It sounds obvious, but it's often overlooked. The internet is overflowing with review sites, and although most of them are about either hotels or online shops, I'm noticing more and more 'bricks and mortar' businesses are getting reviews. The wide spread adoption of Google places will certainly be contributing to this, and with its prominence in google searches, online reviews by your customers are only going to become more widespread.

This can work for and against you. Clearly you need to be aware of the possibility, in order to respond where appropriate to any negative reviews. One of the best ways to do this is to setup Google alerts. This allows you to be emailed, either immediately, or daily when your search phrase (for example, your company name) appears in a new google search.

30th May 2011; Edinburgh - Semi-Chem have announced they are to install IntelliStore's branch charging and invoice matching modules, after the successful implementation by their parent company, Scotmid Co-op.

The implementation will greatly assist in reducing workload for the head office staff, who have been used to the automation provided by IntelliStore in the Scotmid side of the business.

24th October 2008; Edinburgh – VME Retail’s queue busting solution, part of the IntelliStore HHT optional module, has been rolled out to Semi-Chem branches.

This now enables Semi-Chem staff to scan goods in a basket with any of the VME Retail approved handheld devices (HHTs) which produces a barcoded ‘voucher’ receipt. When the customer reaches the epos till, the receipt is scanned and the transaction is processed without the goods having to be rescanned. Despite initial concerns to the contrary, this had proven to be a tremendous success, and has significantly improved the throughflow of customers during peak trading times.