Miller’s Music in Cambridge may be the second oldest music retailer in the UK, dating back to 1856, but its retail management software is helping it stay ahead

Miller’s Music in Cambridge may be the second oldest music retailer in the UK, dating back to 1856, but its retail management software is helping it stay ahead

In the early years, Miller's Music sold new technology like portable gramophones, hundreds of which were used by the forces in the trenches during the First World War.

Today the £3-million turnover company employs the latest retail software from Cromwell Business Systems to help it run smoothly. It was, in fact, the software provider’s very first customer almost 30 years ago.

Moving with the times

“Cromwell has a well tried credit and rental system and the stock control is excellent too and provides all we need,” said Barry Robinson, Miller’s managing director and owner, as well as the great, great grandson of the founder, Albert Tubelcain Miller.

One of the latest enhancements Cromwell has introduced to its Open-Retail software to help Robinson with his piano tuning service is a special report, which recently went live.

Instead of having to remember to phone 250 customers a month to remind them to have their piano tuned, the system is scheduled to prompt staff to make contact by email. The change has brought in more business and reduced the amount of time Millers staff spend on the phone to customers.

Robinson commented: “This is a massive move forward. This special programme would work well for retailers needing to programme future service calls which require customer contact first.”

Credit management bonus

Another very useful facility comes with the way that the system copes with rentals. Millers has several thousand rental and hire purchase accounts. “I don’t know of any other system which offers credit management,” he added.

Open-Retail has been designed to set up direct debits without the bank’s involvement, which cuts down on administration time, paperwork and postage. It also offers Millers with a faster option than bankers orders and provides faster debt information

Robinson added, in conclusion: “By being able to get management accounts, I can find out exactly how we are doing in any given area. And in these difficult times, this is particularly important.”