Our stand at the International Jewellery Fair in Sydney was all set for a busy day when the photo was taken yesterday at 8:30am … and a busy day it was too, the first day of a three day event.

On the stand we have our jewellery software being demonstrated live.  Our technology is backed by a team of jeweller experts who talk to our solid market penetration and the latest enhancements in our software.

Our first visitor for the day was a happy client from FIJI.  This got us off to a good start and the first day moved along at an excellent pace.

We have served the jeweller marketplace for eleven years.  Sales are increasing thanks to excellent software developed by our skilled in-house software development team.

Adorn Jewels have taken the opportunity of our in-house gift card design service, producing beautiful gift cards which can be used with our jeweller software for sale to customers.  Each gift card has a unique barcode which ties back to the customer account to which the value of the gift card is easily loaded using the software.

We realised early on after developing our gift card / gift voucher facilities that we needed to offer our customers an easier way of leveraging this beyond the software.  Our in-house gift card design and packaging service has achieved this with many Tower Systems customers taking up the service.

We back our card design service up with a Chins based printing service.  This results in high quality cards at a low price.

We also provide training an support on implementing gift cards into the business.  We are lucky to have been exposed to gift cards across a number of retail channels, providing useful broad experience from which we can draw when asked for advice.

Tower Systems is one of several companies offering jewellery software - software designed specifically for managing retail jewellery businesses.

Our software covers Point of Sale, customer management, LayBy, repairs, manufactured goods, secondhand goods, sales tracking, business reporting, theft management and a range of other facilities.

We back our software with personal service - installing the software personally in each business purchasing it, supporting it with friendly telephone and even in-store support, regular software updates (included in the price) and support for industry initiatives.

We prefer to sell the software through personal demonstration to the decision maker.  This is done in the business considering implementing the software.   While we will agree to an online demonstration or providing a demo CD, the absolute best way to assess our software, or any jeweller software for that matter, is to see it live in your shop.  This is why we offer a personal in-store demonstration service.

We have jewellers using our jeweller management software in Australia, FIJI and New Zealand.  This provides with hundreds of reference sites who can vouch for the software, our software updates and for our customer service.

We entered the jeweller marketplace in 2000 when we acquired another software company.  While we continue to support that old software today, our core focus for some years has been in enhancing our own jeweller software.  We have been able to do this thanks to the guidance from our customers.  So many have freely given of their time to suggest enhancements and comment on these as we release them for field testing.

Jewellers using our software can expect to achieve practical business benefits – without the need to pay hefty consulting fees.  We have developed software that any professional business person can use. 

It has been important to us that the owner of the jewellery business can access business reports and key business data with which to make financially rewarding business decisions.  We facilitate this through secure to access professional reports and analysis tools.

While easy access to key business data is a hallmark of all of our software, this is vitally important in the jeweller space as it is a key point of difference for Tower Systems. 

We enable our jeweller customers to make better quality business decisions without the need to pay for additional consulting services to access and decipher business data.

Jewellers choosing Tower Systems can enjoy peace of mind that our commitment to continuing to enhance our software to meet the evolving needs of the marketplace is absolute.  In 2010 alone we have already released two major updates to the software containing key enhancements requested by jewellers.

Jewellers are loving the Pandora jewellery work we did to help jewellers process Pandora electronic invoices.

As a major supplier to jewellers, Pandora is an important business for us to support for our excisting customers as well as new customers.

The Tower Systems Jeweller software helps jewellers better manage their business, increase sales, improve customer service and cut mistakes.  With now more than ten years in this marketplace we have earned a position of respect among jewellers large and small.

Our drive and economies have seen robust software programs developed, setting new international jewellery retailing software standards, and a whole new level of support supplied to the industry.

With well over 300 jewellery retailers across Australia and New Zealand using our Point of Sale software, Tower Systems is committed to the jewellery retailing industry, helping jewellers do more in less time, and better.

Thanks to our work with suppliers across a number of different retail channels, we have developed excellent tools for connecting retailers and their suppliers. This work makes it easier for suppliers to send jewellers electronic invoices and stock files and for jewellers, if they want and it it is appropriate, to send suppliers files of sales data.

Through a more efficient jeweller / supplier relationship, facilitates by our Jeweller software, efficiency improves and better decisions can be made.

With more jewellers joining our user community, we are extending our jeweller supplier reach and this delivers even more benefits to our customers.

Our interest in facilitating the jeweller / supplier connection is to drive open standards for all channel stakeholders. We have found this to be a better approach in other marketplaces.

Tower Systems serves hundreds of jewellers in Australia, New Zealand and several Pacific Rim countries.

The new Tyro broadband eftpos solution approved for release last month for Australian jewellers will save the retail channel considerable costs.

Integrated with the Tower Systems jeweller software solution, Tyro delivers hassle free and fast eftpos access at the sales counter.

Outside of competitive fees, the Tower / Tyro solution is better than  the usual bank terminal since it eliminates mistake-prone keystrokes.

So, jewellers now have access to faster eftpos approvals, fewer mistakes and a fee-competitive solution.  The Tower Systems jeweller community is ready to reap excellent rewards.

The jeweller software from Tower Systems is helping jewellery businesses to grow sales and improve profits in five measureable ways. This is not sale hype, it is what our customers tell us. They are thrilled at the benefits they are achieving. They are banking the results and enjoying the experience.

Here are five of the many ways our software helps jewellers:

1. Reduced mistakes. Through workflow planning and management from the counter to the back room, our software cuts double and triple handling of information. Take an eftpos transaction – our software eliminates the need for using a separate bank terminal.
2. More sales. Thanks to our marketing tools, our retail partners are able to target marketing to customers based on past purchases. Smart jewellers are using this for carefully targeted campaigns – with success.
3. Greater sales efficiency. Getting existing customers to spend more is achievable thanks to facilities which drive structure around managing this in the store.
4. Better return on investment from stock. By ordering based on real sales data and to stock levels set by the business owner or manager, the jewellery business is less like to find itself carrying too much stock. In some jewellery businesses, the saving can be as high as $30,000 in a year.
5. Reduced theft. Thanks to robust theft prevention and theft tracking tools, jewellers can expect to lose less money as a result of theft.

Each of these ways puts money in the pocket of the business owner, easily paying for the technology investment. This is what we do – make retail businesses stronger, healthier and more profitable. The owners benefit as do employees as well a customers.

Tower Systems has been serving jewellers since 2000. Its jeweller point of sale software is being used in hundreds of jewellery businesses in Australia and pacific rim countries.

Tyro broadband eftpos is now approved for jeweller use.  We are bringing to jewellers, the tremendous benefits of Tyro including:

• Faster eftpos processing.  Approvals are achieved in one or two seconds.
• Fewer mistakes.  Fewer keystrokes means fewer mistakes.
• Lower eftpos costs.  The Tyro fees are usually considerably less than for a regular bank eftpos service.
• Cleaner counter.  The Tyro pinpad is setup in such a way to de-clutter the counter.

Retailers using Tyro tell us that they love these benefits.  For more information on Tyro broadband eftpos for Jewellers please contact us.

The Tyro broadband eftpos solution which is integrated with our Point of Sale software is now available for jewellers following a decision by the Board of Tyro last week.  We are the first software company to bring this to the jeweller space.

Using Tyro and Tower Systems Jeweller software, jewellers can expect:

• More accurate eftpos transactions.
• Better customer flow at the counter.
• Cost savings.
• Enhanced customer experience.
• Better security.
• Sales growth opportunities.

Jewellers keen to unlock these benefits should make contact with Tower Systems.  The Tyro integration is part of our Tower Advantage ^TM offer.

We have completed, tested and published advice on handing changes to the Pandora stock codes for jewellers.  The changes made by Pandora could have thrown systems into chaos.  We have made it easier for our customers by completing a change and making this available along with useful advice.  Advice sheet G21.1 at our website covers how to complete the Pandora supplier stock code renumber.

We have published advice which helps jewellers load electronic invoices from Pandora directly into their jewellery software from Tower Systems.  Thanks to recent changes by Pandora, it is now easier than ever for jewellers to receive electronic invoices.  Our jeweller POS software makes it easy to load these and thereby save time and improve accuracy when it comes to brining new Pandora stock into the business.

The popularity of Pandora products means that the new facility will help many jewellers.  Less time spent arriving stock means more time is available for customer service and other value-based facilities.

Advice sheet S03 on our website explains how to import invoices from Pandora.

We have happily renewed our membership of the Jewellers Association of Australia and through this offer support for the national body representing jewellers on policy and other national matters.

We have been JAA members since we entered the jeweller space.  Membership connects with the code of conduct which jewellers themselves subscribe to.

Respected Jeweller supplier, Euromounts has installed Tower Systems’ Jewellery Management Software.  Around six months ago, Euromounts joined the Tower Systems community, switching from other jewellery software.

The Euromounts team uses the Tower software to manage stock, generate invoices and product business management reporting.  They are moving to producing electronic invoices, an innovation which will save their retail clients hours in data entry.

Tower Systems is proud to support suppliers and retailers in the various marketplaces in which it serves.

The new version of our software for jewellers moved to an extended beta release late last week.  This new version takes a completely fresh approach to managing repairs, a curcial service in many jewellery businesses.

Managing repairs from the time a customer brings one in to when it is collected is complex from a management and accounting perspective.  Our new software takes repairs management to a new level and will drive good business for us.

We are adding more jewellers to the extended beta release this week and next.

We are about to release an enhancement in our jewellery business Point of Sale software to handle changes by Pandora to their stock file.  Our enhancements will make the Pandora change easier for jewellers.  This is being delivered free to Tower Advantage ^TM jeweller customers.

This is a significant one-off change for jewellers and if not done right the disruption to the business could be considerable.  We are pleased to be in a position to help.

A Sydney jeweller is using Tower Systems Point of Sale software for jewellers to control his retail business from an overseas base. Thanks to remote link facilities, excellent reporting and integrated theft management tools, such remote management of the business is easy.

Fast and secure, the remote link facilities are ideal for jewellers who work away from a retail business of travel extensively. Key decisions can be actioned quickly, as if you are still in the business back home.

Data integrity is not compromised by the overseas link. Further, local staff don’t have to know the extent to which the owner is watching over the business.

The same facilities helping this jeweller control his software are also helping Australian based jewellers to manage more than one retail outlet from a central location. The ability to monitor performance is exceptional, almost as good as if you are in the business at the time.

More than 300 jewellers use the current version of Tower Systems Point of Sale software.

Tower Systems is proactively helping jewellers using its jewellery business Point of Sale software to easily handle the significant change Pandora is introducing to their stock file.  The Tower Systems facility will make the change easier.  It will also cut mistakes a more manual process would cause.  This is being delivered free to Tower Advantage ^TM customers.

We are communicating with our Tower Advantage ^TM jeweller customer base on how to access our utility as well as advice for undertaking the change.

This is a significant one-off change for jewellers and if not done right the disruption to the business could be considerable.  We are pleased to be in a position to help.

We are experiencing excellent sales growth of our jewellery software here in Australia.  July was another excellent month.  The latest software enhancements as well as jeweller specific training services are proving to be the keys in driving this growth.  We are also helping jewellers access the 50% tax bonus on offer from the government for purchase arrangements made prior to the end of this year.

We will have the latest version of our software for jewellers on show at the JAA International Jewellery Fair. August 30 - September 1.

Some of our competitors try and deter jewellers from doing business with us by saying we are focused on newsagents.  As anyone who visits our offices will see, we balance our business across several marketplaces.  This provides us with commercial balance as well as learnings which benefit other markets.

We continue to help retailers cut their tax this financial year thanks to the Small Business Tax Break on offer from the federal government.  We have worked hard to esnsure that our package deal offers for newsagents, gift shops, jewellers and bike retailers meet the guidelines and help our new customers to maximise the benefit to their businesses.  Our sales team has been trained in what is available wwith the tax break and what is not.

With just five months left to run on the Small Business Tax Break, the next few months will be very busy.

The new product labels for jewellers using our jewellery software (and gift shops) which we have sourced are saving a considerable amount for our customers.  Thanks to tough negotiating by our buyer and committing to a considerable volume, we have been able to cut the price by 70%.  This price reduction is for a better quality product. The label is, in fact, a multi-label - meaning that each label has five components, separate labels if you will, which can be used in different ways for a product.  jewellers tell us that tthis configuration is ideal  for their needs.

While supplying stationery is not core to our business, helping our customers save money from their IT investment is.  A 70% reduction in a business expense  is a proud achievement for us.

The work we have done on these jeweller labels applies to our gift shop, homewares and even high end newsagent customers - any retailer wanting attractive labels for high-end product.

Our sales teams are reporting excellent results from the GHA Home and Giving Fair in Sydney and the Reed Gift Fair in Brisbane from the weekend and through to last night.  Both fairs have been busy and retailers ahve beenmost positive.  We like these trade shows as they attract giftshop owners, jewellers and newsagents - a perfect mix for us.

Tower Systems has experienced excellent growth in jewellery software sales in the six months to June 30.  Jewellers in Australia have backed our jewellers software by installing our software and underaking our training.  Customer feedback is that jewellers like our on site one-on-one training.  This personal approach allows us to tailor our training to the needs of the business.  No two jewellery businesses are the same.

Rather than drowing through the end of the financial year, hundreds of Australian jewellers have prepared end of financial year reports, completed a stock take and set themselves up for greater success in 2010 thanks to Tower Systems’ jeweller software.  Used by large jewellers and small, those handing heirloom product to fashion jewellery, the Tower Systems jeweller management software has made the end of the 2008/09 financial year go as easy as a leisurely swim.

Our next software for jewellers update is close to release - the final round of acceptance testing is under way.  This jeweller software includes several enhancements which improve the value of the software:

• Repairs.  Our new facilities are more comprehensive and robust.  In short, more valuable.
• Second hand goods.  We are delivering a complete software for second hand good solution - to police standards.
• Labels.  More label options to make any business look good.
• Lay-by.  An excellent extension to our lay-by facilities.

These enhancements and more to be announced next month add tremendous value to our jeweller management software.  They will ship shortly.

Our jewellery business management software is selling very well this year as a result of excellent word of mouth from our existing jeweller customer community.  We are grateful for their kind words to colleagues about our software.  They encourage us to work harder at enhancing the software.  The next evidence of this will be in the jeweller software update we are putting the final touches to right now.

Sales of our software for jewellers were strong before the small business Tax Break kicked in and have grown further since.

The jeweller marketplace fits well with the other marketplaces which we serve by driving better reporting and management facilities.  Jewellers benefit from the throughput focus and flexibility required for our other markets.

Our jeweller software installation and support teams help separate our offer and ensure that we reamin focused on this important marketplace to the Tower Systems business.