Parker Building Supplies

About Parker Building Supplies

Kerridge Commercial Systems offers ‘cutting edge software for the merchant industry’, according to Ian Mitchell at Parker Building Supplies. Ian is Information Systems Manager at the leading independent and award-winning timber and heavy-side builders’ merchant.

The company was established in 1984, and since then its philosophy has always been to offer high-quality customer service backed up by good stock availability and efficient delivery service. Today the company employs 280 people and trades from 25 locations across the South East.

We have used K8 software since 2004. At the time we needed to upgrade from our existing system to bring about a change of culture and KCS offered the best solution. Since then it has come on in leaps and bounds and we have continued to upgrade to the latest version each time a new version is cut.

Ian Mitchell - Information Systems Manager at Parker Building Supplies

"The latest upgrade has been very successful (and most of our 160 users were unaware it had happened). This new version will allow us to move on to another level by adding the enhanced Business Intelligence reporting, KPIs and the ability for our sales representatives to access K8 remotely on their tablets," Ian said.

Parker Building Supplies will also start to use K8’s Web Builder, the integrated web content management system that supports e-commerce. Initially, this will enable them to have a customer portal running so customers can interrogate their accounts and print off invoices, credits and statements. The system will then be developed in the future to offer a Click and Collect service.

Benefits

• K8 upgrade means the sales team can access the software remotely on their tablets.
• Web Builder will provide a portal for customers to access their accounts and print off invoices, PODs etc.
• Now able to plan a click & collect service for the future
• An earlier upgrade delivered K8’s General Ledger - integrated with the trading system

Further new functionality being trialled by the Parker Building Supplies team includes K8’s new Delivery Management System which means drivers can download manifests to handheld devices and manage discrepancies, confirm drops and capture signatures remotely – with signed PoDs being available via the customer portal.

"We take advice from our KCS account manager who ensures we have the latest version of K8 with the newest functionality," Ian explained. "A previous upgrade in April 2015 brought about another major change to our business when we started to use K8’s unified ledgers that are integrated with the trading system, and that put us on another platform for moving forward."

All of the modules within K8 have been developed for merchants and other distributive trades. The system is constantly evolving in line with feedback from its users and is designed to give the ultimate support in sourcing, stocking, selling and servicing customers.