving needs.” The system they eventually chose was Merchanter (as you may have guessed), our new cloud-based ERP system designed specifically for timber and builders merchant, steel stockholders and all other merchant businesses. The software itself is built to be flexible, so it works equally as well for any type of trading business. It also allows a huge amount of customisation, so you can very quickly switch between metrics, weights, lengths, split packs and so on. And because it is built specifically for merchant businesses, the stock management and optimisation features are extremely advanced, while being simple to use. Instant access – from anywhere “We were able to demo the system remotely, and we were impressed at how easy it was to use,” says Suki. “We loved that it’s available from absolutely anywhere, on any smart device, so for remote access it’s really useful.” And of course, with the issues that Covid has created, that accessibility has really come into its own. Due to the digital nature of Merchanter, everything from demo to installation can be done remotely, keeping merchant staff safe and their business healthy. But as well as being safe and convenient, it is also much faster than the implementation phase of a traditional system, and even training can be done remotely to get all staff up to speed faster. A changing marketplace It has become increasingly apparent that merchant businesses need to embrace digital technology to keep up with the pace and demands of modern trading. For some that’s not a big leap, but for others who are still using manual or older legacy systems, it’s a lot to think about. But with evolving consumer expectations and the challenges imposed in 2020 by the Covid-19 pandemic, digital transformation has moved on from a distant nice-to-have to an immediate necessity. Greater efficiency is needed to combat cost pressures and remain economic Merchants need to operate more efficiently to avoid being uneconomic. With pressure mounting from Brexit and Covid, supply chains are subject to significant interruption and forecasting has never been more difficult. Merchants must embrace new ways of creating efficiencies in their own operations to help combat those challenges. Intelligent software to streamline process and drive efficiency Global Timber offers deliver of products within 24-48 hours as standard, and as the business scales up, so the demand for efficiency grows with it. The team hopes that the new software will help deliver that, and many other benefits besides. “The biggest winner for us was just how efficient Merchanter is,” says Suki. “It will save us a huge amount of time, on paperwork, reporting, stock management, operations, everything, making us a more efficient and productive business, with much faster availability. Ten-25 customised it for us as well , and the system is easily adapted as we grow. And it was remarkably cost-effective.” The flexible pricing structure of M erchanter means that merchants can simply select the levels of access required for each user, making it affordable to have every member of the workforce using it for seamless integration and connectivity. When everyone from delivery driver to MD is hooked up to the same system, the information in that system will be better, and more up to date, than if only a handful of people are using it. When designing the new ERP system, we consulted many of our customers and talked to people throughout the industry to make sure we were building the system that merchants both needed and wanted. We knew it wasn’t enough to make it effective – it had to be easier to use, to take out as many of the daily stresses and frustrations as possible. We even brought in an experienced video game designer to make sure the user interface is as engaging and simple as possible. Ease of use is absolutely critical for us – the easier the system is to use, the more people will use it, which in turn improves the quality and accuracy of the information, which leads to better decision-making and ultimately, better business. A service partner for the long haul We have always been rather proud of the long-term relationships we have with our customers and we really do consider each of those relationships to be a true partnership. “Customer service was also an important part of the decision,” say Suki. “Ten-25 seemed really well suited for us – honest, down to earth and really flexible and responsive. We’re a very people-centred business so it was important that we like and trust the people we work with. I asked around and their other customers spoke very highly of them, so we felt confident about going with them.” Aww, shucks. But seriously, we think it’s important to get along with the people you’re working with day to day. Taking on a new ERP system is a big decision, and you need to know you’re working with a service provider who will really go further for you and take a personal interest in your success. We are thrilled to have Global Timber on board as part of the Ten-25 family, and we wish the team every success for what is looking certain to be a very bright future. Fancy trying Merchanter for yourself? Click here to request login details for the online demo system with absolutely no obligation.

Following months, if not years, of market instability and volatile pricing, merchants are under pressure to optimise their pricing and margin management to remain profitable despite needing to remain competitive. It’s a delicate balance, but there are a number of tools at your disposal designed to help with achieving it. Merchant margins are often very slim, and when supplier pricing changes rapidly, it easily become non-existent. As a one-off or conscious choice, that might be OK, but if it’s longer term or across multiple product lines, it’s going to start to eat away at your overall profitability. "The flexibility and control in terms of pricing; the simplicity; and options available to control our stocks; Merchanter is a gamechanger to our company.” Mike Tregunna, Build Supplies Ltd. Obviously there are numerous ways a great ERP system can proactively help you to manage margin, pricing and reduce waste across the business, from stock optimisation to logistics, order processing to customer service. But thinking specifically about pricing and margin protection, here are some of the ways that a merchant ERP system can help you to remain profitable yet competitive in a fluctuating market. How to optimise pricing and margin management using sector-specific software Improved pricing accuracy and consistency One of the most significant advantages of using an ERP system for pricing and margin management is the ability to ensure pricing accuracy and consistency across multiple locations and channels. With a well-designed, sector-specific ERP system, timber and builders merchants can set and manage pricing rules centrally, ensuring that all products are priced consistently across all sales channels. A system like Merchanter lets you track supplier and market pricing so you can sense-check your own prices and ensure consistency from suppliers, to avoid under- or over-selling products. You can also set up process rules, limits and alerts to keep margin consistent while flagging up significant changes. This improves pricing accuracy, eliminates pricing errors and discrepancies, and ensures that customers receive the same pricing regardless of where they purchase products. With instant access to customer records and visibility of historic transactions, it’s much simpler to apply a consistent approach with customers regardless of who is handling each specific transaction. Better cost management ERP systems can really help merchants manage costs more effectively. By providing real-time visibility into inventory levels , supply chain performance, and other key metrics, an ERP system can help businesses optimise their purchasing and inventory management processes. It can reduce waste, both physically in terms of more accurate stock ordering, allocation and logistics, and in terms of time and resource. The overall impact of enhanced cost management across the business cannot be overstated and having clearer visibility of overheads and costs will also help you to set pricing and margins at a more realistic level. Improved – and protected - margins By optimising pricing and cost management, ERP systems can also help timber and builders merchants improve their margins. And with built-in controls that let you set and control margins at the optimum levels , either by customer, product line or product type, you have all the tools at your fingertips to manage and safeguard your margins. Better analytics and reporting Being able to see in an instant what’s going on in your business, and having your focus drawn to the gaps and issues quickly, lets you make faster, smarter decisions about how to manage your operations. Greater insights let you set pricing at the optimum levels, while easy-to-use tools let you experiment to see what works best across the business. It can also flag up supplier issues and customers whose service requirements outweigh the value of their business to help you make informed decisions about who you choose to work with. With real-time insights into sales performance, inventory levels, and other key metrics, an ERP system can help businesses identify gaps, trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement. This can help merchants make more informed pricing and margin management decisions that improve profitability and drive growth. Enhanced customer service Consistency, reliability, fairness and accessibility of information all lead to a better overall customer experience. When you have the information you need at your fingertips, your team can answer questions faster, look up past quotes and orders, and ensure well-informed and reliable logistics communication. Retaining customers is usually more profitable than having to acquire new ones so again, keeping existing customers happier, and finding opportunities to upsell where possible, makes for a profitable and efficient business model. An industry-specific ERP system like Merchanter can help merchants of all kinds to create efficiencies across all areas of the business. At the heart of any merchant business’ sustainability will always be profitability, so make sure you have the tools you need to make informed, commercially astute decisions across the business. Try the Merchanter Demo Pricing Features

Royal Mail has recently made announcements that the current stamp format for postage is changing. A new, barcoded format is being introduced and the existing stamp format will no longer be valid after 31st January 2023. Why is Royal Mail making this change? As well as listing security as a big reason for the change, Royal Mail says the move will also make the stamps more modern as they will enable people to interact with multimedia features associated with their deliveries. These could include entertainment add-ons (such as the exclusive Shaun the Sheep videos currently available direct from the barcodes) as well as more practical help. See the Royal Mail site here for more info. Does it affect all stamps? No. Seasonal and certain special issue, limited-edition stamps are exempt and will continue to be valid so don’t require swapping out. Find out exactly which stamps need to be changed here . How to swap existing stamps for the new format Royal Mail has introduced a Stamp Swap-Out Scheme to help people exchange invalidated stamps for the new variety. Depending on how many you need to swap you can print the relevant form from the website and return stamps by post to complete the exchange. Find out all the details by visiting the Royal Mail information page . Before you go… We wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t add a further message to this. While there are times that sending physical post is necessary or even preferable, it’s worth bearing in mind that issuing bulk communications such as invoices by physical post has a number of drawbacks. These include: Cost. Stamps don’t come cheap these days and if you’re sending a lot of post out, the costs will really rack up. And that’s before you add in envelopes, paper, print toner… Emailing can vastly reduce these costs over the course of a year. Environmental impact . Even if you’re using recycled materials and recycling as much as possible yourself, sending large amounts of post has a fairly hefty carbon footprint, from the materials used to the methods of delivery. While email is not without a carbon footprint itself, it is significantly smaller than physical post. Time. It takes far longer to print, fold, seal and post a letter or invoice than it does to email it, especially when emailing can be automated. Plus, an email can be delivered instantly, without waiting for the post to arrive. Security. Unless you are using recorded or tracked delivery for every letter, invoice or reminder you send, you have no way of knowing that your customer or supplier has actually received it. With email, you can digitally track every communication with much greater accuracy. Efficiency. Automating invoices , reminders or alerts from your ERP system to trigger email communications to customers and integrate responses, payments and other information back into the system creates a much richer information system, with instant access to up-to-the-minute status reports on any aspect of a customer or order. You can’t do that with a letter now, can you? Merchanter, our cloud-based ERP system for merchants , lets you digitise and in many cases automate your communications, as well as loads of other processes throughout your business, saving time, error and effort. Find out how much time you could save – why not try our free 30 day online demo system ?

Merchants’ needs change all the time, and with the market presenting so many tough challenges at present, it’s even more important that their systems can keep pace with those accelerating changes. We aim to provide the very best ERP system for merchant businesses and so we are constantly updating and improving Merchanter to give our customers access to the very latest version of the software, and the best features to work with. Here is a quick summary of just a few of the new or improved features rolling out with September’s Merchanter update. And remember, because it’s a cloud system, the updates roll out automatically, so they don’t cause a load of disruption to the working day. PO/Credit Note Permissions This function allows pre-authorised limits for Purchase Orders and Credit Notes to be set up for more junior staff members to save time at the point of processing and for senior staff members issuing approvals. Critically, it also allows for inter-branch transfers as well, and can even be used for shared users, identified by their unique PIN so everyone’s actions are recorded. Sales Management Improvements Price tracking: Order lines now include a letter code to denote how the price was derived. That means you can see at a glance whether it’s an automatic tabled price, quoted price, manually set, margin based and so on. You can also easily switch between different pricing, setting them by margin, manual input, value etc. It’s a useful way of keeping an eye on prices and ensuring you know exactly how and why each order line price has been set at that particular rate. Customer Records: From a customer's records, it’s now even easier to see the detail of every line per order, just by clicking to expand an order. It’s a really quick and easy way to check the details when you need to. Cash Drawer: This helpful little update has improved end-of-day cashing up. It’s split by senior and junior user to enable more junior members to complete the end-of-day report without having to approve it, thereby reducing delays in processing. Instead, discrepancies can be commented on with a simple note, and will be automatically flagged for approval by a more senior member of the team. That way, the cash drawer is instantly released to be traded in once again, and there is no danger that discrepancies will be overlooked or mistakenly approved by someone without the right authority to do so. Stock Enhancements: We’ve added the ability to buy, stock and trade just by weight of product. You can switch easily between kilos and tonnes and of course, there’s still the Unit Price option for pre-bagged materials. But this should make life a lot easier for those of you dealing with aggregates and other weight-based materials, whether you’re bagging it up yourself or trading it loose. We’ll be back next month with another round-up of the key updates we’ve made. In the meantime, if you have ideas for features or tweaks that would make your life easier, please get in touch! We’d love to hear from you. Try the Merchanter Demo Pricing Features

In what has felt like the blink of an eye, 2022 is almost behind us – so what is 2023 looking like? In 2022, we added over 280 features to Merchanter; brought on board several new customers; and developed integrations with a broadening range of third party platforms and services. In 2023 we look forward to building on the foundations of continual improvement that we have been developing this year, focusing on some really important areas. It’s sure to be another busy year, and we have plenty in the pipeline. Without wanting to get too bogged down in the details of every planned development and feature (though rest assured there are plenty), our plans for 2023 fall broadly into two main areas, which we wanted to share with you. Customer success planning Yes, that means you! More focus on what keeps our customers happy is definitely on our agenda for the year ahead – and we would really appreciate your input on that. We like to think we are a responsive bunch so the more we know about what you need, the better able we will be to help you achieve your goals. We have invested in a new and improved system internally for handling helpdesk queries, and will continue to refine and improve those systems for you to benefit from, and we continue to develop our staff to provide you with expert, responsive service. And speaking of enhanced service, one of the big initiatives in this area that we’re excited to launch next year will be our Ten-25 Knowledge Base . Despite being simple to use, there’s a lot more to Merchanter than meets the eye. We understand that it’s impossible to get acquainted with every feature in the system when you’re starting out. Over time though, you’ll want to access more advanced features and functions to make sure you’re getting the best value from your system at all times. From customer feedback we know that a convenient, self-service option for training and help resources would be welcome. We are therefore putting lots of effort into building a comprehensive Knowledge Base . This will be a destination for system feature help, video tutorials and walk-throughs, which will be available for all users as part of our unlimited service package. We plan to launch it in the new year and will be adding to it continually over time. Finally, we are really excited to be launching the Merchanter Notification Centre in 2023. This will give you total control over all the system alerts and notifications that each user receives. That means you can be confident that all the key metrics and alerts you need to see are right in front of you, without being bombarded all day with irrelevant notifications. We think it’s going to be a real game-changer for users and we can’t wait to get it rolled out next year. Emerging technology hub capability 2023 will be the year of connectivity. We follow industry trends carefully and aim to stay a step ahead in the future-readiness of our software, to give our customers every available advantage. Cloud technology is a wonderful enabler. It represents a key shift in the way that people and businesses use technology – a system like Merchanter is able to sit at the centre of your business and link to the platforms and services you wish to add on to take your organisation forward, rather than being responsible for every function itself. It’s a huge step forward in terms of being future-ready and puts users in a strong position to take advantage of emerging technologies which can really benefit merchant business. It means you can choose the best-in-class solution for each business area, rather than shoe-horning everything into one massive, lumbering system. Agility and response-time are crucial in today’s volatile commercial landscape and the flexible, interoperable nature of a cloud system puts you in exactly the right place to take advantage of the new tools at your disposal. In 2022 we have set up some great integrations with major eCommerce and finance platforms, and plan to increase these capabilities further in 2023. We are also looking at advanced data migration and analytics integrations, as well as new routes to market like NearSt and SnapIt, to name a couple. Having the option to add on the right elements for your business will be hugely powerful. As always, if there area specific integrations you would like us to set up, we would be happy to investigate the feasibility and action where possible. Let’s work together 2023 looks set to be an exciting, if almost certainly challenging, year. With collaboration, communication and commitment, we know it can be enormously successful. We are so grateful to our customers for continuing to recommend our system to other industry colleagues. Thank you to all our customers and industry colleagues who have supported and championed Ten-25 and Merchanter over the last year – let’s see where we can go together next. Try the Merchanter Demo Pricing Features

We talk a lot about why you should invest in a digital ERP system. What we talk about less are the reasons why you might not. We know it's a big decision - we just happen to think it's worth it. So here are our 8 top reasons NOT to invest in a shiny new ERP system. 1) It’s really expensive There’s no getting away from it. Good ERP software, complete with implementation package, continual upgrade capability and full-time helpdesk support, does not come cheap. But would you want it to? Your business is pretty important, yes? It makes sense to invest in systems which can help it to thrive, and which can evolve alongside it. The time, experience and cost of designing, building, delivering and servicing complex ERP systems is immense, and so the cost is always going to be high. But the potential value of a great system to drive process efficiency, waste reduction and profitability is much greater. In fact, a good ERP system should be able to pay for itself in the value it brings to your business and even add value on top. So when you think about it, is it really that expensive? 2) It’s disruptive to implement Yes. Yes it is. Again, no getting away from it. Changing to a new system is never a walk in the park. HOWEVER. Firstly, NOT changing can be much more damaging in the long run, as you lose out on scalability and functionality which can really benefit your business and boost efficiencies and process improvements across the board. Secondly, choosing a cloud system means, on the whole, significantly less disruption than any legacy system could ever dream of. Everything from demo to training can be done remotely, and if your chosen system happens to be intuitively designed for easy use, your workforce can be up and running much faster than you might imagine. 3) I’m going to lose a lot of data moving systems Well yes, you might. It’s a possibility. Data migration can be painful, depending on the interoperability of the systems you’re switching between and the complexity of the information you’re carrying over. But when was the last time you audited all the information you hold? When did you last give it a good spring clean and make sure it’s all up to date? It might be a hassle, but actually migrating data can be a brilliant opportunity to give your information an overhaul and make sure it’s a) up to date, b) relevant and c) in a format that will be compatible with other systems, like your PIM or CRM system. So while you might "lose" some data along the way, it's likely only to be information that you are better off without. 4) My staff are going to hate me for this OK, so people don’t often like change, or the idea of it. If you’ve been using a particular system for years, it’s may seem easier to stick with it. And as we've said before, implementing a new system can be disruptive and involves work and learning. But "easier" isn’t necessarily what’s best for your business. Or, for that matter, for your people. How do you know what might work better, faster and more efficiently, if you don’t look around at what’s in the market? New digital systems like Merchanter are designed with ease of use front and centre. It’s not difficult to learn, and it makes every process, every day, simpler and easier for a more productive and enjoyable experience. So while you might get a bit of resistance up front, they’re going to thank you in the long run. 5) I don’t want to pay for a load of features I don’t need Of course you don’t. Why would you? Your business is unique, and has its own requirements. Some are small and just getting started while others have years of habit and experience of doing things in a certain way. Some are expanding, some are diversifying – but all of them need to make intelligent business decisions which ensure the future continuity of the business. Some ERP systems, like Merchanter, offer a range of user options so you can simply pick the features package each user will require. That means you’re not paying over the odds for features you don’t need or want. But it also means that as you grow, you can easily switch between user bands to enable more advanced functionality or new features to suit emerging parts of the business. 6) We’ve used the same supplier for years OK, this one is harder to get around and we hear you. We’ve worked with loads of our customers for a very long time and we would hate to see any of them jump ship and look elsewhere. That said, if it were the right decision for their business, we would of course understand. Relationships are extremely important, and if you work with a supplier you trust and respect, but aren’t happy with the software, why not talk to them about it? Modern system architecture often enables faster adaptation and addition of new features so it’s possible your current system can be upgraded to have the functionality you need. And sometimes the business decision will outweigh the relationship and you need to do what’s best for your people and your business. Whatever your situation, we urge you to choose a software supplier who you get on with, who takes the time to understand your business and who you see yourself having a good working relationship with. The software is really important, but so are the people and relationships involved, and we know these decisions aren’t always easy. 7) It doesn’t do EXACTLY what we need it to do This can be a deal breaker, for sure. Maybe you were looking for an end-to-end system, but the one you like doesn’t have an accounts package. Maybe you wanted a module for transport, or a particular function for supplier rebate management. Firstly, if you’re looking at a cloud-based system, talk to the supplier. Modern system architecture is far more flexible than with traditional systems, so it’s far more feasible to adapt and add functions and features than it used to be. Secondly, if the system has a good level of interoperability with third party apps and platforms, you don’t necessarily need it to do everything. Linking in with a specialist accounts package like Sage or Xero might be simpler (especially if you already use it!) and often it’s cheaper and quicker to simply link with a sector specialist than to design custom software features from scratch. So yes, it CAN be a deal-breaker. But it doesn’t have to be. 8) I don’t know which to choose – there’s a lot of choice out there There are lots of great digital ERP options out there for merchants like you. And, while we appreciate that it doesn’t make the decision any easier, that’s a great position to be in, as it means you can shop around and find both the software and supplier that suits you and your business best. If you register here , we’ll send you login details for our own Merchanter online demo system so you can have a play for yourself. The wealth of choice on offer can be bewildering but it’s a great position to be in. Don’t rely on habit – ask more from your IT supplier, and get the best software for you. Still not convinced? If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your trading or stock management system but for whatever reason, haven’t done so yet – it might be time to ask yourself what’s stopping you. There has never been a more urgent need for merchants to embrace the opportunities that digital ERP systems have to offer, and provide an upscaled level of productivity, service and profitability. So maybe it's finally time to say YES. If you'd like to try Merchanter completely free and with no obligation and no pesky sales people loitering in the background, just register here and we will send you login details for the online demo system.

Coming soon: smart new “catalogue” product status feature We’re excited to unveil a feature so new it’s not actually live yet! It’s still in testing and is due to roll out with system updates in the autumn, but we wanted to give you a heads up as we think it’s pretty great. (If we do say so ourselves) Introducing a new product status As a merchant, your product file is crucial. Keeping up to date with what products you sell is one thing – keeping up to date with what products you might sell, or have ever sold, is another thing entirely. We are introducing a new product status to help merchants manage their product portfolio more quickly and easily, both operationally and administratively. “Live” products are the items and materials you actively buy, stock and trade. “Catalogue” products are those which you may have sold in the past but which haven’t been actively traded for a certain period of time (and yes, you get to specify what the period of time is, to suit you) This means that day-to-day, you’re sorting through a smaller, more easily managed product list, speeding things up and simplifying everyday tasks. But you have the scope to broaden that list out to search all the products you might trade, or have traded in the past, all without cluttering up your everyday operations and searches. Effectively it’s an archiving system, but one which saves time and effort on a daily basis and – crucially – doesn’t need manual administration. Intelligent categorisation and system management The system will automatically be able to assign products as live or catalogue depending on how recently that product has been actively bought, stocked or traded in your business. So, the products in your yard or warehouse, the ones being bought and sold regularly, the ones you most commonly trade, are all identified as live products. You can set the parameters to say at what point a product will drop into catalogue. It might be 3 months, or a year, that’s up to you. But once you’ve set it up, the system manages it for you so you don’t have to worry about it. The product is still there, able to be accessed at any time, and once it is bought, stocked or sold again, it’s automatically back on the active, live list. Saving time and effort without compromising range If you have a product file of 20K products but only actively trade 5K of them, logically speaking it’s going to take you a lot longer to sort through those additional 15K lines when you don’t need to. Thanks to Merchanter’s intelligent product status categorisation, it will automatically show you the products which are, day-to-day, the most relevant, thereby saving you time and effort. The rest of the product portfolio is still right there, and if it does become active, it will go straight back into the “live” list without you needing to do anything. It’s a clever little change which we hope will be a big benefit to our customers. We’d love to know what you think of it once it’s rolled out later in the year, so please do let us know! Try the Merchanter Demo Pricing Features

When it comes to sales, it’s sometimes hard to know where to focus first. There are so many elements to think about, it’s not always easy to know the best way forward. Merchants are facing lots of challenges right now, like volatile pricing, uncertain availability, rising fuel and energy prices and even recruitment issues, it can feel like a minefield. So we thought it would be helpful to look at a really simple set of numbers that can transform your sales approach and create some brilliant quick wins. It’s worth noting that Merchanter has over 120 KPIs as standard, so there are plenty more features and tools which can help you boost sales, profitability and efficiency. Today, we’re looking at four very specific KPIs which, when used together, can practically write your sales and marketing plan for you. In later blogs we’ll dive into more of the system’s capabilities and help you get the most back from it. Customer analysis worth its weight in timber It’s deceptively simple, but these four numbers can tell you a great deal about what’s going on in your business and where you need to focus. New Customers Obvious, right? This is, quite simply, the number of new customers acquired in your specified time period. So far so easy. And right underneath it, this particular image says “no change.” So, you know that this number hasn’t increased. Once you start to use the system for a while and build up the information, you can then start to learn what your normal rate of acquisition is, and compare data over the last 30 days or six months, for example, to see where the trends and patterns are. Once you know that, you know whether you’re on track to hit targets and, crucially, whether there are gaps to fill. And if there are gaps, whether they’re perfectly normal or something to be a bit more concerned about. What’s the action? This metric lets you know at a glance whether you need to focus specifically on attracting new people. That might be through a marketing campaign, a sales promotion or perhaps even by using a new sales channel like NearSt, or using a marketplace platform. Whatever you choose, you have the information to hand that lets you know where to focus. Existing Customers You can immediately see whether this number is going up or down, so you know again where to focus your efforts. It’s much cheaper, generally speaking, to keep existing customers happy than have to go out searching for new ones, so it's a really important factor. What’s the action? If this number is rising steadily over time then great, though still make sure they’re happy, and look at whether you could upsell more to those customers to increase revenue. If the number’s dropping, then you need to act fast and work out why customers aren’t returning to buy from you. There could be a whole host of reasons but critically it puts you in control and lets you know where to turn your attention. Inactive Customers People who have bought from you before but who haven’t been back for a while (and you can set how long this period is yourself) are a rich opportunity for quick sales. Unless there’s a very good reason for them not coming back to you, there’s a good chance that by reminding them you exist, you could encourage them back again. You can also look at the increase / decrease to see which way the inactive customer moved – did they buy again, thereby becoming active again? Or did they slip into the dormant category, which might need more action from you? What’s the action? You might decide to run a promotion to entice these customers back again, or conduct some research to find out why they left. Either way, you have the information to know where to focus, and can then decide on the best way to go about winning them back again. And if there was a bad experience in the past, it’s much better to address and fix it than potentially let their bad press turn other prospective customers against you too! Dormant Customers These are customers who haven’t bought from you for a significant period of time. It might be that they simply no longer need your services but sometimes there’s more to the story. In this particular example, alarm bells would probably be ringing as that number is increasing. What’s the action? That’s up to you but you have a ready-made list of customers who have bought from you before. Like the inactive customers, there may well be some among them who could be tempted back with a good offer. But at least you have the information there at your fingertips to work with, and looking at the four numbers together can help you build a really clear picture of how your sales attraction and retention processes are working out. It literally pays to know your numbers Of course, not every system is the same so depending on the one you’re using, it might not be as easy to uncover these sorts of numbers. But the advantages of knowing them are potentially huge, helping you to focus sales and marketing opportunities on quicker wins rather than hoping your efforts land with the right audience. We will continue to look at sales tools within the system over the coming weeks. If you want to check out more of them for yourself, why not sign up for online demo access , which is free for 30 days, so you can see for yourself how much easier life would be with the information Merchanter provides. Over to you - what are the issues causing pressure for your sales team right now?

As we neared the end of 2017, we took a look back on what had happened in the year. In the summer, we welcomed a number of new customers to the Ten-25 family (some of you may even remember us writing about them in our newsletter - you can sign up here ) We caught up with them to see how they were getting on. If you have been using a system for a long time, it becomes second nature to you. All those little short cuts and tricks you have learned take time, so switching to a new system will always take a while to bed in. As Charlie Socofsky of Channel Timber commented: After doing things one way for 30 years, it has taken us a while to adapt. We’re getting there though, and we know the features of the system will be really beneficial. There’s a lot of potential there to do even more than we’re already doing, and we’re getting to grips with it all now. We know it isn’t always easy learning new ways of doing things, and we’re always available to provide ongoing help and advice for our customers. We pride ourselves on our service, and provide as much training and support as our customers need to get them up and running. Jarlath Blewett of AJ Ferguson said: The training up front was very useful; in fact there was so much information it was difficult to take it all in before being up and running with the system . He suggested that perhaps splitting training over time, allowing users to get to grips with the basics before following up with the more complex functions, might be useful, and this is certainly something we are happy to work on. The longer you use a system and the better you know it, the more you’re likely to get out of it. Charlie Socofsky said: The data available on the system is tremendously useful, and the more we use it and add to it, the more useful it becomes. We’re making real headway with it, which looks set to improve even more the longer we use it. Jarlath Blewett added: We’re confident this is the system for us – it’s absolutely right for our business, even if it takes a while to get really proficient with. There will always be little niggles with any new system, as it’s such as big change, but overall we are happy with it and I’m sure as we get to know it better, we’ll get even more value from the excellent reporting features. “Every business is different,” agrees Charlie. “We all have our own ways of doing things so it will take a while for any new system to be completely tailored. We needed a few adjustments up front which took time, but Ten-25 listened to all those needs and made the changes we requested. It speaks volumes that we hardly ever have to contact Ten-25 these days – but we know they’re there if we need them.” So, what should you be aware of if you’re thinking about taking on a new system? Be patient . Any new system is going to take a while to bed in, and even longer to become second nature. Think through your needs up front . If you think the system needs adapting to suit your business, ask us; chances are, we can tailor it to meet your needs. Consider splitting out the training . We can look at covering basic usage up front, and then follow up with more in-depth training later on, so you’re not overwhelmed. Take a long term view . Yes, our systems are user-friendly but old habits die hard, and it will take a few months for everyone in your business to get to grips fully with the workings of a new system. Talk to us . If you have any concerns at all, we’re always just a phone call or an email away, and will happily give you the support you need. Do you have any comments or advice to add? Please get in touch and let us know! And thank you to Jarlath and Charlie for their honest and helpful feedback.

Sustainability must remain at the top of the business agenda. We are facing enormous challenges in our future, with Covid-19 and Brexit dominating many headlines, but climate change needs consistent, sustained effort and we all need to do what we can. Business practices have moved on a long way in recent years, and the rise of cloud technology has expedited a number of efficiencies which can have significant impact on sustainability. If you are using an industry-specific, cloud based ERP system to control your merchant operations, here are just 10 of the ways your software can drive enhanced sustainability. 1. Use less paper A cloud system enables the simple transfer and recording of digital documents, even down to delivery notes and PoDs. Add in POs, invoicing, digital product certification and so on, and you can start to see how the quantities of paper being used across the business can quickly rack up. 2. Source responsibly Your software can help you to actively seek out the most responsible, sustainable sources of materials, whether that be FSC and PEFC certified timber or simple comparisons between steel sources and suitability . 3. Certification documenting Thanks to digital documentation and simpler filing, it’s never been easier to store, access and filter product certification , helping you to select responsible materials in the first place and ensure the audit trail is intact from supplier to end user. 4. Reduce waste This is a broad one (and we expand on it further below). But with more efficient stock management comes reduced wastage, as you manage overstocks more effectively and streamline processes. But there is also a reduction of administrative time and wasted resource on the running and documentation of the business, including paperwork, to reduce waste in many ways throughout the business. 5. Logistics efficiency Your ERP system can help you drive significant efficiencies in your logistics and supply chain. For one thing, having clear and holistic control over the movement of stock and orders can help you combine orders and reduce low-volume or inefficient deliveries, but you can also improve route-mapping efficiency to reduce mileage and time spent on the road. You can also improve turnaround time and avoid waste through enhanced management of orders going directly from supplier to customer, or back-to-back deliveries through your sites. 6. Workforce capability and flex A cloud ERP system enables more flexible and remote working, requiring fewer staff to be on site, fewer journeys being made for office time or meetings, and can facilitate a much more agile workforce with more efficient working practices. And the simpler it is to use, the more engaged and productive your workforce will be, improving productivity and helping every member of the team to develop faster and further than ever before. 7. Hardware Legacy systems often require cumbersome servers and hardware, which need regular updating, not to mention on-site servicing. A true cloud-based ERP system allows you to run your business on your smart device and is hosted in the cloud, negating the need for material-hungry specialist hardware and visits to the site for updates. 8. Re-deploy, re-use, re-cycle Using your ERP system to drive effective and accurate stock management has so many benefits for sustainability it requires more than one point in this list. Using various KPIs, such as stock turn, stock value, order frequency and so on, you can see very easily which products are driving your business forward and which are languishing in the yard, costing you more than they’re making. Identifying these culprits can present great opportunities for repositioning or re-using products in other ways; if you’re selling out of 2m lengths of timber but overflowing with 4m, there seems a simple solution. 9. Agility to reclassify and use “less than perfect” products Just as supermarkets have been on a drive to reduce waste and sell "wonky" fruit and veg, there are plenty of products that are damaged in transit or production which would normally be written off and wasted, but which retain functional use. Because your ERP system should give you the flexibility to create your own product lines, you can still use these where there is a functional need, perhaps at a lower price point or as an add-on for “behind-the-scenes” materials which don’t need to be beautiful to do their jobs. Split packs or make up your own – whatever you need to and however you want to do it, the flexibility is there at your fingertips to ensure you have the power to reduce waste significantly. 10. Boost profitability to stay in business As Lord Deben said at the BMF Annual Conference , sustainability is not just about climate change and environmentalism. It is also about educating your staff to help customers make more sustainable choices, and above all, staying in business. Economies need sustaining too and in the construction industry we have a collective responsibility to source responsibly and educate customers in sustainable practices – so the number one concern is staying in business to do those things. With an intelligent, cloud-based ERP system to help you operate your business more efficiently and use more data-driven decision-making, waste goes down and profits go up. You stay in business, employ good people, educate customers and have the platform to do more good. And that is a win-win if ever we’ve seen one. “This is a future we know we have to have. Climate change has shown us the path we need to be on. This is not an add-on, or an extra. It’s what you need to do, to be profitable and to safeguard your business. If you don’t, others will, and you will lose out. …To be a successful merchant, that’s where you need to go, and you’ll make the world a better place in the process.” - Lord Deben, Chair of the Committee on Climate Change