Smaller count sections, better technology, equals better inventory results and more control you deserve!
When we started RMI in 1997, technology wasn’t even close to what we have available today. At the time however, we were still doing the best we could with what we had.
Back in the day, we were using what most start-up inventory services used, the ICAL 100 by National Datacomputer. It was and is a great inventory counting machine. I still have one displayed on my wall in my office as a reminder of our past. However, it is what we would call a “dumb” machine as it only provided readings for the user and there was no way to transmit the calculator to a spreadsheet or database on a laptop. So, with that being said, we would count an area, take a reading, and write the totals down on a spreadsheet or map that we had printed for later transfer to a laptop spreadsheet. This process sounds scary of course. It requires good handwriting to make sure the correct totals were transferred from the paper to the spreadsheet to secure the integrity of the final results. We, of course, had a protocol of verifying this as we would add up all the totals and make sure it balanced to the penny on the computer.
Naturally, when you are required to write down totals on a sheet, then transfer to a computer manually, in our early days, our count sections were much larger than they are today. For example, the side of a gondola that is say, 12 feet (3- 4’ sections of Candy) they would all be counted together as one Section total. This can be a little scary from a store walk or recount perspective. Each section could potentially be $1500-$2500 each making the 12’ section combined be up to $7500. This is fine if there are no keying errors. However, if there was a $700 mistake in a section, it could potentially not be detected during a store walk with a manager at the conclusion of an audit during the store walk looking at month-to-month comparisons. Sections such as candy can fluctuate quite a bit from count to count and could be $7500 one month, and $6800 or $8200 the next time we audit, thus a section that large could hide a potential but rare large keying error.
So, as soon as RMI had access to better equipment, we purchased what we believe to be the best inventory hardware and software on the market, AST’s TITAN 4000 and TITAN Inventory Manager Advanced. We started using this equipment in 2006.
As a result of the equipment enhancement, and the ability to count and transmit electronically to our laptop, we developed a store mapping plan where we count entire stores in as small as sections as is logical and possible.
For example, the Candy Section mentioned above, is now 3- separate 4’ sections instead of one large 12’ section. When we do it this way, it makes it a lot more apparent if there is a count error in the smaller sections during the walk through with the manager at the conclusion of the audit. In addition, with our new software, we can run detailed custom reports such as “Show us a section that is up or down X percent or X dollars” or show us any one extension that is over or under X pieces, etc.
We tend to make displays separate whenever logically possible or high value items such as a DVD Rack or Sunglass Spinner. This gives us and the manager the opportunity to look at the monthly comparisons in a smaller window as opposed to a large one. Some companies may still be counting a Frontwall all as one number for $15,000. Here at RMI, we will have Section 1 as the Ice Cream Chest, Section 2, Sunglasses, Section 3 as Pugs, Etc. This also eliminates us from having to recount entire walls if something is in question to verify a count which saves us all time.
Our laptop program has many features available for quality control that you can’t get in other programs. We can see all data that each and every auditor keyed on the calculator, and nothing can be changed in the computer without a paper trail. Even if something is deleted, it still shows that it was deleted and we can see what it was originally. We can see exactly how much time was spent counting each section in the store. If you call us and say, “Hey, my manager said he didn’t think the auditor spent enough time counting the freezer” - We can confirm or deny that as time stamps are recorded.
All our data goes into a database behind the scenes and we can create just about any custom report a customer could ever dream of in Crystal Reports, such as time counted by section or average price by section or what sections were counted by what auditor.
Bottom line, I have been doing this for 24 years, and I have not seen other hardware or software that can stack up to what we have been using. They may be able to count and give you numbers, but at the end of day may not really have the behind the scenes quality control measure available or trails. Or, they may have them but aren’t willing to share the data.
Please reach out to me if you would like me to come out and show you everything we have to offer. I love flying out to a meeting with my laptop, and anytime available hooking up to a projection screen to show you the full array of features we have that sets RMI apart.
Your’s Truly,
Brian T. Hungerford
President and CEO
Rocky Mountain Inventory, Inc.
720-280-2706