§ Lord Dubsasked the Chairman of Committees:
What was the cost of installing the Refreshment Department's new computerised billing system; what benefits were supposed to be achieved; and what assessment he has made of the delays that have resulted. [HL4188]
§ The Chairman of CommitteesThe cost to date of installing the new EPOS (electronic point of sale) system in the Refreshment Department is £60,846. A further £20,000 will be spent on an associated stock control system. The introduction of the system in the Refreshment Department follows a recommendation 9WA by the National Audit Office. EPOS systems are, and have been for some time, standard in the retail and catering industries and enable accounting procedures to be improved while delivering more accurate information to management on sales and stock control. The staff of the Refreshment Department have put a great deal of effort into ensuring the smooth roll-out of the system in the department's eight outlets. The roll-out is now complete and, while the introduction of a major new system of this kind is bound to lead to teething problems, I understand that, with the temporary exception of the Home Room, no significant delays to customers have been identified. The problems in the Home Room have now been resolved.