With a rapidly expanding presence in the UK – currently nine stores with a further eight planned before the end of the year – the company recognised the need to invest in an IT solution, which would be easy to use, provide comprehensive sales and management reports and integrate seamlessly with both its financial systems and central warehouse. After a careful evaluation, L’Occitane selected MiniPOS Professional software from Oxfordshire-based Niche International. Following a successful six-month pilot at the company’s Bayswater store, the solution was rolled out to all its outlets where it has been enthusiastically received by staff.

“The new system is based on touchscreen technology and uses intuitive icons and colour displays. This means that while we have a number of consultants for whom English is not a first language, they can still easily recognise what they need to do to process the transaction,” explained L’Occitane’s IT consultant, Lorraine Lockhart. “Combined with new hardware such as scanners and fast Epson TM-T88II receipt printers, our customers can benefit from the same exceptional service at the point of sale, as they receive throughout the store.”

In addition to equipping L’Occitane with reporting options– the success of its limited period seasonal products, for example – the Niche solution also provides complete stockholding details across all the stores, enabling the company to automate the ordering process from its central warehouse. Altogether, believes Lorraine Lockhart, MiniPOS represents a good platform for L’Occitane’s future expansion, and development, including a planned customer loyalty scheme, which will utilise the system’s database application.

Epson
Established for over 30 years as the world's premier printer manufacturer, Epson has the widest range of PoS printers and touchscreen solutions in the world, each designed to be the best in its class, and built to meet quality and performance criteria that set the industry standard.

Epson's best of breed thermal, inkjet and impact printers for the point of sale have long been the choice of major retailers in the UK and overseas. The company has also been at the forefront of innovations such as 2-colour receipts, single insertion cheque printing and drop-in paper load.

Together with its channel and system partners, Epson offers system solutions for all retail and hospitality environments. The company's range of fully integrated touchscreen terminals includes the powerful Intelligent Register (IR) and SR-600.

For further details, please contact David Ormerod, Epson Retail Technology Division (RTD), Campus 100, Maylands Avenue, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP2 7TJ. Tel: 01442 227318
Email: dormerod@epson.co.uk
Web: www.pos.epson.co.uk

Press contact is Nicola Atkins at Vector Marketing Communications, on Tel: 01442 877167 Fax: 01442 877769
Email: nicola.atkins@vector.co.uk
Web: www.vector.co.uk