Cambridge orders integrated EPoS and GMS package
Cambridge RUFC ’ s members are about to discover the benefits that modern EPoS technology from MHS Group can deliver , especially when integrated with their club ’ s existing GMS software from FSI , which will simultaneously make things less time consuming and more efficient for the volunteers who run the club .
Popular , televised and well supported as the modern rugby game may be , it ’ s easy to overlook the fact that many rugby clubs in the UK are run on a voluntary basis by members who feel they need to do their bit for their mates , members and the community .
So when a club has people who are giving their time freely , the last thing you want is to have them spending that time doing things that some decent technology would have otherwise handled .
By the same token , many rugby clubs have impressive bar and catering sales , yet without modern EPoS technology , they can ’ t get a realistic grip on all that sales data , nor on the results and bottom line when it comes to helping them manage their retail margins . That in turn can also impact on the kind of membership privileges and services the club can then offer .
Yet when it comes to membership and player data , many of the same clubs are using the market leading Game Management System ( aka GMS ) from First Sports International ( FSI ), a software programme which helps clubs ensure compliance with all sorts of new player data required by the RFU .
So the solution is obvious : find a market leading and well proven EPoS system that can be fully integrated with FSI ’ s GMS software system …
Available now : GMS and the MHS Group ’ s EPoS system
That ’ s exactly what is now available . FSI and the MHS Group have agreed to work together , and provide a fully integrated bundle of their specialist software , so that rugby clubs up and down the country can benefit from all the advances the bundle offers , lessen the load in terms of time and effort , and make things better for their members as well .
Cambridge RUFC is one of the first clubs to be installing the new bundle , and as a GMS user , for their decision makers it ’ s been a relatively straightforward move to get the MHS Group ’ s widely admired EPoS system as well .
The club has been using stand-alone tills , so sales data wasn ’ t able to be extracted and analysed at the click of a mouse . As honorary club secretary Gary Barr explains it : “ We have been wanting to improve our bar-related membership services for a while , and with the new EPoS system and four new tills utilising individual membership bar cards , that objective ’ s going to be much easier to achieve .”
Differential pricing to benefit members
The MHS Group ’ s EPoS software will enable the club to set differential prices for members , so for the first time the club ’ s decision makers will be in a position to think about offering a discount to their members . Potentially , that will have a positive impact on both the bar margins and on members ’ privileges .
Because each member ’ s card identifies the card holding member at the till when an order ’ s given at the bar , every member ’ s purchases and sales can be identified . Using membership cards will also mean they can top up their cards with cash or more likely at home via the club ’ s website , so as Barr points out : “ They won ’ t have to remember to bring cash or use their credit cards when they come to the club . That ’ s going to make the club much more user friendly and in keeping with modern lifestyles .”
Events and bookings diary included as part of the package Barr ’ s colleague , honorary treasurer J . J . Jeffrey joins in the discussion : “ As part of the EPoS system , we ’ re getting a comprehensive bookings diary as well , so we ’ ll be able to handle all our major bookings and events , and even set up things like table bookings for groups of members and visitors at the major matches , social events and functions .”
Keep it simple to start with
Jeffrey continues : “ We ’ re going to keep things simple to begin with , but once we ’ re thoroughly familiar with what the new system can do , and what we ’ d like to do with it , the possibilities for greater levels of membership benefits are almost endless .”
Data security and privacy covered , no more duplication
Barr adds : “ That said , the great thing about all this is that all our software will be in the cloud and secure , and for those of us who help run this club , one that we ’ re proud of and which is so much a part of the local community , it ’ ll mean we don ’ t have to spend lots of time chasing bits of paper or duplicating membership data .”
Barr summarises : “ These two systems from FSI and the MHS Group will be fully integrated to make life simpler and easier in all sorts of ways , and we ’ re all really looking forward to that !”
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