With a number of software providers reporting an increase in sales, Roland Ellison spoke to Business Micros MD Graeme Bailey about his company’s success and future plans

Software specialists Business Micros recently recorded their best ever six-month trading figures.

The company, which supplies software solutions to more than 3,000 window fabrication businesses across the UK, has achieved sales up 12% on the same period in 2004, its previous record.

Much of this success owes to the overwhelming response to its Evolution software system, which has prompted many fabricators to upgrade.

Managing Director Graeme Bailey is confident that the company can continue to flourish, ‘We have more staff out on the road helping customers than any of our competitors, and customers are recognising the strength of our product and support services -– our booming sales reflect that’.

‘We have seen the biggest growth amongst companies fabricating for the PVC-U trade market and we have new products planned for the aluminium market’.

Bar code scanning

Graeme sees bar code scanning as a major growth area, ‘Certain customers have been using the technology for several years and have demonstrated both its simplicity and its effectiveness in tracking stock and deliveries’.

Testing is underway on a new on-line ordering service that eliminates the need for fabricators to supply software to each of their customers. Instead, they purchase a larger server and allow customers access to password protected areas of their main programme or web site.

Investment in staff

Graeme is convinced investment in staff has been a key to success, ‘It is all too easy to cut back on staff when the market is tight but I think our decision to increase our staff to 34 has definitely proved the right one’.

On course for a seventh successive year of growth, the company is shrugging off the downturn in the market and is continuing to expand.

Source

Glass Age