Improving business through technology

Throughout its history, Sports South has emphasized bringing technology to the dealers it serves. In the past couple of years, the company has expanded its efforts to include the entire industry. Sports South now has two software programs available to all firearm dealers and a third one that is offered exclusively to the company's network of dealers.

Recently, Sports South began giving away its Firearms Management System software free to gun dealers. The software is given to any storefront dealer. Doing business with Sports South is not required.

Why give away software that was previously sold to dealers? Skipper Dickson says it's a matter of helping the industry.

"We're very much concerned about responsible firearms record keeping," Dickson said. "We think this is a way we can take something that we're good at and help dealers. We hope it will make all of us more efficient and more responsible."

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Ezra Weinstein, IT manager at Sports South, says the company decided to give the software system to all dealers as a way of making a contribution.

"This is a tool that can help improve the whole industry. It can help dealers track firearms and show the government that we can take the initiative and do things ourselves rather than wait for the government to impose rules and regulations upon us. And by helping everyone, it will come back to us and, hopefully, improve our business, our dealers' businesses and the businesses of all dealers in the industry."

One benefit of the Firearms Management System is that it reduces the amount of time dealers spend tracking firearms. Instead of keeping a written bound book, dealers can track everything on their computers.

"Every time there's a trace request by the ATF, the retailer has to spend a lot of time searching written records to get the information. It's not very efficient," Weinstein said. "We spent a couple of years perfecting this software and we continue to improve it. Our goal is to ensure it's always up to date and has features that will help dealers move from their manual system to an electronic system."

Tracking firearms is only one feature of the software, which is really a tool dealers can use to manage their businesses. As Weinstein points out, "It allows you to track your acquisitions and dispositions of firearms. You can print a compliant bound gun book. You can maintain an inventory of firearms and report on the movement of those firearms with a minimum of paperwork."

The software also can generate an aging report to identify inventory that is not selling.

"The aging report is a tremendous tool that shows retailers when to turn their inventory," Weinstein said. "The system also generates purchasing reports, and can provide some marketing information, such as printing sales reports and address labels for customers. It's much more than just an electronic gun book."

Remember, Sports South is giving the Firearms Management System free to any storefront gun dealer. The company does ask that you register the software when you install it so the company's software experts can provide updates. However, Sports South will not use the information to market to dealers not already in their network. To receive the free software, call Sports South at 1-866-297-4676.

COPYRIGHT 2005 Publishers' Development Corporation
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group