CHANNELSOLUTIONS
BAKERY FROM PAGE C1 standing, it was not a “I tell all customers up- provide additional exper-cials and list sale items. done deal for JK Comput- front, especially when they tise, said Dan Schwab, vice
Recipe for success ing. In fact, Serrao consid- have a quote from Dell, that president of marketing at ered other providers and we are not going to be the D&H. “D&H’s reps per-
fully aware that it’s the vendors before selecting cheapest. We strive to be form ongoing business
aromas and flavors of a JK Computing in nearby the most all-encompassing reviews withtheiraccounts
tantalizing array of baked Blairsville, Pa., to support solution they can get. All the and often do pipeline
goods and fresh-brewed customers and employees machines were custom-built reviews to be able to help
coffees that pull patrons in its 4,000-square-feet by us,” Brubaker said. “In customers whenever pos-to Oakmont Bakery, Serrao facility. 22 months or less, [Oak- sible and to stay ahead of
s a i d h e n e v e r t h e l e s s Price, al ways a consid- mont Bakery has] done over the curve,” he added.
believed he could improve eration, was less impor- 750,000transactionsorsales. the customer experience tant than the quality of Theyareextremely,extremely Proof’s in the pudding
with technology. the products and services high-volume. On an average oakmont bakery spent a
With visions of POS and the system’s ability weekend, they have 400 to total of about $80,000 on
s o l u t i o n s d a n c i n g i n to expand along with the 500 special orders.” the entire solution—
com-his head, Serrao began parable to the cost of one
researching software and of the large ovens the busi-hardware, finally select- ness owns, Serrao said.
ing BakeSmart software “I did feel comfortable
by LegacyUSA because of because I knew Jim, but
its ability to integrate POS my wife and I questioned
activity, custom orders, whether this [technology]
inventory, production, was necessary for a bak-timekeeping and account- ery,” he said.
ing, he said. BakeSmart He has the answer
required a $25,000 invest- now, saying every dollar
ment, which Serrao said has been paid back in
he didn’t take lightly. full with increased pro-
“I was nervous because ductivity and customer
there are a lot of software satisfaction and savings
programs out there for a lot Oakmont’s POS solution allows for better back room management. from accurate inventory
less,” said Serrao, who co- and order-taking.
owns Oakmont Bakery with business, Serrao said. JK Computing, which “My time is so valuable
his wife, Susan. Despite the JK Computing designed, h a s t h r e e f u l l - t i m e to me. Using the software,
cost, he added, BakeSmart built and implemented an employees, tapped long- I probably saved myself 20
made sense because “it is upgradable Pentium 4- time supplier D&H Dis- to 25 hours in the week
specifically designed for a class server running Win- tributing for the project. before Christmas,” Serrao
high-volume bakery. It’s dows 5 Small Business “Jim [Brubaker] keeps me said. “It gives me so much
obvious, because it’s fitted Server with 4GB of RAM aware of whatever he is time to do the things I need
so perfectly for our busi- and 400GB of storage, as working on at a continual to do. You can schedule
ness.” well as eight Pentium 4 basis, which allows me through it.”
Stirring the mix POS terminals with Pio- to work with him closer Prior to hitting the POS neer touch-screens in the when he needs further network’sswitch, Brubaker
having selected the retailbakeryandcafe, Bru- assistance or sugges- spent about two weeks
software, Oakland Bak- baker said. One terminal, tions,” said Jereme Stew- importing data from the
ery needed hardware and, which is configured as a art, an inside sales repre- bakery’s prior system, set-more importantly, a part- time clock, can be used sentative at D&H. ting up the database and
ner to deliver and support for POS, and four other For exam ple, D &H the POS system to include
the system, Serrao said. systems allow members of involved on-site dedicated a button for each item on
The church connection thebakery’s72-personstaff product specialists for the company’s menu, he
with Brubaker notwith- to take phone orders. Cisco and Microsoft to [CONTINUED ON PAGE C4]
C2 e WEEK n MARCH 3, 2008
