Sending photographic films away to a specialist lab for processing used to be as much a part of the traditional post-holiday routine as showing off a tan. Today, however, consumers no longer need to wait for mail order prints to be delivered. Instead, the emergence of mini labs and specialist photo processing outlets has given amateur snappers a wide choice of high street outlets in which to have their exposed film developed and printed overnight or in one hour.

While these high street services undoubtedly offer greater convenience and utilise the latest technology when processing films, their approach to serving customers has, until recently, been rather more low tech. In most cases, customers are asked for their details and given a tear-off strip, every time they place an order. Now however, one provider in the market - Foto Island - is using a combination of Epson touchscreen technology and advanced retail management software, to offer a distinctly different approach.

“What really helps us stand out from the rest is the way we leverage technology to offer the public a more personal service,” explained the company’s Sales Director, Matthew Appleyard. “All our customers are given an electronic loyalty card which stores their order details and enables us to offer them discounts off added value services such as enlargements and reprints. When the customer returns, we can simply scan the barcode on their card and tell them whether their prints are still in the lab or are ready for collection. The system also ensures we can offer a more efficient service the next time the customer visits with their card because we already have their contact details and previous processing requirements on our system.”

Unsurprisingly, the power behind the Foto Island operation is Epson’s IR-310 terminal, running Business Professional Photographic software from Hertfordshire-based Whitech Software Solutions. In addition to enabling the stores to provide a highly efficient service to customers, the system also provides enhanced daily management reports, allowing Appleyard to check on the percentage of 7'' x 5'' prints, digital work or one hour work from Head Office or any remote location. What’s more, the IR‘s smart design and cable management complements the stylish Foto Island environment.

Since the company was established last year, three Foto Island stores have been opened and there are now plans for a further twenty stores in the next twelve months. According to Appleyard, the success of the company has been almost entirely due to the powerful technology at its disposal. “Quite simply, we wouldn’t trade without it,” he enthused.