Over the weekend I ran a survey here, asking newsagents how many hours they worked in their business. The collation of the 137 responses shows, not unsurprisingly, that most work significantly more than an average working week. Here are the numbers:
Politicians need to understand the time we all invest in our businesses and consider this as they develop polices. While some businesses owners will always work long hours others will happily transfer some of their hours to employees if the conditions are right.
Newsagent suppliers need to look at these figures and consider how they can help newsagents save time. For example XchangeIT ought to deliver on magazine statement reconciliation. magazine distributors ought to give newsagents control over supply and thereby reduce the time we spend on processing returns.
There are many areas where newsagents could save time and thereby achieve a better work / life balance than available with some of today’s archaic processes.
Thanks to the 137 newsagents who voted. Given the percentage of newsagents represented I think the results represent the industry average.
More suppliers should embrace electronic invoicing too!
Ok, the majority of card suppliers, all magazine suppliers, and GNS currently do. But its about time confectionery companies, newspaper companies and particularly Gift companies started electronic invoices through XchangIt.
GNS has electronic invoicing??? I asked support earlier this year about adding a GNS stock file but was told it’s too hard with ever changing bar codes and the mix up between individual stock and cartons. Having EDI for GNS would be AMAZING. Who do I speak to to get it setup?
Yep, for years. It all depends on what you asked for. There are stock files, catalogue files for seasons and invoices. You do have to be careful about data but usually ok.
GNS EDIs are great when you get the goods from the warehouse. What we hate, really really hate, is when you buy an “offer” on a turnover from a 3rd party the EDI just lists the offer as a single item. You then have to spend hours entering each item individually. Such a waste of time when you are used to doing it another way. It’s now at the point where we don’t buy packaged offers any more (especially from fairs) The extra time it takes to process them into store negates any saving.
plus the 10% turnover fee eats into any special pricing