Subscribe to this blog RSS

Our Archive


Lakeview ERP: Committed to delivering ‘Bespoke as standard’

Posted by angela on April 25th, 2012

For our customers and prospects alike we promote and support a ‘Bespoke as standard’ ethos. This is our guarantee that all modifications to the software are included into the core product ‘as standard’.

How do we do this?

This is managed by having a single set of source code, by designing solutions as generic as possible and by switching features on by means of control flags.

The ‘Bespoke as standard’ commitment enables easy upgrades to the latest version of your Lakeview (LV or LM) software and to take advantage of new features as they are released.

To find out more

Call us on 0208 303 3329 or email info@lakeview.co.uk

Or visit: www.lakeview.co.uk

Author: Angela Kennedy, Marketing, Lakeview

Technorati Tags:

No Comments Share Email

Why buy from Lakeview?

Posted by angela on April 12th, 2012

We believe our business proposition is absolutely unique amongst suppliers of ERP software.

We are one of a few independent software authors directly supplying ERP systems to UK based SME businesses.

Lakeview has been providing business software solutions to UK SME’s for over 25 years, and understands the needs of both customers and the demands of trading from within the UK.

Our passion is to deliver excellent business software with an outstanding level of service. When customers contact us with a ‘how do I do this?’ or ‘what am I doing wrong?’ question, we don’t turn them away, or suggest spending on training or consulting. We take the time to find a solution and our customers constantly comment favourably on our service and often recommend us to others.

Introducing LV: Lakeview’s latest ERP product

Built using the latest, proven Microsoft technologies LV is proving to be the feature rich business software solution that Lakeview is renowned for.

LV ERP can be deployed

  • On premise
  • In The Cloud
  • Or on any mobile device or tablet

LV also boasts

  1. An App that allows you to create and update transactions as well as enquire across the system.
  2. A full set of API’s for business and database interfaces enabling web shops and third party products to be easily integrated in real time.

In summary

Lakeview provide end-to-end software solutions to UK SME’s: Delivering solutions that are second to none in terms of features, support and technology and offered with an unwavering level of service.

Our largest source of customer acquisition comes from existing customer recommendations, together with previous Lakeview users moving company and introducing us. This speaks volumes…

Visit and download

 

More about LV: www.lakeview.co.uk/lv

Download LV to your mobile: iTunes App Store

LV on YouTube: http://youtu.be/daVj_SLYdtM

 

To find out more

Call us on 0208 303 3329 or email info@lakeview.co.uk

 

Author: Mark Greatrex, CEO, Lakeview

 

Technorati Tags: , ,

No Comments Share Email

BAKO chooses LV to manage its supply chain

Posted by angela on March 27th, 2012

BAKO distribute many well known food & beverage brands, as well as their own label value range of baking products from their warehouse and distribution facility in Wimbledon. With a modern fleet of temperature-controlled vehicles, BAKO boast a very impressive set up.

BAKO invests into Lakeview’s LV ERP product to facilitate remote working and better manage supplier performance and produce trends.

About BAKO London and SouthEast

From its base in Wimbledon, South West London Bako London and SouthEast offers the food industry an outstanding combination of competitive prices plus the exceptional customer service only a local company can provide.

Launched over 50 years ago as a regional buying co-operative, we later joined with four other bakery co-operatives to form BAKO UK.

Today our customers enjoy the combined purchasing power, logistics and resources of one of the largest nationwide distributors to the food industry.

Visit: callbakolondon.com

 

Author: Angela Kennedy, Marketing

Technorati Tags: , ,

No Comments Share Email

Is the Cloud right for your Business?

Posted by angela on February 14th, 2012

What Is Cloud Computing?

Cloud Computing is an on demand access to shared servers, software and data using the Internet. The user accesses the cloud using any type of device (PC, Laptop, Smart Phone, iPad) that runs a web browser.

The Cloud is meant to represent the concept that the user does not need to know anything of the computing infrastructure he or she is using and that it just sits within a cloud somewhere out there. It is often depicted, as a drawing of a cloud inside which is a network of linked servers much like drawings of telephone networks or electricity grids.

The Cloud can also be seen to represent an alleged infinite capacity of computing resources available for all to use. The cloud can even be a private Cloud (at a cost.)

There are many types of applications for cloud computing from backups, data storage and email systems through to full-blown ERP systems such as Lakeview’s LV product. In theory all business and personal systems could be delivered to you via the cloud.

In reality there are of course still companies that you contract with for these delivered services via the Cloud as the latter is after all a different route to market for the products and services already on offer pre Cloud.

The way these Cloud application services known as SaaS (Software as a Service) or ‘Software on Demand’ are delivered via a subscription from the service provider.

So, what are the pros and cons for your business potentially moving to a Cloud Computing model?

Pros

Cost reduction

This is the key benefit in that there may no longer any need for in house IT hardware or technical expertise or these resources can be redeployed to other business functions.

Scalable

It will grow with your business (although you will pay more.)

Green

Companies sharing global data centres within the cloud should reduce green footprints.

Cons

Risk

Single point of failure with one supplier for all IT needs with limited negotiating power, control and costly to revert back in-house.

Access

This may well be a showstopper as you will need a telecom (Broadband or Lease) line into your business that provides reliable and responsive access to the Internet.

Privacy

Handing confidential business data over to a third party.

Performance

Many software applications are slower and less reliable as they weren’t designed for cloud deployment.

Summary

If your business is an early adopter, and prepared to take a considered risk for a cost saving, then the Cloud is certainly worthy of consideration.

For the remaining majority of pragmatic, conservative and technology laggard businesses then best to maintain status quo and keep your server and data sat safely within your four business walls (five counting your firewall!)

——————————————–

About Lakeview

Lakeview are authors of ERP solutions providing outstanding levels of customer service to UK SME’s for over 25 years.

 

To find out more

Please contact at info@lakeview.co.uk or call us on 0208 303 3329.

Visit our YouTube demo: UKERP

LV ERP product page: www.lakeview.co.uk/lv

iTunes business App: Visit iTunes to trial ‘LV ERP’

PDF download: LV ERP Brochure

 

Author: Mark Greatrex, CEO, Lakeview Computers Ltd

K6Z7SJXHBCSX

Technorati Tags: , , , ,

No Comments Share Email

Farewell To Sage Line 100 in 2012 – Sage Customers please read on…

Posted by angela on November 14th, 2011

You maybe aware that Sage has announced termination of support for Sage Line 100 on September 30th 2012. This means no further development of the product beyond that date, no new releases and no changes for any taxation or legal requirements. This effectively renders the product unusable the next time there is a legal or fiscal change.

We have heard instances of Sage resellers not informing their customers and other resellers claiming they can support and develop Line 100 past this date (they can’t.)

Here at Lakeview our approach to product life cycles is very different to Sage and just about every other ERP author. Put simply we do not end life products and we do not force customers into buying an upgrade. Line 200 is sold as a natural evolution from Line 100 but in fact is a new piece of software. This is the opportunity for you to consider alternates.

Our Lakeview LM product has been providing customer with accounting and ERP functionality for over 25 years (longer than Line 100 has been in existence!) LM is still supported and developed with many of our customers still happily running their business very effectively on LM.


Two years ago we launched our LV product range which offers the rich functionality within LM plus all the latest Microsoft, Internet, Apple and mobile technologies. An increasing number of LM customers have taken the smooth upgrade path to LV based on their own decision and business benefits. Equally many Sage customers have migrated to Lakeview as the cost and disruption of moving to us is comparable or indeed less than moving to Line 200 but with much more benefits.

Lakeview LV also offers a fully functional mobile version that can work on any smart phone, tablet, iPad, iPhone, netbook, in fact any device that can connect to the Internet! This enables remote sales teams, executives and remote employees to access the system anytime anywhere.

As a UK author we also offer a completely unique proposition known as ‘Bespoke As Standard’. This means that we will modify the software to meet any needs that are specific to your business and we will guarantee that it will be included in the standard product. This enables a very smooth and painless upgrade to future releases – to our knowledge; nobody else in the UK offers this!

To find out more

Please email us on info@lakeview.co.uk or call us on 0845 388 3329.

Alternatively

Visit our website, download our LV App from iTunes or our LV brochure here.

 

Author: Mark Greatrex, CEO of Lakeview Computers Ltd

Technorati Tags: , , , , ,

No Comments Share Email

Lakeview in partnership with Mestec delivers Cookie Man’s Manufacturing Smart Box system

Posted by angela on November 9th, 2011

OVERVIEW

Established in 1979, Esher-based baked products manufacturer The Cookie Man supplies supermarkets such as Co-op, Tesco, Sainsbury, Morrison and Waitrose. It‟s a highly competitive industry, driven by a continual need to improve productivity, cut costs, and reduce wastage.

In late 2010, The Cookie Man responded by launching an initiative to drive manufacturing efficiency, greater visibility, control and lean processes on the manufacturing shop floor. To achieve this, the company decided that it would augment its Lakeview ERP system—with which it was otherwise delighted—with a specialist „add on‟ package focused upon providing detailed management and visibility for factory-centric operations.

“As an ERP system, Lakeview did everything we wanted,” says The Cookie Man‟s general manager Jayson Scheib. “But we needed to monitor manufacturing operations at a more granular level of detail in order to drive manufacturing performance higher.”

 

 

 

 

Download the full story about Cookie Man’s Manufacturing success working in partnership with Lakeview ERP and Mestec

CHALLENGE

And to try to get the desired level of visibility, the business had become reliant on a number of spreadsheets and paper-based systems, he explains. By 2010, Cookie Man had outgrown these dated methods which were onerous to manage, not to mention the frequent re-keying of data.

“We would spend hours entering data into paper forms, and then copying the information into the ERP system, checking records and trying to resolve conflicts and errors,” says Charles McIntosh, The Cookie Man‟s supply chain manager.

The business needed visibility of real-time shop-floor data to support lean activities to continue to drive cost out of the manufacturing process.

 

To read this case study in full

Visit: www.mestec.net/Download/TheCookieManCaseStudy.pdf


About Mestec’s Smart Box solution

A touch screen and barcode based factory focused solution, Mestec’s Manufacturing Smart Box system is designed to track, trace and report on key aspects of the entire production process … from goods receipt to despatch.

What’s more, the Mestec Manufacturing Smart Box has been designed from the ground up to complement existing ERP systems, and not to replace ERP functionality.

The Manufacturing Smart Box interface is a simple touch screen configured for a specific set of factory activities. Its simplicity means that minimal training is needed. Typically, the Mestec Manufacturing Smart Box system is specified, chosen and implemented by manufacturing management, and not the IT department.

The Manufacturing Smart Box is flexible and can be rapidly deployed into even complex and changing environments. This makes it ideal as an ERP companion, capturing key production information in real time whilst seamlessly interfacing to the corresponding company information systems.

With a typical payback of two months to one year, Mestec’s Manufacturing Smart Box systems are affordably-priced, and available on either a low-cost monthly subscription, or through one-time perpetual licences. And a typical initial improvement project delivers results in days or weeks, not months or years.

Visit: Mestec

Case study written by: Mestec

Technorati Tags: , , , , ,

No Comments Share Email

Case study: Proud to provide a springboard for successful growth at Natural Balance Foods

Posted by admin on August 8th, 2011

Founded in 2005, Natural Balance Foods is already establishing a strong franchise in the UK for its range of healthy cereal bars and flavour-infused raisin snacks in national grocery and healthfood chains.  Today, its major Nakd and Trek brands can be found in the wholefoods and fast-expanding ‘free from’ sections of Tesco, Waitrose, Asda and Sainsbury’s, for example, as well as Boots, Holland & Barrett and independent specialist health food outlets.

Yet in successfully meeting this growing demand for healthier products, Natural Balance Foods has had to meet the challenge of managing rapid growth.  “As a start-up we initially piggy-backed a custom-built ERP system built for a sister company operating in a very different Internet environment, together with spreadsheets and a financial accounting software solution,” says co-founder, Greg Combs.

However, this came under increasing strain as the business rapidly expanded and it became clear that the company needed an integrated solution which would manage the end-to-end process, from receipt of orders through to delivery and invoicing with minimum manual intervention.  Additionally, the replacement system had to enable product full traceability and multiple warehouse inventory reporting..

“In selecting a Lakeview system, we recognised it had the essential flexibility and scalability to meet the current and future demands of our business and our customers,” he confirms.  “This has proved without doubt to be the right decision, as we now have the perfect springboard for taking the business on to the next phase of its exciting growth.”

 

The Challenge

For Natural Balance, the ongoing challenge in maintaining its 100% distribution rate in supplying highly-demanding High Street food retailers was to keep sufficient stock of its products in each of its seven warehouses across the country.

However, the pressure increased substantially when the company was successful in extending its product listing with Tesco Wholefoods section and into the retailer’s ‘Free From’ section, for people with specific food allergies and intolerances.  “This meant seven-day delivery and coping with a wide range of volume requirements, which resulted in a ten-fold increase in the number of transactions,” recalls Combs.

Internally too, the existing accounting package needed to be upgraded, in order to meet management demands for weekly sales reporting business, inventory visibility and the ability to close accounts on a monthly basis rather than quarterly.

 

Solution

In seeking a more broadly-based solution, Natural Balance Foods explored a range of options and selected Lakeview as the best-placed to meet the demands of a fast-growing business.  In particular, Lakeview’s standard off-the-shelf ERP system for the food industry offered a proven solution from a financially stable company with a strong track record of success in supporting fast-growing businesses.

“As part of our research, we talked to the finance director of another grocery supplier using Lakeview, and experiencing high growth,” says Combs.  “We were especially impressed by their favorable feedback regarding the system, and how Lakeview continues to play an essential role in underpinning that company’s ongoing success.”

Natural Balance Foods sources products from a number of different suppliers and Lakeview provides a complete, responsive solution which enables full stock replenishment, including re-ordering fresh produce on a just-in-time basis.

The standard Lakeview solution, which incorporates full product traceability, required little customisation to meet Natural Balance Foods’ needs.  “We are a straightforward business requiring simple, reliable management tools,” believes Combs.

“As a result, the Lakeview team only had to tweak the solution for us in two specific areas.  First, it had to be able to cope with a flexible purchasing process so, in that volumes can vary from those ordered.  And second, the system had to adapt to our way of  tracking inventory of individual product and flavour variants.”

Results

In addition to the core Lakeview ERP system, Natural Balance Foods has added two additional functions: the EDI module integrates with the purchasing systems of the company’s major high street customers and the eCommerce module links trading over the web directly to the central ERP system.

Implementation was on-schedule, “with start-up and migration much less painful than we had anticipated,” says Combs.  “From day one, all our employees found the system to be exceptionally intuitive and easy to use and we have had no push-back or resistance at all.  Just as importantly, the seamless transition was invisible to our customers.

Previously an order was typically handled between six and seven times by individual staff.  With the introduction of the Lakeview system this has been cut dramatically and manual intervention is now only required twice throughout the whole process.

“This has freed up our back-office staff to undertake much more valuable tasks on behalf of the business and our customers,” says Combs.

Work is currently underway to incorporate an iPhone and iPad app, which will allow senior staff and Sales Team to access the Lakeview system remotely when they are travelling.

 

In working with Lakeview, Combs has been “impressed with the team’s willingness to listen and respond to our company’s challenges and needs, which stands as a best practice example to other companies as to how it should be done.”

 Author: Angela Kennedy, Marketing

To find out more

Visit:  ERP solutions for Food and Beverage

 



Technorati Tags: , , , ,

No Comments Share Email

For the attention of: All Financial Directors

Posted by admin on July 29th, 2011

“You want me to do what? What do I know about IT?”

Does this sound familiar to you?

In today’s busy SME environment when keeping costs and overheads to minimum jobs such as managing IT fall upon those who certainly are not experts when it comes to hardware or networks let alone the time in the day for such a large burden of responsibility.

Managing your IT needs to be built on the solid foundation of these four pillars:

  • Delivering your current IT needs to ensure that it enables the business.
  • Understanding and budgeting for your future needs, e.g. Mobile solutions, Cloud computing.
  • Managing the IT resource whether they are internal or external.
  • Risk management (security, compliance, business continuity)

Lakeview offers a full turnkey solution not only do we author, deliver and support our own ERP software but we also have our own dedicated team of engineers to build servers and desktop machines to requirement and fully manage the security and stable operation of your network.

So if the above responsibility falls to you in your role then why not pass that burden to Lakeview as a single source of supply and support for all your IT and business software needs. We have many MD’s and FD’s that will testify to the benefit and outstanding service of having Lakeview as your trusted IT partner.

Find out more

For more information regarding our hardware and network service contact us at info@lakeview.co.uk or visit: www.lakeview.co.uk

 

 



Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

No Comments Share Email

Introducing leading organic food distributor Infinity Foods

Posted by admin on June 15th, 2011

About Infinity Foods

Infinity Foods began in 1971 with a small shop in Brighton, England.
In 1985, as a result of the increasing demand for bulk whole food orders a group of members set up a separate wholesale branch. Run initially from a site in Saltdean, and an eventual move to a warehouse in Portslade where they still reside.

Over the years, as the whole foods market has grown so has the wholesale division of Infinity Foods. What started as a small outlet at the rear of the shop is today one of the UK’s leading national distributors of high quality, organic, fair-trade and natural products.

Why Lakeview?
Infinity Foods required a solution to allow for further business expansion and de-risk the business from the in-house solution. The solution in mind needed to manage the distribution operation, boost operational efficiency across its supply-chain, increase visibility and give access to business-critical data across the entire organisation.

To find out more
Click here for more on Lakeview’s ERP solutions food and beverage manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors.

Lakeview: Providers of Enterprise resource solutions for food and beverage companies

Author: Angela Kennedy, Marketing for Lakeview

Technorati Tags: , ,

No Comments Share Email

Subscribe to Lakeview’s ERP news for food and beverage companies

Posted by admin on April 14th, 2011

An important part of the SME’s strategy has to be systems.Supply chain for food manufacturer A manual system, or a small ERP solution that is overloaded, does not provide the steady and efficient platform that the business requires to be competitive.

Stay in touch with your world of ERP and subscribe to our email broadcasts using the form below:

————–

Fill out my online form.

Technorati Tags: , ,

No Comments Share Email