Tech Tips

Retail Spotlight

Meet Our Staff

Growing A Healty Margin

Inventory Reduction Sale

The Retail Pro Accounting Link

Last year we added new features to our Gold Support Service and we received numerous thank you notes and compliments from existing Gold Support Customers telling us how much they liked the changes. Whether you are an existing Gold Support customer or a customer considering this premier support plan, we wanted to make sure you were aware of the recent changes. Gold Support Service now has 3 new features:

Emergency Technical Support (ETS): Gold Support now includes ETS at no additional charge. ETS is available during the week, after-hours, on weekends, and holidays. The hours for ETS during the week are: 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The hours for ETS on weekends and holidays are 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Mountain Day Time). ETS is offered for emergency support. Examples of ETS are customers who have data corruption, when a system is down, or when you cannot make a sale at POS.

Courtesy Calls: Gold Support Service now includes courtesy calls. In the past short training questions and questions on your hardware were considered Client Services. Courtesy calls are now included with Gold Support Service at no additional charge. A courtesy call is typically 15 minutes or less and could be a training question or any type of general assistance on your Retail Pro system. Keep in mind formal, scheduled training is still tracked as Client Services.

Updates within a Series: Gold Support now includes support services to do updates within the same Series of Retail Pro (example 8.3 to 8.5). Periodically new features and hot fixes are released for Retail Pro within the current Series of software. The services to update your system are now provided as part of the Gold Support Service. Changes in a Series of software (e.g. Version 7 to Version 8) are still considered updates and do require Client Services.

Just a reminder of the key features of Gold Support:

*Toll free 800 number to call for support
*Unlimited support incidents for 12 months
*Available during regular business hours 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 
  Mountain Time
*Includes Emergency Technical Support (ETS) at no additional charge
*Includes Courtesy Calls for training questions and general assistance.
*Includes support services to update within the same series of Retail
  Pro, e.g., V8.3 to V8.5
*Priority response time - calls are typically responded to within 1 hour

Includes unlimited access to ARMS' Online Support Services:

     Log a call online
     Search AnswerBook
     Review open calls online
     Newsgroups
     Downloads

If you are interested in signing up for Gold Support Service please contact Stacey Ryan at 303.738.1800 Ext 321 or email her at stacey.ryan@armsys.com .

Using UDF fields in the customer record:

There are 8 UDF fields on a customer record that are user definable.
The first two fields are date fields (hint: DO NOT use UDF 1 or 2 to track birthdays).
 

The Retail Spotlight

CJ Kard

Mother's Day, Birthdays, Weddings and Anniversaries have us all running to the card shop for that special message. If you live in Colorado Springs, Colorado you probably go to CJ Kard in downtown Colorado Springs. This 22-year-old business is more than you would expect from a card shop according to owner Jeanne Groate. Most card shops carry one or two lines. CJ Kard carries 2 national lines, several smaller lines as well as cards from local Colorado companies and handmade cards. If a traditional card shop does not yield that special message chances are you will find it at CJ Kard. Combining the extensive card collection with gifts and stationary make CJ Kard a destination for shoppers.

CJ Kard has been using Retail Pro since 2000. They like the simplicity of the Point of Sale screen for the cashiers. Jeanne says they find the Practice Retail Pro area very valuable when training new staff. Jeanne is able to track all of their cards and gifts with the extensive reporting she is able to create in Retail Pro's Reporting Module. She likes the ability to use non-standard dates when creating reports for reorders. Jeanne uses the markdown manager in early September to prepare for the crush of the Holiday Season. She finds this feature to be very convenient.

CJ Kard is also a destination place for stationary and smaller orders of cards. They have an in-house system with over 1000 card designs that allow the customer to design their own cards, invitations and announcements. Using Retail Pro, CJ Kard is able to track their stationary customers to generate special events.

When the odd occasion occurs that requires a special mention and gift, CJ Kard is the place to shop.

Meet Our Staff

Earl Harlow
Certified Retail Pro Tier 2 Technician

Earl is a Tier 2 technician for Advanced Retail Management Systems and has been with the company for about two years. Earl works on more involved support issues that are escalated from Tier 1 technicians. Earl also enjoys the challenges of testing new software and hardware in his current position.

Earl is originally from North Dakota. He served in the U. S. Marines for six years and during that time he worked as an Electronics Technician. Earl is a self-taught computer "natural".

As of today, Earl has been working with computers approximately 18 years. He is still just as intrigued with all of the intricacies and complexities of computer systems and hardware as he was when he first started out in the industry.

In his free time, Earl enjoys riding on his motorcycle, playing golf and is presently taking up paragliding. His wife, Gwynn, also likes to participate in Earl's recreational activities. Co-workers have been heard to say around the office that Earl is one of the "coolest" guys around.
 

Inventory Reduction Sale!

Advanced Retail Management Systems is reducing the price on specially marked inventory items. This sale is valid while supplies last, quantities are limited! To view the list. Click here.

The Retail Pro Accounting Link
 

Automate your accounting with the Retail Pro Accounting Link.  Our accounting link program is compatible with Retail Pro series 7 and 8 and these accounting software brands:

Business Works Gold from Best Software Version 5 (New)
Business Works Gold from Best Software Version 4 and older
Business Works from Best Software Version 12.X

MAS90 & MAS200 from Best Software Version 4  (New)
MAS90 & MAS200 from Best Software Version 3 +

Great Plains from Microsoft Business Version 7.5 (New)
(requires Great Plains Integration Manager)

QuickBooks Pro from Intuit 2002 and newer

Not all functions of the Accounting Link work with all brands of accounting software.  We recommend, sell and support Business Works Gold, as it works best with the Accounting Link.

Call Doug Hubka at Ext 318 and ask for our technical documents on the accounting link, or email: doug.hubka@armsys.com.  Doug is our in house accounting specialist.

Software brands listed above are all registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Referral Program

Receive $500 credit on account or 4 Client Service hours every time you refer a new customer that purchases Retail Pro.
Retail Pro has grown to be the premier Inventory Control / POS software for small to mid-tier retailers. Whether you know a single store or a 100 store chain, Retail Pro provides the technology for retailers to excel.
Call your sales person today at 800-305-0461 or click here to complete the form on our web site to refer another retailer and start earning valuable rewards!