Located just off US 40 in Bear, Delaware, Pet Kare is part of a growing commercial region that twenty years ago was little more than a few stoplights and a post office. As a modern retailer in a competitive industry, Pet Kare owner Kevin Mutschler constantly faces new operational challenges that he must address effectively in order to prosper as an entrepreneur. We recently caught up with Mr. Mutschler who talked with us about how Catapult is allowing him to thrive as a retailer by helping Pet Kare meet its operational challenges head-on with a modern enterprise solution.

ECRS : Can you briefly familiarize us with Pet Kare?

Mutschler : I have been in the pet retail business for twelve years. I bought my current business, Pet Kare, about five years ago. We carry a full line of animals, accessories, and food for fish, canines, felines, reptiles, and birds. Our customer base is very diverse, including your basic cat or dog owner to the full-fledged pet fanatic, and everything in between. Our store is 8,000 square feet - pretty substantial for an independent pet retailer. We have a total of eighteen employees.

ECRS : What are your driving philosophies as a retailer?

Mutschler : Our primary goal is to offer quality products and great service at an affordable price. We take customer service very seriously. And we always go that extra step to educate our shoppers about how to care for the pets they purchase from us. It's also important that they have a pleasant shopping experience from the time they walk in the front door, to the moment they exit the building.

ECRS : What made you choose Catapult as your store solution?

Mutschler : We had a POS system by a manufacturer that claims to be the "biggest and best" in the industry. But the system was basically falling apart. They didn't have any local representatives, and wanted to charge astronomical fees to send someone in for onsite support. I first met our local Catapult dealer and an ECRS representative at a pet industry trade show. I was very impressed with the demo at the show, so I asked the dealer to come by my store for a more in-depth look at Catapult. I really liked what the product could do. Having a local dealership was a big plus too. It didn't take long for me to realize that Catapult was the right system for Pet Kare.

ECRS : How does Catapult help Pet Kare streamline activity at the front end?

Mutschler : Catapult's speed and ease of use at the point of sale is fantastic. The combination of the intuitive touch screen and the scanning helps us dramatically reduce the time customers stand in line at the registers. This of course helps us to achieve that pleasant customer shopping experience.

ECRS : Which Catapult reports do you depend on most?

Mutschler : At the end of every business day we run an Activity Summary report and a Cashier Activity report. These two reports really help management keep its finger on the pulse of how the store is doing from day to day. The most valuable Catapult report for me as an owner is the Item Movement by Supplier report. The information generated here is vital in terms of my buying habits. It shows me in crystal clear detail which products are selling well, as well as which ones are stagnant and need to be discontinued. Catapult's ability to track inventory with such accuracy brings a high level of efficiency to our operations, which allows Pet Kare to prosper in an increasingly competitive market.

ECRS : In what other ways has Catapult helped Pet Kare streamline its operations?

Mutschler : The simplicity of the touch screen makes it very quick and easy to train new employees. We do a lot of POS screen customization because we have a lot of items, animals namely, that don't have barcodes. Catapult lets us build sub-menus so our cashiers can quickly drill down to non-barcoded items with just a couple of touch strokes. The level of POS efficiency we achieve this way is really amazing.

ECRS : Would you recommend Catapult to other retailers?

Mutschler : Absolutely. In fact, I referred a clothing retailer beside Pet Kare to our local dealer. It didn't take long before they put Catapult in their store too.

ECRS : Can you comment on the quality of service provided by your local Catapult dealer?

Mutschler : They have been very helpful and have taken care of us since day one with Catapult. We really appreciate the local service they provide.