Merlin Software

Merlin software – “Retail solutions from Warehouse to Web”.

Merlin software specialises in retail management systems covering all aspects of the retail spectrum from basic EPOS to full admissions and ticketing systems across the whole range of retail applications and covering all types of stores from the small independent retailer to the large multi-national stores.

Our systems allow any retail operation to take control of all aspects of their business as the standard system provides Stock Control including Purchase Order processing with Auto-Replenish if required, Sales Ledger for all types of customer sales, Purchase Ledger to allow direct control of all supplier payments and EPOS for all customer present transactions. In addition we also offer optional modules for Sales Order Processing, covering all types of Customer Not Present Sales from tele-sales to e-commerce, and Nominal Ledger for full accounting feature and facilities including Trial Balance, Profit & Loss and even a full Balance Sheet.

In addition, we have ‘Sector Specific Modules’ which can be added to the standard system to provide specialist transaction processing for all types of items and all types of retail sectors.

We first became involved in the charity sector in 2002 when were approached to ask if our admissions system was ‘Gift Aid’ compliant and suitable for use in heritage properties for the collection of gift aid at the point of entry. At that time it wasn’t so over the next 18 months we designed, developed and implemented a Gift Aid module for linking into the main system. It was clear that we were pioneering this area of opportunity and attracted a large number of enquiries from heritage venues across UK. The first implementations of the system were at Chatsworth House in late 2003 and since then we have installed systems at a variety of different venues covering a whole range of attractions from the family run Pooles Cavern in Matlock to Bressingham Steam Museum in Norfolk. The system has been operating at Bressingham for some years now and we recently updated it with the addition of ‘e-ticketing’, this gives them the ability for visitors to buy tickets on-line prior to their visit and then gain instant access to the venue on arrival.

Alistair Baker of Bressingham states, “The systems have really speeded up the entry process, the gift aid reporting is much easier and very professional, it’s just made everyone’s life much easier!

The staff at Bressingham have found all the systems very manageable, we say they are Pam proof” says Alistair, “Pam is an 86 year old member of staff who finds some aspects of technology a little difficult but she manages just fine with the Merlin® system, that’s how we know it’s easy to use!” Alistair also said, “We are really pleased with the service we have received from Merlin®, anything we want they are able to do for us and adapt things to suit our needs, they seem to evolve and grow with us, e-ticketing is a very good example of that”

Building on our experience of gift aid in the heritage sector we were approached by a small charity in 2006, who operate seven charity shops, to ask if we could help them in obtaining gift aid from the value of the donated items sold in their shops. Once again we researched the criteria and then designed and developed a special module which incorporates a ‘Donor Ledger’ so that each donor can be uniquely identified and every item donated by them can be recorded for gift aid reclamation. The system uses bar-codes to identify both donors and items so that operation at the point of sale is simplicity itself. The use of touch screen terminals also ensures that the mainly elderly volunteers who man charity shops can operate the system with no requirement for previous technical knowledge or experience.

The Merlin® Charity Shop System was submitted to HMRC for audit in 2008 and passed with flying colours. Since that date the system has been installed in a wide variety of charities, both large and small, across the whole of UK.

One of the first to install the system was South Bucks Hospice and David Brodala, Area Retail Manager, comments “it's a constant battle raising money to keep the hospice operating at the level we know this area needs, especially during these difficult times of the credit crunch where we are seeing the amount of donations reducing, so it is great to know that Merlin® is working hard behind the scenes to ensure we make full use of every penny available”. He also stated “it's important that the people of High Wycombe and the surrounding area, who donate goods to our shop, ensure they join our Gift Aid Donor Scheme so that we can reclaim as much tax relief as possible. It would be nice to think that everyone would be happy to join the scheme and ensure we obtain everything that we are entitled to”.

Owen Gleadall - Sales Director of Merlin software states “our software has been helping charities to claim back gift aid tax relief for many years now and South Bucks Hospice join a long list of satisfied clients, ranging from small local charities to large heritage properties”.

Merlin software can supply systems for all aspects of the retail business covering all requirements from warehouse to Web. We are constantly upgrading and enhancing the product to offer customers ‘state of the art’ facilities suitable to meet the demanding needs of the retail sector.

Owen Gleadall Sales Director Merlin software.

Owen has been working in the retail sector now for over 30 years and has extensive experience of all types of retail applications. He was involved in the first implementations of laser scanning back in 1978 and since then has been instrumental in many other innovations, including the first retail touch screen terminal. He has also written a book entitled “The Secrets of Retail Success” which covers the whole spectrum of retail activities from staff recruitment and customer relationships to merchandising and window dressing .