Technology providers bringing upgrades to High Point
By Gary Evans -- Furniture Today, March 1, 2010
HIGH POINT —
Sensing that an improving business climate will spark additional software sales this year, major retail technology providers will be bringing a variety of new products and enhancements to the High Point Market next month.
Escalate, one of the industry's largest providers, will introduce its version of an “executive dashboard,” an application that provides managers with key analytical information, along with a new user interface and more sophisticated pricing features that reflect “true landed cost.”
Product Manager Roy Martin said continued weakness in housing and employment may delay a recovery in furniture until the second half of this year. But he added that “there are some signs that this will improve in 2010. I would use the words — cautiously optimistic.”
He added that Escalate saw a “significant increase in technology purchases in the fourth quarter of last year and continued improvements so far this year.
“We believe there is a pent-up demand and that retailers will begin purchasing new technology in 2010 — definitely more than in the last few years,” Martin said.
At market, Profitsystems will show a new version of its Profitprofessional software that contains hundreds of new features, said Shelley Parlin, COO.
Enhancements focus on improving ease-of-use and providing new reports to help the retailer make faster, better decisions, she said.
“For example, the executive dashboard includes 'what if' analysis — (such as) what if I had to hire an additional delivery crew that cost $3,500 per month? How will that affect the bottom line?”
According to Parlin, Profitsystems expects the industry to undergo a slow but steady improvement this year.
“From what we are hearing from our clients and our prospects, they have demand that needs to be filled, but they have been postponing (their) purchases.
“We have already had some (say) that the worst has happened and they are ready to start prepping for the recovery. This will continue, and the second half of the year will improve at a more rapid rate.”
Storis will bring an update of its retail management solutions program to High Point that includes tools to optimize efficiency and enhance business intelligence.
The company said the update provides the security features required for complying with new credit card requirements, protecting retailers from possible fines.
According to Mark Van Winkle, director of sales, Storis believes the economy will continue to improve.
“We anticipate that those retailers who are planning for a successful 2010 will invest in technology in order to enhance operations, improve the consumer's shopping experience, and expand their e-commerce strategy to ensure continued success in their markets,” he said.
Despite signs “that the economy is showing signs of life, Storis COO Doug Culmone said the company expects there will still “be challenges associated with the lack of consumer confidence that will continue to impact the home furnishings industry.”
But he added that Storis has been fortunate “to have solid sales activity over the past year which has resulted in a significant amount of work on the services side of our business.”
Myriad will be in High Point telling current and future customers about its Cloud computing approach, which uses outsourced services over the Web to reduce users' storage and equipment needs.
Myriad President Carolyn Crowley said there's still a lot of caution surrounding the economy. “Furniture retailers are happy that they're seeing more consumers coming into their showrooms and shopping around. They're not saying that they're purchasing, but they are looking around.”
The same is true in the technology arena, she added. “There are a lot of people that are looking and getting demos and shopping to see what's out there. Should they be making a change in 2010, they'll have some of their homework done.”
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