INSPIRATIONAL LEADER
Jean Freeman: the vision inspiring the growth of Sharp-aX Computers Those who succeed in the fast-moving world of digital technology need to have vision to allow them to stay ahead of today’s technological advances. Such vision drives inspirational leaders and has characterised the career of Hertfordshire businesswoman Jean Freeman, the Managing Director and a founder member of Sharp-aX Computer Systems. Her ability to spot gaps in the market and a determination to focus on developing the most modern, powerful and flexible software is what has driven the success of Sharp-aX in its first four-and-a-half years. The result is that Berkhamsted-based Sharp-aX has grown rapidly and now employs 22 local Hertfordshire people. Specialising in distribution software and with an integrated website, the company is perfectly placed to focus on new business sales. Jean says: “For the first three years of our existence, we focused on our own Sharp-aX software and integrated website development, ensuring that it became the most modern, powerful and flexible system available. “It’s important to lay those foundations; everyone in our company is involved in R&D as we continue to develop new modules and apps based on our close scrutiny of the market and our customers’ needs. The result is that our systems are capable of uniquely flexible and powerful complex functions, rules and workflows designed around exact company requirements – automation from sales quotation to sales order/purchase order/invoice/statement allied to integrated mobile sales and warehouse apps. “Our delivery routing module is vital for our customers who have heavy delivery commitments. Orders are allocated to vans by route, time, weight and size – legally essential when failure to comply with weight restrictions can lead to instant prosecution. “Our integrated website uses the customer and product information held within the Sharp-aX system so that customers can order online 24/7, enabling instant access to their products, pricing, historic orders, invoices and statements. “Sadly and inevitably, our growth plans suffered last year but we remained profitable by working harder and looking
after our customers through, in some cases, vicious and prolonged lockdowns. Some were food distributors, the hardest hit, but the majority of our customers are allied to the building trade. With the Sharp-aX software and our integrated websites, they were able to offer a service over and above those of their competitors without websites.”
Adam Brown, Managing Director of Nationwide Supplies claims: - COVID made us totally rethink our customer service. Using Sharp-aX, we are wholly delighted with the outcome whereby all orders, enquiries and payments are processed online as well as minimising social contact.
Nationwide Building Supplies – Buntingford One of those customers is Nationwide Supplies, a local builders’ and plumbers’ merchant in Buntingford. The company supplies a range of products including underground drainage, soil and vent, waste pipe and fittings, copper plumbing, bricks, insulation, radiators, timber and driveway paving. Using its fleet of vehicles, Nationwide aims to offer a fast and efficient delivery service locally, and uses an extensive network of couriers to ship goods to locations from Aberdeen to Southampton. Adam Brown, Managing Director of Nationwide claims : “Covid made us totally rethink our customer service. Using Sharp-aX, we are wholly delighted with the outcome whereby all orders, enquiries and payments are processed online as well as minimising social contact.” Nationwide’s drivers simply load their vehicles, a photograph of the goods and their reg plate is taken and they drive off. Similarly – using the Sharp-aX Delivery Routing app – photographed deliveries are stored on the system. Sharp-aX also set up 24/7 collection points – a system which has since become a standard service. Together with the company’s new same-day delivery system, this has resulted in a 450% rise in website sales at Nationwide.
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