Growth and continuity are key measures for a successful IT partnership

A family owned business since 1974, Van Dyks started working with Excellent software in 1994 and have had a smooth upgrade path to the latest Helix technology whilst expanding from a single homewares store with 6 terminals to a multi-faceted business with 13 stores and 65 terminals including flooring, beds, furniture, bikes curtains and blinds. Products created in Helix are automatically displayed on their Big Commerce based website including images and all other required website elements. The promotional system in Helix automatically controls website and retail promotions and stores can print promotional display tickets allowing promotions to be created in minutes.

Flooring Xtra are New Zealand's largest flooring brand. Helix's professional selling focus integrates quoting, works orders, scheduling, point of sale, debtors and inventory into a single system that's optimised for teamwork, accuracy and control. Helix breaks down the barriers between back and front office. Everyone is accountable for customer service, margins, inventory and debtors. Staff dashboards with CRM follow-ups ensure that customer expectations are set and followed up resulting in excellent Google reviews. As at Oct 2026 is increasing the competitieve advantage of 29 Flooring Xtra Stores, North to South between Kerikeri and Queenstown and east to west between New Plymouth and Hastings.

A family owned business since 1947. Heathcotes started their journey with Excellent Software at their Morrinsville store in 1992 with 4 computer terminals. The business has grown to 5 retail stores and 80 terminals including commercial, service and heat pump departments. Heathcotes has the leading independent family run appliance website in New Zealand. The website is highly integrated to Helix allowing staff to create new products and run promotions without duplicating that work on the website. Customers are integrated with Helix inclduing customer orders and maintaining multiple delivery addresses. The Helix framework provides staff with tools to achieve high levels of customer service, margin and inventory control. Salesperson dashboards include graphs tracking individual and team daily sales vs target. Integrated people counters provide management sales conversion KPI reporting.

Appliance Plus started with an early version of Helix running on 8 terminals in 1994. Now a nationwide retailer comprising 24 company and associate stores the Appliance Plus group supports 86 terminals country wide. Appliance Plus use Helix's customer backorder system to ensure that all sales are invoiced on the day to accurately measure sales and promotions. Buyers can generate purchase orders or transfers direct from the customer's invoice or purchase in bulk via the buyers centre. On receipt the system prompts to SMS text the customer and update the salesperson's dashboard.

Total Kitchens is an independent Kitchen Specialist and runs Helix through it's commercial and retail divisions. Starting with 5 terminals in 2009 the site grew rapidly increasing to it's current size of 20 terminals and significantly increasing it's market share in the Waikato. Helix handles sales from quoting through to delivery management and service. Features include the ability to handle 'commission supplier sales' from suppliers like Miele alongside normal inventory sales. Individual item inventory and cost control and the management of customer stock allow Total Kitchens to run tight margin and inventory control.

Trade Aid is a social enterprise that imports, wholesales and retails handmade fair trade products and fair trade food and coffee beans via their integrated the wholesale/ retail website. At one stage Trade Aid were running 26 stores but with increased retail operating costs they are now focused on online and wholesale to supermarkets, independent retailers and cafes. The Helix website integration handles both retail and wholesale transactions with the same retail site so that customers with a cafeteria account for example can purchase beverages at wholesale and craft products at retail on a single order.