So we’ve talked about what we can do, but here are some examples of what we have done.

Chef’s Connection
Chef’s Connection is a produce delivery service for the catering industry, based in New Covent Garden in London. They place an enormous importance on freshness and quality, so a system that ensured product traceability was essential to the running of the business.

For them, the move to Freshware was one which significantly increased their profile. Because other companies know that Chef’s Connection use a system that is highly compatible with their own, trading is more efficient and communication becomes a simpler process. Miles Browne, Managing Director of Chef’s Connection, says the Freshware reports are much better than any other he’s seen.

Freshware provided them with a greater scope because, unlike other systems, it wasn’t restricted by its own limitations. The flexibility of the system is a real attraction for Chef’s Connection because they know if there are ever any changes to their business, the system can be adapted to meet new demands.

The impact Freshware has had on the business is positive and has proven to be very cost-effective. Chef’s Connection serve 300+ customers a day (some of them very large), so one of the most useful functions of Freshware is the ability to send remittances electronically. This means that purchasing information can easily be copied and pasted into Excel, saving a lot of manpower and stationery.

“Freshware is very user-friendly and has added value to our business’”
Miles Browne - Managing Director at Chef’s Connection

L Jalley & Co

Jalley was previously using a Windows internet-based application which the Managing Director, Peter Pini, described as poor, unreliable and to be blunt, ‘rubbish’. It continually dropped and lost data and was supported by a small team that just couldn’t cope.

Jalley had heard good reviews about Freshware from other businesses throughout the industry, so they made the switch. It was an easy decision because

Freshware was reputed to be the best system on the market designed specifically for the fresh produce industry. And because it was a tried and tested system, he had no reservations about the change.

Freshware met and exceeded Jalley’s expectations and they found it to be a sophisticated, but easy to use system. It reduced the amount of duplication and provided vital management information on demand, which enabled jobs to be carried out more efficiently.

“Thanks to the Freshware system we will know the sales, purchases and profit each day. This gives us the ability to react to the ever-changing market conditions and maximise the return from our business. It’s a solid, reliable piece of software for the industry”
Peter Pini - Managing Director at L Jalley & Co

Montgomery Wholesale

Montgomery was previously using a very basic and simplistic program, whose reports could only be obtained at the end of the day and everything had to be printed. As the industry upgraded IT systems to Windows-based programmes, a clear lack of support was occurring with Montgomery’s existing software. It was very complicated and the only support available was in the form of leaflets and books. No training was offered and the charges for the inadequate software were suddenly, and considerably, increased.

This is when Montgomery decided to use Freshware. The advantage of this system, in their eyes, was how easy it was to use. Accessibility was simple and all the figures were readily available. Also, Freshware’s automatic updates eliminated waiting around for end-of-day reports.

Freshware improved the efficiency of Montgomery’s processes, reducing the daily workload considerably. Previously, if there had been a problem with their system, the response was poor and it resulted in the suspension of business activity for hours at a time, until it was up and running again. However, with Freshware, on the single occasion where they experienced a problem, the response was rapid and the business was not affected.

‘It’s a really good program. Anybody can use it.’
Elaine Burke - Office Account Manager at Montgomery Wholesale