The Union Cooperative Society Ltd
Moranbah Update
Moranbah Service Station to install new technology
In March, Chris Stewart, UCS Business Manager, and Melita Farley, Project Coordinator, from the Cooperative Brisbane office visited Moranbah to meet members and to talk to staff at the Cooperative's service station about the future direction of the business.
While they were only able to meet a small number of members, the meetings were positive and productive. "We got some really great information from members and staff about the Moranbah community, and lots of ideas from them about what could be done to improve or add to the services the Cooperative already provides in the area", says Melita. "It was also good to meet both members and staff and put names to faces".
As a result of the visit, the Cooperative has planned a range of activities to improve the services offered to Moranbah members, and to ensure the ongoing profitability of the business.
The first of these improvements is to install a computer and point of sale system in the service station. "Not only will this considerably lighten the load for Moranbah staff who are currently using a completely paper-based accounting system", says Chris, "but it will also allow staff to more easily analyse sales data and levels of demand to ensure the service station is meeting the needs of customers".
Planning for the installation of the system is well underway and the Cooperative expects that the system will be in use by the end of September this year.
"It will mean a lot of work and a big change for Moranbah staff", says Joanne Heading, Moranbah Manager. "But we are excited about the opportunities and improvements that the computer and point of sale system will bring".
Moranbah and Brisbane staff are working closely together on the project and hope that it will be of benefit not only to Moranbah members but to the Cooperative as a whole.
Other improvements that will be considered over the next six months include improving signage at, and visibility of, the service station, making better use of the land available next to the service station, staff training, examining new lines of stock, establishing a budget for the business and looking at ways to increase the Moranbah membership.
