However, following the announcement that Uniwell Systems UK had been placed into administration, many traders were left wondering who would be able to support and maintain their existing Uniwell EPOS Systems.

Here at North West Business Machines we have a wealth of experience installing and supporting Uniwell Epos Systems, in fact, when Uniwell first began operating in the UK, North West Business Machines were their first established UK dealer.

Such was the popularity of the Uniwell brand, that a new buyer came in, after only a few weeks of Uniwell having gone into administration. Having installed and supported Uniwell Epos Systems for over 20 years, North West Business Machines have built up an impressive portfolio – supplying, installing and supporting just about every Uniwell product.

Not only this, here at North West Business Machines we have proudly installed many Uniwell systems for high profile, multi-site customers including GMP, Funny Girls, Odd Bar and Bolton College – further cementing our reputation as experts in the field.

NWBM are more than able to continue to support and assist any business with Uniwell hardware that requires help either with programming or repairs. For more information, or a quote please contact us on 01254 881177.

The best trade show for the hospitality sector is back! The Northern Restaurant and Bar Show will be held at Manchester GMEX on 12th and 13th March 2012. Each year the event attracts thousands of Northern hospitality professionals to the show, each looking for inspiration, ideas and new suppliers – particularly in the food and drinks industry.

North West Business Machines are no stranger to this show; this year marks our eleventh, yes that’s right, our eleventh year at the show! The Northern Restaurant and Bar Show is an invaluable opportunity for those in the hospitality sector to benefit from meeting top suppliers, seeing chef demonstrations and not forgetting of course, the chance to mingle with like-minded colleagues and peers.

This year Anthony, Edwin and Stewart will be demonstrating a range of fantastic hospitality products, including:

• Touchscreens
• Handhelds
• Loyalty Software
• Back Office Software
• And iPod/iPad compatible products

The Northern Restaurant and Bar Show is a fantastic opportunity for us to catch up with our existing customers, as well as giving us the chance to meet with new customers who come and visit our stand. (our stand number is 508, in case you were wondering!)

So don’t miss out, come and see us at The Northern Restaurant and Bar Show this March.

Did we mention you can find us at stand 508?!

Government consultant Mary Portas’ independent review into the state of Britains high streets and its towns centres have been widely welcomed by retailers who feel let down by the Government.

In her report, Mary Portas claims that retailers have reached ‘Crisis Point’ and are likely to ‘disappear’ without decisive action. Her report outlines several measures, which she feels will pull the High Street out of its current downward spiral. Her recommendations include plans to cut red tape and offer more incentives for town centre development including making it easier to set up markets.

Vacancy rates in market towns have doubled in the last two years as stores have closed down due to the economic downturn. This year alone an estimated 20 shops have closed every day across the country. One in seven shops on UK high streets currently stand empty, although in some towns as many as four in ten shops are vacant.

Here at North West Business Machines, we feel strongly about our high streets. They are the life blood of our communities and are fundamental to our societies. Whilst online shopping, super-supermarkets and out of town retail parks are convenient, they have drained the traffic and shopping trade from our town centres.

Online retailing has opened up a huge market for many retailers, and it’s important that retailers adapt to the changing habits of the consumer. By using online as both a channel for engagement and a way for consumers to research products in-store, retailers can drive footfall and target customers with relevant promotions, updates and discounts that can be redeemed in store. Twitter and Facebook are also playing an increasingly important role and, used both online and in-store, can build brand awareness and loyalty.

Epos Connect from North West Business Machines removes all the stumbling blocks of having to manage multiple channels. Your business’s stock, sales and finances can all be controlled from one central area – removing the hassle of managing two systems and stock files. This will vastly reduce man hours and staff overheads. Epos Connect allows for seamless integration of your website and streamlines all your business processes freeing up your time to concentrate on what matters – growing your business.

There are still tough times ahead for many town centres across the UK and how the nut is cracked is not quite clear, but better integration between online and offline is a must if retailers are to succeed.

To find out more about how North West Business Machines can help you engage with more customers through online integration contact North West Business Machines on 01254 881177.

I have been especially impressed with the level of customer service received from your personnel whenever it has been needed and have found the system good value for money as indicated initially from your sales representatives.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank NWBM for the many years of excellent service and will certainly continue to use and recommend your company.

The Taste the Nation survey charts the eating and drinking habits of 3,000 adult consumers from across the country. The survey takes into consideration every time they buy food or drink from a restaurant, club, pub or coffee/sandwich shop. The results of the survey are great for the hospitality industry – they reveal that consumers are going out to eat 12% more often than 6 months ago (13% more often in the North!)

Despite the recession the hospitality industry seems to be bucking the trend – these latest findings show the continuing resilience of the hospitality market, and reflect the importance of this sector to the UK economy.

It’s important that businesses within the hospitality sector take advantage of the trend and continue to encourage consumers to visit them. More than ever, consumers are looking for the best deal and are taking advantage of special offers, discounts and vouchers.

North West Business Machines hospitality epos systems include features which make special offers really easy to implement and manage. Timed Price Level shifting allows hospitality businesses to set up happy hours, early bird pricing and more all at the touch of a button. Not only this, we also offer the option of ‘customer loyalty’ – your customers can earn points the more they visit you. These points can then be redeemed against food/drink within your business.

Being innovative, and giving your customers added value in the form of happy hours, loyalty points etc helps encourage customers to return time and time, and also is great for customer satisfaction!

To find out more about our hospitality epos systems, or to book a demo then call us today on 01254 881177.

A recent study by Sterling Commerce revealed that 80% of consumers want a choice of shopping – i.e. they want their retailers to offer them a variety of shopping options – in-store, online and over the telephone. This is backed up by further research by ComStore, which found that 97% of consumers expect a seamless shopping experience – both offline and online.

Around 50,000 high street units are empty, and if the current trend continues it is predicted that a quarter of non food retail outlets in the UK could be empty by 2020. The message is clear – if the High Street is to survive retailers need to be flexible, and focus on adapting to changing buying habits and adopt a ‘bricks and clicks’ retail business model.

Epos Connect from North West Business Machines makes adapting to these needs a smooth and stress free process. Epos Connect seamlessly links your epos system to your ecommerce website, allowing you to streamline your business operations and give consumers a flawless shopping experience.

Having already integrated many till systems to ecommerce website we’ve found that Epos Connect removes all the usual stumbling blocks of having to manage multiple channels. Your business’s stock, sales and finances can all be controlled from one central area – removing the hassle of managing two systems and stock files. This will vastly reduce man hours and staff overheads. Epos Connect allows for seamless integration of your website and streamlines all your business processes freeing up your time to concentrate on what matters – growing your business!

To find out more about integrating your till system to your ecommerce website then call us today on 01254 881177.

Nobody likes to queue up, and your customers are no exception. At your busiest times you need the peace of mind that your staff are using the quickest epos software, allowing them to handle transactions quickly and efficiently – reducing long waiting times and frustrated customers.

Recent research by Barclays highlighted that two fifths of UK customers refuse to queue for longer than 2 minutes, and a whopping two thirds regularly abandon purchases due to length of wait. With retailers expecting record numbers of customers this Christmas, many shop owners will be seeking methods of speeding up the sales process to eliminate queues and improve the shopping experience of their customers.

• Contactless PaymentsUsing contactless payments reduce payment times by a third. With ever more sophisticated customers demanding speed and simplicity when paying for goods and services, contactless payment solutions offer the perfect way to not only improve the customer experience, but also help your business generate more business. Ideal for sectors where the average spend is less than £10 – Contactless Payments are convenient and quicker for the customer which leads to increased satisfaction, and satisfied customers are more likely to return to your business.
• Integrated Chip and PinOur Integrated Chip and Pin solutions reduce the time your customers spend waiting in queues – greatly increasing efficiency at the point of service and maximising sales opportunities. Not only this, your customer’s experience in store will be improved by reducing waiting time for bills and receipts.
• Epos SupportWe know that your epos system is an often indispensible part of your business. Through our vast experience and wealth of knowledge we aim to ensure that if you need support, your systems will remain operational with minimum disruption.
• Fast & Accurate ScanningServe many more customers in a shorter space of time with our intuitive epos systems, fast and accurate scanning means customers spend less time waiting in queues, reducing the associated stress and frustration.

Here at NWBM, we know that no two businesses are the same – our systems are completely modular and can be tailored to suit your exact needs and requirements. To find out how you can reduce queues this Christmas, or for any advice on epos installation then please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01254 881177.

Mr Ray Fisher is Administration Manager of Inns & Leisure and this is how he described their situation in 1996.
“At the time each of our outlets were using individual tills and whilst we felt they were good enough to do the job it was taking 7-10 days to compile accurate management information on sales, stock and promotions, and we felt we weren’t taking advantage of the technology that was available. We needed to move with the times and become more sophisticated in order to compete with the big breweries.”

“Now our EPoS system is fantastic. We feel we have control. We have all management information within hours of closing time. We can change prices every 24 hours if we wish, we know which promotions are working and which aren’t and we have instant access to stock levels. We even know our daily profit margins. We have knowledge, control and the ability to make better decisions, quicker, all done centrally at head office.”

I talked to Stewart Mahon at North West Business Machines and I was impressed. From the beginning they took the time to understand our business. They realised what we needed and held our hands throughout the process. They have not only installed the systems but have such a high level of backup service that they’re on call 24 hours, seven days a week. They also undertook all staff training with such diplomacy that not once in our relationship have any of our staff felt belittled by our lack of knowledge.

The efficiency of the business has increased dramatically. We now work smarter not harder and we have experienced an 80% increase in successful performance in our day to day disciplines. Staff confidence has also risen sharply.

The system has taken away time consuming manual administration allowing management to spend more time on customer service. We have reduced stockholding, stock errors and fraud.