Case study
DSP Supermarket Group
Introduce a business management solution to effectively manage the 10 stores of the DSP Supermarket Group.
Acorn BMS conducted thorough discussions and analysis to understand the specific requirements. The Acorn Team were able to use their acquired knowledge and previous experiences to identify a solution that would solve the issues DSP Supermarket Group were facing. The existing solution, TASBooks, was struggling to manage the growing shop portfolio so it was proposed that Sage 200, the market leading business management solution, would be introduced.
DSP Supermarket Group are a local retail grocery company with 10 stores who operate under the Henderson Group franchises of Eurospar, Spar, Vivo and Vivoxtra. They were outgrowing TASBooks, their existing accounting package, and were seeking an alternative. Acorn BMS quickly understood the requirements and implemented Sage 200, with expert training and Sage Support provided.
DSP Supermarket Group, owned by the Kelly family, are a local retail grocery company who operate under the Henderson Group franchises of Eurospar, Spar, Vivo and Vivoxtra. They first began trading as a small newsagent in Maghera in the 1970’s and today have 10 stores in the Mid-Ulster area. The company now employs close to 350 people and Turnover is circa £26 million per annum.
The challenge
DSP Supermarket Group were using TASBooks, a basic accounting package for small businesses. It was proving increasingly difficult to manage the 10 stores individually which was leading to delays, inefficiencies and increased costs. It was clear that they were outgrowing their current software and required a solution with greater functionality that would meet their specific needs.
The main pain points of TAS Books included:
- Manual bank reconciliations – TASBooks does not have the facility to save partly reconciled accounts which was time consuming to complete accurately in full.
- Limited reporting – They could only access standardised reports and required more powerful reporting to make greater use of data and aid decision making.
- Manual backups – TASBooks does not have the ability to schedule automatic backups which required a manual process which was laborious and unreliable.
- Inadequate consolidation accounting – There were issues with the consolidation procedure as each store required separate P&L’s and Balance Sheets, under the one umbrella of DSP Supermarket Group.
The solution
DSP Supermarket Group contacted their local Sage Partner Acorn BMS for advice on what software would be most appropriate. After a careful analysis of the business to understand the specific requirements, Acorn BMS recommended Sage 200 as the most appropriate solution and it was decided to proceed with the investment in the software. Sage 200 was implemented for 4 users with minimal downtime, with full onsite training and Sage Support.
Sage 200 is a flexible and customisable Business Management Solution, which enables you to automate key business processes in Finance, Operations, Marketing, Sales, Payroll and Payments. The core financials and commercials modules were the perfect fit for DSP Supermarket Group:
The Financials module allows you to see the financial position of a company at any given time and runs the four key ledgers – nominal, cash book, sales, and purchase. Detailed reports can be created with open/closed period accounting. The Commercials module focuses on managing the supply chain encompassing customer sales and stock management. It consists of sales order processing, purchase order processing, stock and price lists/books.
“TASBooks had its limitations in the whole consolidation process so we needed something that made the process as painless as possible and that would save my time and reduce the possibility of errors”
Oonagh Kelly, Group Accountant
The results
Sage 200 has proved to be crucial in the successful running of DSP Supermarket Group:
In-depth financial management
Sage 200 allows DSP Supermarket Group to effectively consolidate across the 12 stores. This gives them greater control and to manage their financial position with accurate and timely data with the ability to run analytics to spot trends and inform on critical business decisions.
Sage Support and Training
DSP Supermarket Group have benefited from the expertise at Acorn BMS in terms of initial training and through ongoing Sage Support which provides expert advice and the quick resolution of any issues.
In-depth reporting
Sage 200 has provided DSP Supermarket Group with superior management information, reporting and analysis to provide insight for strategic planning.
Improved business control
Sage 200 ensures that manual processes are automated which helps to save time and effort. It reduces the need for data duplication and ensures instant access to key data which gives a joined-up view of the business.
Ability to schedule regular automatic backups
This ensures that data recovery is quickly accessibly in the unlikely event of a problem or error.
“Sage 200 has been the perfect fit for the company and has really allowed us to streamline our entire operations. It is fantastic to be able to call support and speak to individuals who understand your accounting system and indeed your business. Acorn provide solutions that either solve problems you are experiencing or enhance a certain process.”
Oonagh Kelly, Group Accountant
