With the advent of the Internet and multiple handheld smart devices, consumers can now buy anything from anywhere across the globe, meaning that retailers need to keep one step ahead with connected systems for managing stock. Recognizing the same, Eurostop—a UK based provider of software and hardware for the fashion, footwear and lifestyle retail sector, which was founded in 1990, continues to provide the very latest solutions for its customers. Started by retailers, Eurostop demonstrates time and again its deep understanding of the issues that retailers face every day.
Eurostop’s solutions manage EPOS, stock control, merchandise management, fulfilment, warehouse picking and packing, footfall and shopping mall tenant management systems. To ensure that retailers get the best out of the systems and stay on top of their business, Eurostop provides a range of easy to use analysis and reporting tools. Moreover, Eurostop’s systems integrate with all the major ERP and e-commerce platforms, providing customers with a truly best in class approach.
A Hard-Working Leader
Richard Loh is the CEO and founder of Eurostop. He credits his early retail experience along with hard work and perseverance for his success.
He said ‘You really have to take each challenge as it comes, and never give up. In my experience, there is always an alternative way to achieve the same outcome.’
From early beginnings selling shoes as a graduate trainee in Malaysia, he then progressed from a sales assistant to area manager and onto head office. Richard moved to the UK in 1970 and there he worked for well known high street brands including K Shoes and Lord John. Later, he became a retail consultant at Honeywell Bull, which was the fifth largest computer company in the world at the time.
In 1990 Richard was inspired to setup his own company and decided to form Eurostop, starting with his own EPOS systems for the fashion and footwear industry. Since then, Eurostop has grown considerably and now has a reputation as one of the most innovative retail software houses providing stock control and EPOS systems to over 30,000 retail stores worldwide.
An Industry with No Boundaries
Richard believes that boundaries are being blurred across the retail landscape. As well as bricks and mortar, consumers use online shopping, social media, the latest mobile technology and advanced fulfilment options, to shop on demand for anything, from anywhere and from any device. These omnichannel retail demands mean that retailers now need to develop and deliver an excellent customer experience. To do this they need robust technology and well designed systems and processes to ensure that they understand and cater for the buying habits and preferences of their customers; enabling them to deliver the right product, at the right time, at the right price and to the right location.
Tackling Internationalization
According to Richard, internationalization is the biggest challenge driven in part by the ‘always on’ culture. When setting up an operation in a new location understanding local culture and customs in order to meet requirements is paramount. With operations in many countries understanding the different cultures has been quite challenging, but ultimately rewarding. During the last 8 years, Eurostop has been expanding its business in Asia and as well as London, and now has operations in Singapore, Shanghai, Xiamen and Hong Kong. The contribution to the business from the Asian operations has grown steadily from 5% to 30%.
Eurostop has recently signed up two independent fashion retailers in Singapore, Echo of Nature and Design and Comfort (D & C), and both of them have selected Eurostop’s connected retail solution for their businesses. This follows the recent announcement that Charles & Keith, an expanding fashion retailer with over 500 stores worldwide, has chosen to deploy Eurostop’s full retail solution for new outlets located in South Korea, Japan, Cambodia, Macao and Taiwan. Both Echo of Nature and D & C are using Eurostop’s full retail solution, including e-pos, e-mobile, e-retail and e-cubes to manage sales and stock across their stores.
Keeping Competition at Bay and Painting a Bright Future
Eurostop stands head and shoulders above its competition because it takes the time to understand its customers’ requirements. The company was founded by retailers for retailers, an ethos that still holds true today. Each Eurostop installation receives a personalized service to ensure the retailer gets the most out of the system. Everyone at Eurostop believes it is worth taking the extra time to be sure that clients are well trained on the system, and understand its strengths and capabilities. This helps retailers to build their business, and grow alongside Eurostop.
In the future, Eurostop’s CEO projects that we can expect to see Eurostop in many more countries around the globe as it continues to expand its offering. More importantly, Eurostop will continue to focus on delivering the solutions, based on proven technology, that its customers need to survive and thrive in a very dynamic and exciting marketplace.
Source :-The 10 Best Performing Software Solution Providers 2017
