Euro Garages court Access to payroll software deal

Colchester, UK - 20 May 2010 - Euro Garages, the UK's fastest-growing forecourt operator, has chosen Access' SelectPay solution to manage its payroll. The company, whose partners include Burger King, Spar and Starbucks, is one of the sector's largest independent operators with 84 sites.

Originally using a bureau, it sought an alternative that would simplify its payroll needs and provide better control and visibility of information. Employing nearly 1000 staff across its estate and head office in Lancashire, Euro Garages needed to manage staff turnover and identify a reliable method for managing hours worked by its employees.

Zuber Issa, co-founder and managing director for Euro Garages, decided to implement SelectPay for its scalability, ease of use and powerful integration.  "SelectPay was the logical step for us," he said. "As users of Access Dimensions for many years, we already have a great relationship with the company and were attracted to the benefits of a fully integrated, centralised business solution."

Following implementation, Euro Garages has a system that enables seamless transfer of data between the payroll and the accounts, ensuring data integrity and eliminating duplication. Already, the level of system satisfaction is higher. "With a fully integrated system, we can rely on the accuracy of our information which has built confidence in the quality of our management reporting," said payroll manager for Euro Garages, Tracey Simpson.

Additional benefits include the straightforward import of pay data from multiple sites via two-way MS Excel integration, a smooth process for handling multiple pay types and frequencies and the delivery of electronic payslips. "Our employees especially like the e-payslip function. It makes receiving and accessing pay information much quicker and easier for everyone, and it's cut our postage and processing costs significantly," said Tracey.

Support has also met with unanimous approval. "Everyone I've spoken to at Access has been exceedingly helpful, both during the consultancy stage and at post-implementation. The team clearly work closely together to ensure we get the most out of our investment."

Concluding, Zuber commented, "We're confident that our centralised Access payroll and finance system gives us the visibility we need to keep our growth on track. At Euro Garages it's vital that our passion for quality and customer service is shared by our employees and a reliable, efficient payroll system plays a key part in that."

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About Access

• Access is a consulting, software and solutions provider, serving the mid-market
• The consulting services are backed by more than 65 accredited consultants, providing business software expertise. They operate nationally out of 10 offices in the UK and Ireland
• The software portfolio provides solutions to meet the needs of the whole organisation, helping to reduce complexity and increase efficiencies at every level. In addition to accounting and finance, Access also offers manufacturing software, professional services automation, and accounting for carbon emissions reporting. Other software solutions include distribution and warehousing, HR and payroll, document management, service and contract management and CRM and sales automation

Accreditations and memberships:

• Microsoft Gold Certified Partner
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
• Business Application Software Developers Association (BASDA)
• HM Revenue & Customs: Payroll Standards Scheme  

Awards 2008 and 2009:

• Green IT Awards 2010 for 'Environmental Accounting Software of the Year'
• SIFT Media Software Satisfaction Awards 2009 for 'Green Software Provider of the Year'
• Manufacturer of the Year Awards 2009 for 'IT in Manufacturing', won by customer Renthal for its use of the Access Supply Chain solution
• Construction Computing Awards 2009, 'Construction Accounting Software of the Year' and shortlisted for 'Environmental Product of the Year'
• Accountancy Age Award 2008 and 2009 for the best 'Mid-tier Software Package'
• SIFT Media Software Satisfaction Award 2008, for the second year running, in the category of best 'Mid-Range Software'

About Euro Garages

Euro Garages was founded in 2001 by the Issa family with the acquisition of a single forecourt site in Bury, Lancashire. Since then, it has acquired an average of 10 sites each year, making it one of the UK's fastest growing operators. The group's rapid success has been driven by its innovative approach to forecourt trading. It acquires and redevelops under-performing sites in high density locations, optimising fuel volumes and driving additional revenue by offering convenience retail and ancillary services.

Its rate of growth has been recognised by numerous awards, including the Sunday Times Fast Track and Real Business Hot 100 league tables of fastest-growing privately owned companies. The quality of its management team has also been praised, with Managing Director Zuber Issa recently being named as Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year (northern region).

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