Every month one of our business customers will be featured in our business spotlight. We will include a little bit on the background of the company, what products and services they have to offer, and where they are going. If you are one of PowerLink's business customers and you would like to be featured on our spotlight page, please send a request to website@wkpowerlink.com. You will be sent further information on specifications for the listing. December 98 - VIP Software VIP Software was started in 1990 with the goal of providing the hospitality industry with an inventory package that could track and report current inventory status in any establishment, ranging from the small restaurant to the large hotel or franchise chain. Their product line started out with the VIP system and a few interfaces to Point of Sale (POS) systems. They now provide an interface to over 45 different systems, and can create further interfaces for any POS system capable of writing an end of the day sales file. VIP is ranked in the top three inventory control software packages. As the industry lacked anything like this product, a Chef-turned-programmer developed the software. The result was one of the leading Vendor Inventory Purchasing control software programs. Accordingly, using invoice entry, the program is able to tell the client what they have on hand, what they have sold, what is costing them money, and what is making them money. It has over 100 different reports that can be generated to provide all inventory control information. With this ability, an establishment is able to lower their cost percentages, which in essence means more money in their pockets. Also, because of the tracking abilities with the stock, theft within an establishment is decreased by 95%. This again saves clients large amounts of money. By taking all the inputted invoice information which can be entered either manually or utilizing the Suggested Purchase Order option, transferring that data to a common accounting package is easy. This eliminates dual entries for accounts payable. From the time the stock enters the building to the time it leaves, this software is able to track its effect on an establishment every step of the way. If you know where your money is being spent, you are more knowledgeable in making decisions on that money's functions. Due to enormous demand to become international in 1993, VIP considered the Internet for their business. In order to keep their overhead expenses down, they utilized the benefits of the Internet for advertising and providing information to their clients. Recently they stopped printing and shipping manuals, diskettes, and sales info as this information is available through their web site. The business is run strictly from the Internet. Rather than increasing the cost of software, the elimination of overhead costs due to printed materials helps to keep the product costs down. They are also able to maintain up-to-date information for their clients. Manuals, sales videos, and links to companies they interface with can all be found on the Internet. From a marketing aspect, they receive 35-50 hits a day looking particularly for software to do what VIP does. Without the use of the Internet they would not be available to potential clients as far away as China, Germany, and Spain. Today, they are an International company with services in 11 countries. Currently, VIP is finishing up the Y2K version, which is to be the last release in the DOS environment. VIP will be going to a Windows interface fall of 1999. Any users that have purchased VIP in the last six months will be able to get the Y2K version free. They have put in place a very extensive training and support division so that their trained clients are very successful. VIP is not difficult software to run, but if not setup properly, it cannot be used to its full potential, which is a waste for VIP's clients. We allow the client full control on the setup of their inventory. (We do not allow them only certain abilities; they determine what the abilities are with the inventory.) In essence the client trains VIP for their particular needs. Take me to their site. Take me to their business listing.