For #SBSevent2019 winners are adding their #sbs journey to their profile, here is ours.
Thanks to my #SBS friend, smooth talker, dancefloor choreographer as well as Student Motorsport founder John Paul Latham for the #mysbsjourney idea. Everyone has fascinating stories, from the one person startups with an idea, the sole traders and limited businesses. Reading through some of them gives you a great insight into winners personal journeys.
I am Allen Hume from DH Business Services, we supply
EPoS Point of Sale systems and we’re based just outside Belfast, Northern
Ireland.
My #SBS win:
I was working with a customer @brainboxcomputers one Friday afternoon in 2013
and Gareth from Brainboxcomputers told me about #SBS. They’d been taking part
every weekend. He told me to go for it. I did and 3 weeks later I won #SBS in October
2013, and Gareth didn’t speak to me for about a year after that! @brainboxcomputers
eventually won in 2017 and I can rub it in because he isnt on Facebook.
When I won #SBS, the 2nd ever #SBSEvent was the following week, so I booked flights and turned up, on my own, not knowing what to expect. I remember meeting Linda Ladley in the foyer and got chatting until the doors opened.
From the initial win, the activity on twitter and in business was fantastic. It creates a great talking point to new customers, it looks great on any promotional clothing and business cards, so we include the #SBS logo on all our brochures and our new van too. The #sbsevent2013 and #sbsevent2015 were the most motivating and inspirational days I have been to. Theo Paphitis gave everyone there a buzz, a positive attitude to business and a goal. Over the years the #sbsevents have been better and better. I love hearing the stories from the entrepreneurs and the Q&A sessions. Everyone has the same problems and gripes from all different types of businesses, and we don’t get to meet other likeminded business people everyday while running our businesses. So the #SBSevent to me is well worth the time to visit. Theo Paphitis and his team put on a great day. They dont have to, but they do, and if you are lucky enough to be chosen as a winner, make the most of it.
DH Business Services have been
supplying Cash Registers and EPoS Systems since 1986. Originally my Dad’s
business, he ran a successful Computer and Cash Register Business since 1975,
and even won a similar award from a man called Sir Alan Sugar in 1985 when he
was Amstrad dealer of the year, beating every other UK dealer and winning an
all expenses paid trip to London for an overnight stay and a business event show,
where the entertainment was provided by an unknown comedian called Rory
Bremner.
My business journey started in 2005. After 10 years as an engineer and programmer for Bombardier aerospace, I got made redundant, and 3 days later my wife got made redundant. Over dinner that week my Dad mentioned he wanted to retire, and I wanted to do something else, as signing on and job hunting wasn’t fun, so I took on the business with him for 6 months, to test the water. In 2005, touch screen EPoS systems started to take off, and I felt we were in a good place at the right time. Business started getting busier and the 6 months interim period turned into a career and I’ve never looked back. I’m sure like many small business owners, I honestly don’t feel like I am working. I really enjoy my days. I am very hands on in the business. I meet every customer, customise EPoS systems to suit their businesses and I am in a lot of restaurants, takeaways and cafes, so the free coffees and perks do help.
About the business:
In 2008 we moved to a new accounts office in Comber Northern Ireland to support our rental customers, and a purpose built office in Antrim just outside Belfast for our store, office, training facility and showroom for demonstrations to customers.
A new range of Touch Screen EPoS Systems was introduced and we now specialise in cashless systems, customer loyalty systems, scanning systems, biometric systems, stock control solutions, cloud based software and weighing scales. We have also started our own software, Evolve-POS, optimising the potential of our hospitality systems.
In 2019 we partnered with Hungrrr to offer mobile apps to takeaways, catering and restaurants, as an alternative to Just Eat. With their own app they can entice customers with tailored pricing and offers for alot less £ and our systems are based with no commission. In a bar / restaurant, customers can download their app or scan a QR code for the business webstore and customers can then order and pay for their order from their seat. Everything prints at the Point of Sale, and the payment goes straight to the business’ bank account, not a 3rd party business.
From our website www.dhbs.co.uk customers can buy till rolls and credit card rolls at trade prices, and we regularly have special offers for EPoS packages.
I can’t wait for #SBS2019.
Thanks for reading and have a lovely weekend!