Scottsdale business uses cloud-based iPad app to grow customer base
Who would have thought that a business which handcrafts toffee from scratch daily using local ingredients could be a technological innovator?
On the heels of its recent expansion into a larger space in Scottsdale, adding a full toffee bar and enhancing its product line, Scottsdale-based GoodyTwos Toffee Company has launched an innovative element into its brand: iPad registers and a streamlined back-end portal. Unveiled in April, the new point of sale (POS) system, called ShopKeep, utilizes cloud-based technology and iPads, which allows small businesses to grow more effectively.
GoodyTwos owners and mother-daughter duo, Donna Gabrilson and Stacey Barnes, have recently replaced their bulky cash registers with two sleek white iPads affixed to an acrylic dock, which flips so customers are able to see their order, slide their debit or credit cards and sign their receipt on the touch screen. Since starting the company in 2004 using their original family recipe in their home kitchen, the company’s owners have seen technology advance drastically. So the team decided to utilize the technology available, make a smart change and switch to a Web-based program which would allow them more freedom in their business decisions.
The system is connected to an online portal or app called BackOffice, which automatically updates bookkeeping, sales, graphs, inventory and more while offering a more streamlined approach to the business.
“I can pull up the app on my phone while working remotely and see daily sales, what products are moving and essentially be more effective in our day-to-day operations,” says Barnes, co-owner of GoodyTwos.
The move to the iPads represents GoodyTwos’ dedication to a quality product with an innovative twist.
“The system allows us to show our brand in a new, exciting way,” says Gabrilson. “GoodyTwos has always been about our wholesome products showcased in a modern, fun light and this adds an element of technology to GoodyTwos.”
Not only are the owners enhancing their business using this new POS system, Gabrilson and Barnes are also in the process of completing the Academy for the Advancement of Small, Minority-and Women-owned Enterprises (AAAME) program sponsored by APS. The AAAME is a two-year business-mentoring program which allows selected entrepreneurs the opportunity to attend business training classes, build networks, develop resources and meet with individual advisors to assist them in reaching their next level of business success.
“We hope, and actually know that AAAME has and will continue to provide us with the necessary tools to continue growth in an effective smart way and not just by shooting from the hip,” says Barnes. “In turn it will not only help take your business to the next level of running smarter but also creating more jobs in Arizona and helping the local economy grow.”
SATISFY YOUR SWEET TOOTH
Valley residents can satisfy their sweet cravings and technology itches by visiting GoodyTwos Toffee Company at 6990 E. Shea Blvd. Scottsdale, Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. or order their favorite toffee flavors online at goodytwos.com.
