By Keith Brick
Based in Phoenix City, Alabama, F&M Cigars offers customers premium, hand-rolled cigars and accessories, along with access to two private lounges.
When manager Keith Brick joined the business in 2019, F&M was still using outdated cash registers and manual processes to manage operations.
He quickly realized that updating the store's technology was a top priority for both smoothing out operations and the customer experience.
"When Brad hired me in 2019, that was the first thing that I realized he needed to update. For the longest time, they had the old-fashioned cash register. Literally, the ones with the keys and the little no sale sign."
Without a bird's-eye view of inventory and sales, F&M had to rely on intuition and manual shelf checks to manage its stock.
With access to exclusive lounges and perks, Keith required a system that could effectively manage various membership levels.
Armed with only a price gun and an old-fashioned cash register, both the management of the business and customer service weren't everything they could be.
F&M Cigar needed to upgrade and modernize their systems, but with a
niche inventory and business model, they couldn't pick just any system.
Here was what they were looking for:
F&M required a system that could catalog the store's unique inventory and track stock levels in real time.
With a business model that relies on member-only lounge access and discounts, Keith needed a system that would reduce manual data entry and lookups.
Instead of writing out manual stock lists and purchase orders, F&M wanted a system that would simplify the reordering process.
F&M's old-school methods for ringing up customers, tracking stock, and ordering inventory were draining. They needed a system that could alleviate some of the stress in their day-to-day operations.
Automatically get notified when products are low so you can keep shelves stocked.
Track expiration dates on perishable inventory to prevent shrinkage and the sale of expired products.
Print off custom barcodes for unique and local products that don't come with a SKU or UPC.
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