A core stock of motherboards meant NEXT could replace/ upgrade in-store in less than 60 seconds

Since January NEXT have been implementing DigiPoS Retail Blade systems in their stores, following a successful pilot which began in October 2004 in the Northampton store.

NEXT selected DigiPoS for the unique design of their new Retail Blade solution, coupled with the proven reliability of DigiPos components and track record in the field.

The Retail Blade system has a replaceable motherboard and hard drive, enabling unrivalled speeds for upgrades, repair or maintenance. With Retail Blade, it is now possible for retailers to maintain a core stock of replacement motherboards and replace/upgrade in-store in less than 60 seconds, an absolute first in the industry. None of the peripherals are disturbed, the 'host' system remains in place and the downtime is cut dramatically. Therefore, instead of 'insuring' their whole estate, with the implementation of the Retail Blade solution, NEXT will be able to virtually eliminate the costs of conventional maintenance. In future, they will be able to respond quickly and effectively to where the problem is, potentially eliminating tens of thousands of pounds of maintenance which is there - "just in case".

Retail Blade also allows NEXT to think more broadly about the future. The main motherboard - the Blade - and components have a strong 3 year warranty, but the host system is also covered by a ten year warranty period. This means even as technology develops, NEXT will have the confidence that the upgrade path can be limited to the main areas of need - disk storage, processor speed etc, without replacing the whole system and peripherals.

"We are delighted that NEXT have selected DigiPoS to meet their PoS needs," said Ian Patterson, MD at DigiPoS Systems. "The selection process was rigorous - the NEXT approach to technology implementation is one of quality and innovation - so we are pleased we were able to deliver the absolutely best value - being a combination of the best specification, with the most realistic price and just as important, the highest levels of support and input. Retail is a very demanding business and PoS is at the front line to receiving the revenues that make the NEXT business the success it is today."