Powerful, Easy-to-Use Point of Sale Solution Automates Workflows and Frees Staff to Build a Better Business
A trusted resource for residents and contractors near the borough of Dalton, Pennsylvania, Dalton Do it Center has built a reputation for outstanding customer service and tailored product selection. The family-run company and member of the Do it Best building materials cooperative had used a previous provider for many years. However, over time, the previous system resulted in poor reliability and even worse support. It was time for a change. Scott LaCoe, President at Dalton Do it Center, recalled, “Many Do it Best members were already on Epicor Eagle POS and raved about it. It was obviously the right way to go.”
Although LaCoe is still learning all that Epicor Eagle helps to offer, he shared that reporting has already seen a major improvement over the previous system. “Before, I really struggled to get reports,” he revealed. “With Epicor Eagle, whatever information I need is easily accessible—without needing to call for help.”
LaCoe cited lagging payments as an important example: “Now, it’s very easy to generate a list of customers who don’t pay on-time so we can then take the appropriate action.”
Another critical report includes the top 100 selling items, enabling Dalton Do it Center in the help to ensure that inventory of customer favorites is always available and to quickly identify exactly how many of each item are in the warehouse. LaCoe admitted, “That’s a report I was never able to get before.”
With Epicor Eagle, the POS experience dramatically improved for both employees and customers.
LaCoe shared, “Employees like it because it’s easy to learn and use, with fewer keystrokes needed. I like it because there are less mistakes. And customers like it because checkout is faster.”
Several key benefits prove the claims: it’s easy to find customers and add new customers to the Do it Best Rewards program, and advanced inventory management functions mean that staff no longer need to run out to the yard to physically check stock. They simply type in the product number, and Epicor Eagle helps to provide information and availability. With integrated credit card processing, customers quickly swipe their cards and are out the door, as opposed to the additional steps required with the previous system.
Like most hardware and building supply businesses, Dalton Do it Center struggled with how to convert the bulk units of measure that are purchased from suppliers to per-piece selling. “As an example, we purchase chain by the roll and sell it by the foot,” LaCoe elaborated. “But if a customer wanted to buy the whole roll, the old system would charge them for the price of a foot—resulting in the business losing money. Epicor Eagle makes it simple with a pop-up window for the clerk to select roll or foot, preserving our margins and keeping inventory accurate. “He added, “Managing units of measure is better with Epicor Eagle than anything I’ve ever used.”
Epicor Eagle also automates seasonal ordering. For instance, in October, the system prompted LaCoe to start ordering items such as snow shovels and ice melt and will alert him when it’s time to stop those orders. “Epicor Eagle does the work and frees me from needing to watch the calendar,” he explained.
Moreover, Epicor Mobile+ streamlined inventory management by converting physical counting to a simple scan. It also allows LaCoe to deploy multiple teams. He described, “I can send one person out with the scanner, print count sheets, and have two people doing inventory. Before, we really couldn't do that. Epicor Mobile+ made inventory control super easy, more accurate, and much faster.” All these inventory efficiencies reduce product waste, improve sales and customer service while helping Dalton Do it Center be more sustainable.
As a Do it Best member, EDI capability was non-negotiable for Dalton Do it Center.
Before deploying Epicor Eagle, LaCoe was resigned to manually pulling file maintenance data such as price changes from Do it Best every day, a necessary and important task. Today, Epicor Eagle automatically runs the download twice a week. He remarked, “I don’t have to think about it. It’s a massive task that Epicor Eagle does routinely and does better.”
We purchase chain by the roll and sell it by the foot. But if a customer wanted to buy the whole roll, the old system would charge for the price of a foot—resulting in the business losing money. Epicor Eagle makes it simple with a pop-up window for the clerk to select roll or foot, preserving our margins and keeping inventory accurate.
Epicor Eagle also made sale pricing a breeze. LaCoe mentioned, “With the previous provider trying to get sales pricing downloaded was a nightmare, requiring lots of phone calls, time, and frustration. I was panicking when it was time to do our first sale with Epicor Eagle, but all the discount data was there and with two clicks, was activated.”
When asked about Epicor support, LaCoe is succinct: “There is nothing better.”
Previously support took three or four days to close a ticket, but LaCoe’s experience with Epicor has been radically different. On the rare occasion that he needed support, LaCoe utilized EpicCare and reported that the majority of the time, he had a response within 15 minutes. Within another 15 minutes, the issue was resolved. He further appreciated that when he does log a ticket, almost immediately he receives a report that someone is looking at it, and then gets timely updates.
Our business is about people—our employees and our customers. With Epicor, the people are great. The software is fantastic, and every single person, from the sales rep to our project manager to the trainers to support, are knowledgeable, friendly, helpful and responsive. It makes all the difference.
LaCoe highlighted a recent example. “Over the weekend, our server didn’t back up due to a power outage and I logged a ticket. We were also having phone problems. But Epicor called me 15 times that day trying to get through to me. They just don’t give up until the problem is fixed.”
“For everything we do, Epicor Eagle has been a major improvement over our previous system,” LaCoe summarized. He used to spend too many hours babysitting the previous software, watching to ensure sales were going through and that credit cards were processed correctly. Now, “Epicor Eagle just works, all the time, so I can focus on the more important aspects of running the business.”
For everything we do, Epicor Eagle has been a major improvement over our previous system.
He adjoined, “Our business is about people—our employees and our customers. With Epicor, the people are great. The software is fantastic, and every single person, from the sales rep to our project manager to the trainers to support, are knowledgeable, friendly, helpful and responsive. It makes all the difference.”
