They’ve got the key to the door !

The secret of our success is specialisation and experience.  After all these years we understand the drink trade’s unique needs

YES, IT’S 21 years since the Vintner computer software system for the wine and drinks trade was born and also 21 years since the birth of the London International Wine and Spirits Fair.

Both babies have grown steadily and are now sturdy and successful adults. "Computers then were huge, covered the top of your desk and had less memory than my mobile phone does today," jokes Nick Gabb, creator of what is now the most widely used computer system in the drinks trade.

Vintner must have been a very healthy baby since, between its birth and its coming of age, it has been installed at more than 100 sites in the UK, the Republic of Ireland and France. "The secret of our success is specialisation and experience," explains Peter Curtis, another director of Vintner Systems. "We only write software for the drinks business and after all these years we understand the trade’s unique needs."

Some of these needs were summed up by Robert Ellis of Ellis of Richmond – long-standing Vintner users – when we spoke to him at Christmas-time in 2001. "This is the time of year when our sales go through the roof, whatever the economic climate. But it’s also a time when the work involved strains us to the limits. Unlike the toys and gifts industries we have the added burden of Excise tax placed on our shoulders."

When we spoke to Robert recently however, Ellis of Richmond had opened their own bonded warehouse and were using the Vintner Enterprise Bonded Warehouse module. "We’ve gone bonded and it’s been a great success," said Robert. "Last Christmas was a doddle.  With Vintner Enterprise we now have a totally integrated system, incorporating sales, purchase orders, stock control, the lot.  All at the touch of a button." Robert smiled and added, "Vintner also calculates the Excise Duty and VAT and that, of course, maximises our cash flow."

The Vintner "baby" has changed considerably over the years and Vintner customers have been converting to the current Windowsbased Vintner Enterprise System. Nick Gabb enthuses about Vintner Enterprise: "It supplies the missing piece of the jigsaw that makes up the wine and drinks trade’s desktop."

So, was converting from DOS to a Windows package a fraught experience? Jayne Middleton of Middleton Wholesale explained "Vintner installed the new Enterprise system over a weekend. Two members of their team were on-site on the day that we went live in case of any unforeseen problems.  The support from Vintner has been amazing."

Bill Milton of Balls Brothers, who have also converted to the system, has found that workflow has significantly improved. "Because the system is so easy to navigate, we can move to the next task much more quickly," says Bill.

New customer, Great Western Wines, wanted an integrated package "that would monitor vital percentage margins," says Philip Addis, managing director. "This was built in as standard with the Vintner solution. Vintner’s customer service levels are impressive and we find their user group meetings really useful – it’s good to find a company that listens to customers’ feedback and acts on it."

"Vintner Enterprise has been extremely well received," agrees Nick Gabb. "It is proof that Vintner Systems itself has come of age and is growing in tune with the market by responding to the needs of our customers, and once again this year we will display our wares at our partner-in-age the LIWSF."