Sehmi Builders Merchants

Change is an integral part of business. Whether it’s handling internal growth, keeping up with external developments in industry, or with the latest software innovations, how a trading entity copes with change can help to define its success.

Sehmi Builders Merchants have found that the K8 system from Kerridge Commercial Systems has future-proofed its business in a challenging trading environment, through scalability and inter-branch connectivity, as well as enabling it to keep up with the latest industry best practice.

Kerridge Commercial Systems is the leading supplier of software solutions to builders merchants, which means that its clients can keep up-to-the-minute with the latest software and IT processes. The way in which it supports builders’ merchants is exemplified by the experience of Sehmi Builders Merchants. Sehmi Builders Merchants started 25 years ago. This family-run business which provides timber, bricks, sand, paving, steel and other building supplies, has grown into one of the most successful independent builders merchants in the south of England, with branches in Southall, Wembley, Reading and Slough.

While Sehmi faces the same operational issues as every builders merchants, from ensuring effective stock and delivery management to efficient transport and delivery of goods, it was the growth to a multi-branch company which posed a particular bussiness challenge.

Harpreet Sehmi, Branch & IT Manager, explains the benefit the company found with K8 in regards to inter-branch functionality: “When Sehmi Builders Merchants became a client of Kerridge Commercial Systems over nine years ago, we were using a standard, text-based sales and stock system. There was a multi-branch element to it but it gave poor scope and scalability. K8’s impressive scalability is, in our opinion, the key to its inter-branch connectivity. As Sehmi added new branches, we were able to easily expand our operations through the K8 system’s bolt-ons such as the barcode feature, the excellent accounting and delivery management side of the software. A further benefit was that we no longer needed to carry stock inall our branches.”
Prior to installing K8, Sehmi were using a generic, hardwired and character-based system, but after experiencing the advanced interactivity of K8 they found K8 far more robust. When Sehmi moved over to K8, they were keeping up-to-date with the latest IT innovations, benefitting from additional features such as screens which could be tailored for individuals.

As the leading supplier to builders merchants, Kerridge Commercial Systems could enable Sehmi to stay abreast of state-of-the-art software changes and ensure their trading processes

were as advanced as any out there – keeping them ahead of their competitors. Harpreet remembers the company being particularly impressed with “the ability to change the status of an order line to generate back-to-back purchase and inter-branch stock requests” as an effective measure of security and efficiency.

There are a number of key areas of value of the K8 system for Sehmi: “Stock control, being able to check the sales/stock history of items, providing insight and analysis into core lines, what’s selling and what’s not. Streamlining the multi-branch system and increasing transparency means that stock is only carried in relevant

branches, and it allows us to carry out PPI [Perpetual Product Inventory] stock takes, which are much more convenient. It’s improved our delivery management considerably, it has handy features like the loyalty card system, and proof of delivery documents and document scanning has all-but eliminated our need for a filing system – a huge time-saver. All of this, combined with the scalability which helps to future-proof our business, has made K8 invaluable.”

Sehmi were particularly impressed with “the ongoing support and training which the team at Kerridge Commercial Systems provided, which was really hands-on”. The consistent support and continually evolving product means that “K8 is a long-term solution for Sehmi and we now never have to change our software system again. As a client you commit yourself not just to K8 but to Kerridge Commercial Systems and their team, which is a positive experience.”

K8’s multi-level functionality means it does more than help in specific instances, such as moving from a one-branch to a multi-branch system.K8 is a long-term solution for Sehmi and we now never have to change our software system again.

As a client you commit yourself not just to K8 but to Kerridge Commercial Systems and the team, which is a positive experience K8's fully integrated and highly sophisticated capabilities streamline processes across the board, offering ROI which can be clearly measured through improved efficiency, shortened debtor days and increased revenue generation. In the words of Harpreet Sehmi, K8 from Kerridge Commercial Systems has, “provided transparency and efficiency, made trading easier, allowed us to generate more sales and improved our overall business.”