Samuel Kirk (Builders Merchants) Ltd

From supplier ordering and stock control to managing prices, it’s a constant battle for builders merchants to remain competitive. But thanks to Kerridge K8, Samuel Kirk (Builders Merchants) Ltd uses a fully-integrated solution with all the reliability and detailed control required.

Based in Glengormley north of Belfast, Samuel Kirk (Builders Merchants) Ltd is a family-owned business established in 1947 and employing 14 people. It provides a full range of DIY and building supplies for trade and domestic customers.

Kirk Alderdice, branch manager and the founder’s grandson, says the company’s previous text-only trading and accounts system in 2005 was “very limited”. The problems included excessive manual intervention, poor management reporting and inadequate stock control. It was also difficult to price products consistently for good margins.

“We needed something that was much easier to use,” says Mr Alderdice. “We wanted a company with a large customer base because it meant more stability.”

A new integrated trading and accounts solution had to be Windows-based while offering robust stock control and pricing management.

Kerridge K8 easily matched everything from the old system but offered so much more. For example, it readily showed what was being sold and by whom. K8 effortlessly handled special pricing and discounts while providing highly-efficient stock control. It proved the best solution for trading over 7,000 products.
“Everything we asked for was only a click of the mouse away. It had so much functionality.”

The first step was a Kerridge Commercial Systems business process review to create a single comprehensive definition. A training system was then deployed using real data for familiarisation. After a pre-configured version of K8 went live, initial on-site help was provided followed by remote software support.

K8 has repeatedly proved its operational usefulness over the last five years including handling timber purchases and sales. If a customer tries to buy products when their account is overdue or the credit limit would be exceeded, it prevents the transaction. Kirk Alderdice describes the credit control facilities as “fantastic”, as such alerts give him a chance to talk to the customer.

Special product orders are also neatly controlled. When the order is taken, K8 creates a supplier purchase order. Triggered by arrival in stock, K8 prints a picking note as a reminder. Quoting any price to customers is now consistent too.

“We have had the system for five years and it's running just as new,” says Mr. Alderdice. “Kerridge are great, they're down to earth and easy to work with. If you tell them you have an urgent problem, they'll solve it urgently.”

The biggest benefits are in stock control and pricing. Once a purchase order is raised, stock then goes live on the system upon receipt ensuring that counter staff always know availability. K8 also ensures that margins are maintained, avoiding any need for manual reviews before invoicing.

"We are getting far better control and K8 has added overall value to the business. You can tell exactly how much you are making and exactly how much you are spending," says Mr. Alderdice. “It gives you a very up-to-date picture.”

Thanks to its constant reliability, K8 is now a valued member of this successful family firm.