Galaxy Optical sees bright future ahead with Eurostop

“Eurostop’s knowledge and understanding of European fiscal compliance was invaluable, they guided us through the taxation and legislation complexities at every stage of the project.” Jarrod Brown, IT Director, Galaxy Optical

• Galaxy Optical expands European operations with acquisition of 27 optician practices across Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia.
• Eurostop e-pos and e-rmis solution was rolled out to acquired and rebranded stores with minimal business downtime.
• New solution ensures adherence to regulatory tax compliance across the countries.

The Challenge – Sights set on new horizons

Following the purchase of 27 optician practices in Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia, Galaxy Optical wanted quick roll-out of a new EPOS solution to each retail outlet. They needed a provider that understood European taxation legislation and could work to tight time scales across multiple regions.

Debra Jones, Project Manager, Galaxy Optical explains; “We had an aggressive project plan in place for the delivery of a new EPOS system and rebrand of each store. We needed a provider that had a proven track record, not only working on international projects, but in this specific area because any slips in schedule would have delayed stores reopening; inconveniencing customers and impacting store revenue.”

The Solution – Vision into reality

The award-winning suite of retail software from Eurostop complies with certification standards, allowing Galaxy Optical to use the same solution across Europe.

Eurostop ticked every box on our list, it’s a reliable, intuitive solution that has been quickly embraced by the team,” said Debra.

The Result – Valuable Insight

Cohesive planning and partnership, followed by a whistle stop tour of cities and countries saw the successful delivery of the new EPOS system – on budget and on time.

The fast roll-out of the solutions ensured there was minimal disruption to customers and retail sales during the transition period.

Galaxy Optical now has the ability to track, order and allocate stock across their entire European retail estate from one central location. Employees can access accurate stock information across the business from any till point, in any store, providing customers with a greater level of service.

All tills are connected to electronic fiscal devices that provide the electronic evidence of sales required by the tax authorities, ensuring full compliance in the respective countries.

In summary Jarrod said; “Eurostop have been a responsive and diligent partner throughout this project. I cannot overemphasize just how tight the timelines were but Eurostop delivered, ensuring support was available when and where we needed it. Their breadth of experience and depth of resources have guided us through the complexities of tax legislation in other countries, this project has been a perfect example of what can be achieved through cohesive partnership.”

Eurostop’s system is used in 30 countries worldwide, at 45,000 locations, and has been specifically designed to cater for many variations of global pricing, and local sales tax by city, area, state and country. The system can also handle fiscalisation, a requirement for many countries in Europe.

For UK retailers looking to expand internationally, it is important to work with an IT partner who understands the local requirements and culture.

If you are interested in international expansion, contact us to speak to a retail expert.

Company Background

Galaxy Optical designs, produces and distributes a range of high quality eyewear products, as well as providing complete optical practice management solutions which includes appointment, product and order management, store fit and online and offline marketing.

The company has had a presence in the UK since 1998 and in that time has brought to the optical market end-to-end solutions supporting one of the top three retail businesses in the world.