Armagh Testimonials

Catapult Round-Up feature makes it easy for multi-store chain to use convenience store POS to collect change in support of MS Cambridge-based Little Short Stop Convenience Stores literally catapulted its desire to support multiple sclerosis fundraising to great heights over the past three years by utilizing the robust capabilities of the point-of-sale system Armagh POS Solutions installed four years ago. “Our former General Manager retired to help his brother who had MS, and we wanted to show our support by getting involved in the annual MS fundraiser,” explains Kevin De Spiegelaere, IT & Special Projects Manager. Working with the Armagh POS Solutions team, the Little Short Stop’s ECRS Catapult convenience store POS system was configured to round up purchases to the nearest dollar, making it easy for customers shopping at any of the chain’s 29 stores to give small amounts to the MS cause. “We liked the idea that customers could give 10, 20 or 30 cents at a time rather than asking for $2 like many companies do,” adds Kevin. “It’s really effortless for staff. If the customer agrees, the staff person simply taps a button. The system automatically rounds up the purchase, and allocates the donation to an MS account.” Kevin noted the campaign raised almost $23,000 in 2016. “One of our team members suggested a Western theme, since it is ‘Round up for MS’. We had great staff participation. Everyone wore cowboy hats and got into the spirit yelling yee-haw or giddy-up when customers donated.” Little Short Stop Stores have been using the Catapult convenience store POS software system on Toshiba POS touch screen terminals since awarding the contract to Armagh four years ago, after conducting an extensive search and evaluation of systems to replace its box-cash registers. “I joined Little Short Stop five years ago and one of the first things I was asked to look at was the point-of-sale system,” says General Manager Gerry Bes, noting he asked for convenience store POS proposals from 10 POS companies. Five of those were invited to the Little Short Stop head office to present on their software and capabilities. “We ended up going with Armagh and Catapult based largely on the robust functionality of the POS software, as well as the solid service relationship we’d had with Armagh for 30-plus years.” Kevin says the system has been as effective in enhancing in-store promotions and customer service as it has in making the MS Round-Up possible. “We’re in the convenience business. In some respects we sell time. Customers come to us because they can get in and out of our stores quickly and get what they need. Catapult has automated so many things we used to do manually, allowing our team to really focus on customer service.” Little Short Stop operates 29 convenience stores in Ayr, Cambridge, Guelph, Kitchener, New Hamburg and Waterloo. This Little Short Stop Catapult POS Testimonial can be downloaded in PDF format here.

Armagh prescribes Catapult as dual purpose POS system for hospital cafes, cafeterias and gift shops This is definitely not your average volunteer association. The Hamilton Health Sciences Volunteer Association’s (HHSVA) “Make a Purchase, Make a Difference” program generated $13 million in profits that was used to enhance patient care across the six healthcare institutions it serves. Keeping track of growing sales volumes at the 11 cafés and cafeterias, and four gift shops the association operates is much easier today thanks to a POS system (point-of-sale) implemented by Armagh POS Solutions during two separate deployments, says Anne Collins, Director of Retail Operations for HHSVA. “A big part of what we do is provide customer service excellence across our food and retail operations. The cash system is a huge part of that commitment. If the system isn’t working properly that means patients, guests and staff in every hospital pay the price.” Anne, who during her 21 years with HHSVA has seen the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to POS systems, says working with Armagh and the Catapult system over the past six years has been a breath of fresh air. That relationship began in 2010 after Anne spearheaded efforts to replace aging POS terminals in the association’s gift shops. “Our goal at that time was to link our gift shops under one system that could be accessed from our head office,” says Anne, adding she put out a call for proposals. The winning provider, she noted, would face unique challenges including: Working within the requirements of the hospital networking system. “I warned Armagh from the outset that a successful deployment would involve communicating with people involved in networking, security and external IT services. Larry (Wolfe) of Armagh assured us that wouldn’t be a problem, and surprisingly to me, he and the Armagh team continue to live up to that promise.” Implementing a reloadable gift card program that would allow patients, guests and staff to make purchases at any of the association’s gift shops. The On the Go gift card program has been warmly received by staff, guests and patients. Armagh was selected to install its Catapult POS system in the hospitals’ gift shops based largely on its commitment to providing the highest level of service. “We could see that Armagh had put a great deal of work into really understanding our needs. They recommended the Catapult system, showing us how it could meet all of our needs at the time, and well into the future.” Five years later, Anne was back in the market to upgrade the aging POS system in the association’s food service operations spanning 11 coffee shops and cafeterias. Larry Wolfe, who has headed up Armagh’s retail POS operations for almost 26 years, says he was confident Catapult could meet the demands in HHSVA’s food services operations as effectively as it had in the hospital’s retail gift shops. “ECRS Catapult with Toshiba hardware is powerful and flexible, providing a single solution for gift shop and food operations. With the experience we have gained in hospital settings, I am confident we can deliver a higher quality product than any other provider in the marketplace. It provides the perfect solution for pharmacy operations as well.” That confidence shone through as Armagh delivered the winning food-service POS system. Despite being familiar with Armagh and the Catapult POS system, Anne worried about the impact on customers and staff during the installation and implementation. “It went much smoother than I ever imagined, despite the challenges of dealing with the networking requirements,” says Anne. The entire system was up and running efficiently in about 30 days. HHSVA Cashier at Catapult POS system.“Most of the work was done during overnight hours when our cafeterias and cafes were closed. But even at our 24-hour café at McMaster, the Armagh team pulled out the old system and installed the new one in just three hours. It was hardly noticeable.” One of the greatest benefits is having information at her fingertips. “With our previous system the information we had was site specific. We had to go to each site to gather date. Today I can sit at my desk and the information is all at my fingertips. I can pull information by site, or all together to find out what our top selling items are across all the sites. I can see sales, profit and profit margin all in one place.” Anne says she and her team value what Armagh has delivered, beyond hardware and software. “Our relationship with Armagh is truly a partnership. They are always there for us. In the last six months, they were there again to help us as we closed two small coffee shops and opened two new new ones” Catapult Launches OnTheGo Reloadable Cash Card Armagh was able to deliver on two ‘must-have’ features with its Catapult POS solution, making no-fee cashless shopping and lotteries winning propositions for patients, guests and staff at Hamilton Health Sciences facilities. “A reloadable gift card was one of the criteria we had in mind when we began looking to upgrade our gift shop POS system in 2010,” says Anne Collins, Director of Retail Operations for Hamilton Health Sciences Volunteer Association. “Today, our OnTheGo program is popular with staff, patients and guests. Large numbers of staff are using the On the Go card, and carry it in their ID badges. It’s very convenient for them – they can stop in to buy a coffee without worrying about carrying cash. And there’s no fees.” Patients and their families like it for the same reason – they can buy items anywhere in the hospital without worrying about cash or credit cards. The On the Go card – which can be loaded with $5 to $500 – can be used at gift shops, cafeterias and cafés at any of the six hospitals operated by Hamilton Health Sciences. The printed receipt from each purchase tells users how much remains on their card. Another POS challenge facing the… Read More

Digital Dining Pizza Ordering Software drives growth at popular Niagara pizzeria after move to new location. It’s Saturday night, and waves of customers are crashing through the front and side doors at Mossimo’s Pizza of Fonthill, Ontario for hours on end. The pace is non-stop throughout the 8,000-square-foot restaurant that pushes out more than 2,000 pizzas and 3,000 pounds of chicken wings weekly. Also on the menu are a variety of fresh salads, hot and cold subs, flatbreads, wraps and more. “We couldn’t manage these volumes without Digital Dining,” says Guy Citrigno, who went searching for a POS system almost four years ago when he and brother Massimo decided it was time to move to a new location – the biggest by far in their 25-year history – with a view to the future. “We’re running multiple businesses here. We have table service dine-in with a patio in the summer, a full sit-down bar, as well as an extremely busy take-out and delivery business.” Guy looked at a number of POS systems before finding Armagh and Digital Dining. “Their people came down to see us, to learn what we were doing and to see how Armagh could help. The rest is history.” Digital Dining was a perfect fit on a number of fronts: Digital Dining Go Mobile – Mossimo’s tossed out its ‘pink slip’ notepad ordering system in favour of iPad Minis that servers use to input orders directly at each table. The brothers say their use has driven sales volumes higher because they are so fast, easy to use and virtually error free. Pizza Toppings Matrix – Armagh programmed Digital Dining’s specialized pizza ordering software to handle the infinite ordering possibilities that include five base sauces and 35+ toppings in any configuratioin the customer prefers. Assistant Manager Andreas Roynos says the pizza toppings matrix visually depicts each pizza order on screen, with options for whole, half and quarters of the pizza along with an alphabetized toppings list that makes it easy for phone order takers as well as servers to punch in exactly what each customer wants. Sales Reporting – managing each area of the business has been streamlined by sales reports that break down sales in each area of the business. “Digital Dining is helping us to grow this business – we’re busier today than we were when we first opened our doors two years ago,” adds Massimo. “It’s also great knowing Armagh is there 24/7 to support us if in the event of problems.” Click here to download a copy of the Mossimo’s Pizza Digital Dining Testimonial.

Popular Ancaster Ontario Restaurant Improves Table Turns By 10-12 Minutes Using Digital Dining Go Mobile POS Ancaster’s newest restaurant, Pub Fiction Gasbar & Grill, was inspired by the cult movie, Pulp Fiction, but its commitment to service is a factual story about how Armagh and Digital Dining helped Pub Fiction become an award winner in its first year of operation. Pub Fiction, owner and full-time firefighter Mark Hodge had worked with different POS systems previously when he owned another pub in town. But when he and partner Jimmy Nielsen decided to open a new venture, they wanted to check out all the possibilities. Pub Fiction, owner and full-time firefighter Mark Hodge had worked with different POS systems previously when he owned another pub in town. But when he and partner Jimmy Nielsen decided to open a new venture, they wanted to check out all the possibilities. “It was a very time consuming process, but at the end of it all there was no one out there that could provide the service or a better POS system than Armagh,” says Nielsen, a former contractor who says he is constantly amazed at the versatility and power of the Digital Dining system. “Our commitment to success was based on delivering great food, great service and a great overall dining experience. Digital Dining makes great service easy. By putting the POS system directly into the hands of our servers with iPads, it cuts our service time by 10 to 12 minutes per table.” Using iPads was an easy transition because the system looks and interacts the same way as it does at traditional server stations, he notes. Pub Fiction has been nominated for seven awards in a local Reader’s Choice competition, including Best New Restaurant 2014. Digital Dinings’ ability to track what’s happening at every table was an unexpected bonus. “Because we serve alcohol, I like that I can see how much is being consumed by each individual at any table,” adds Nielsen, noting he can track all restaurant activities right on his smartphone, whether he’s at work or away. Jimmy says he and Mark both appreciate Armagh’s commitment to support 24 hours a day, seven days week. “Any food-service operator can tell you that they can’t afford to be without their POS system period. We haven’t run into many issues, but when we have Armagh has been there.”

Digital Dining is just what Doc’s ordered! When Maureen Cade made the decision last year to close the family-run hotel restaurant-bar in Niagara Falls, she was clear on what she wanted – a truly authentic Irish pub unlike anything else in the Honeymoon Capital. And to make sure business would run smoothly, the one aspect of the business she decided to keep was its POS system and provider – Digital Dining and Armagh POS Solutions. “I didn’t even consider looking at any other system because Digital Dining does it all,” says Maureen, who married into the Cade family and joined the family business that has operated the Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel on Lundy’s Lane for more than 40 years. “We have worked with Armagh as long as I have been here, which is 26 years. We made the mistake once of going with someone else, but that didn’t work out very well. We are now with Armagh to stay.” Maureen along with husband Fred, his brother Len and wife Elizabeth, knew they had to create something very special to reverse the sliding business fortunes at what had become known as a middle-aged pick-up bar. “We decided to open Doc Magilligan’s, an authentic Irish pub. To do that we had the whole place built in Ireland, disassembled and shipped here in containers. Everything came from Ireland including the books, the hanging pictures and even the statues.” Maureen says the family business moved to Digital Dining five years ago at the suggestion of Armagh. “It is such an easy system to use, yet it is so powerful in delivering reports that are so essential to running our business.” The opening of Doc Magilligan’s also marked the debut of iPad Minis, notes Maureen, which has streamlined order taking and food delivery. “When we hire a new server, it so easy for them to get up to speed quickly with the iPad Minis.” Digital Dining is also being used for other enhancements that put the entire hotel and restaurant business at their fingertips including: Moneris pay-at-table technology, a managed UTM network with secure guest WIFI, and a property management system interface. “We control everything from iPads now – the lighting, the music, the POS system for the restaurant and the hotel. It’s incredible really.”

The Mustard Seed Service, flexibility made Armagh POS Solutions and Catapult point-of-sale easy choices for new co-op. The Mustard Seed, Hamilton’s first grocery co-op, is committed to giving its members and shoppers the best of everything local. When it came time to find a POS system for the new store, General Manager Richard Adshead liked the fact that Armagh was a local company focused on providing service excellence. It was a perfect fit with the store’s commitment to having “a positive impact on our local economy, our community, our health, and our environment.” “We looked at a number of POS systems in a process that took us about six weeks,” explains Richard, whose grocery co-op opened in January 2014 after a successful membership drive and extensive renovations to their location on York Boulevard in Hamilton. “One of the big reasons we selected Catapult was Armagh. We felt service was a very important part of the selection process, which made Armagh a great choice for us. They demonstrated a great ability during the demonstrations. We were happy with the software, and happy with their team.” The flexibility of Catapult system was also a strong selling point, giving the grocery co-op the ability to cater to its members. “We love the fact that when a member is ready to check out with their purchases, we just scan their card and the system automatically recognizes them as a member.” That means the member receives special member pricing where applicable. In additional, each member’s sales are automatically tracked with reward credits printed on their receipt with each shopping visit. The co-op also liked the fact they can customize shelf labels throughout the store, including detailed information to help their members make informed choices. The store focuses on sourcing products from local producers and wanted to make that information easily accessible. Richard noted that Armagh really came through when it came time to open the store. “We had a very aggressive opening schedule, and didn’t allow a lot of time for installation and training. Armagh was here with us on opening day to help us through the training process, and to make sure we could handle the crowds. “There was so much to worry about at that time it was great knowing Armagh was there to support us all the way.” Click here for a pdf version of the Mustard Seed Grocery Co-Op Testimonial.