We interviewed Camilo Ruiz, owner of Isa & Tin, a candy shop with typical desserts from Colombia. They started their business ten years ago and have succeeded with perseverance in the face of difficulties and challenges. 

How long ago did you start the business?

We started as a family business over ten years ago and are looking for a growth option today. We currently have three stands operating, two in shopping malls and one in a supermarket that is very popular in the city. 

How has the workflow been during these ten years?

My wife and I have independent professions, and our business emerged as an alternative income; this is not our main activity. Its growth has been organic; we have not managed campaigns or any kind of incentive for sales growth. The idea is to implement new scenarios that allow us to operate with more control and expand.

How did you start using Loyverse?
I saw the application in another establishment, and since we are in the process of gaining greater control of sales and inventory, I started to search for alternatives to point-of-sale systems that would allow us to have easy access and thus implement them.  

I saw it in an establishment, downloaded it, and started generating sales for two of our stores. To get to know it, I used it on two devices. The first few days, I loaded the sales at the end of my day to check if the reports were reliable, learn how it worked, and analyze all the Loyverse tools. At the moment, we have two stores open so we can differentiate the sales of each store. 
 

Was there any feature or tool that motivated you to stay with Loyverse?

The interface is straightforward to use, and the whole issue is creating the products with their inventory. It is interesting to have the hourly sales information for each item and category. All these elements are essential to generate business information, and we also have the option to review each employee's report. Not all employees have the same capabilities, and for the owner, it is crucial to observe this and review who needs more attention to perform better.

The inventory is an important part of the sales process because it is where the traceability of the business is. Loyverse seems to me to be a very comprehensive and versatile system for multiple types of business.

Have the reports you mentioned changed the big picture of your business workflow?

Yes, of course! Reviewing the daily sales graphs is important because we can find high and low peaks. Find the dates or days when sales were lower, and with that information, implement some strategy. This helps to review trends and to know which of our products sells the most and which sells the least. The idea is also to identify the hours with the highest customer flow. This information is relevant and important for organizing strategies and giving another boost to the business.

How has it been managing two businesses with two different locations?

In the free version, we opened the second store without difficulty. It is effortless to log into the account with an email and review the product catalog separately but in the same account. We did not need to make major adjustments; we just created the two points of sale to be able to differentiate the sales of each of them in their respective store and make an independent analysis because the stores operate differently in terms of the flow of people, customers, and sales. It is exciting because one can perfectly contrast the two scenarios by changing the filter in the reports. Loyverse also offers the advantage of downloading the information in Excel files, and from there, you can do other types of analysis with the Unlimited Sales History.

Do you have a strategy to keep up with industry trends and changes?

We want to collect information and know more about the customers, and what the customers think about the business, maybe do some research, and manage and promote social media. We know that Loyverse has the option to manage the loyalty program and the customer database; with this information, we can get to know our frequent customers. The relationship with the customer is fundamental to know if we are doing our job well, and it is essential that they feel appreciated by the company.

Have you had the help of our team through the chat at any time?

I have not asked any questions via chat so far. In general, the management of the tools within the application is quite friendly, allows simple configuration, and is what we all seek: an option that does not generate more difficulty but facilitates and promotes business activity.

Could you summarize the impact that Loyverse had on your business?

What has favored me the most is being able to see the sales reports in a friendly way every day with its graphs. Previously, I had no information on how much was sold per day, and that is vital to have all the information in a single account, analyze it, and see the changes visually. That has been so far the biggest impact not only on one business but on the two businesses. That is the main benefit I have received from the application.

Would you like to share any tips for entrepreneurs just starting their business?

The first tip is about the importance of persevering in the business. Keep the business going even after the first fall. Surely, there will be ideas that can be perfected, and others that cannot, but we must maintain our ability to persevere. Secondly, rely on the digital theme, social networks, applications, and all those tools that allow us to take the business to a new level. Organic growth worked very well for us, but there comes a time when we must decide and take the initiative to change the way the business should grow and the technology and tools are here to do it.