Rent-to-own News - NEW PODCAST: High Touch Users Conference takes Wichita

High Touch Senior Management

High Touch Technology Solutions launched its biggest ever users conference Wednesday, hosting a cocktail reception for over 100 rent-to-own professionals at the company's new digs -- four floors of a 10 story office building in downtown Wichita, Kansas.

With its name emblazoned across the building -- and the city skyline -- and with 48 new enhancements to its software package, there's no doubt, the company is intent on modernizing, making an impression and giving its client base the most bang for its buck.

"We've approximately doubled the number of people in attendance since our last conference and that's very exciting for us," says High Touch President and CEO Wayne Chambers. "One thing we're going to talk a lot about tomorrow is our move to modernize our software to advance the sophistication and usability of our product." (Click here for podcast interview with Wayne Chambers)

Some 70 attendees representing around 33 companies are expected at the two day conference May 7-9.

High Touch Conference Event Team: Jeff Lucas, Tracy Lucas, Dennis Fairbanks and Brenda Flax.

Attendees will participate in over 40 offered training sessions covering all aspects of High Touch's software offerings from network security to online payments to accounting functions.

Rent-to-Own dealers will also train on some of the latest enhancement features added to High Touch's "Pro-Store" software including the "Lifetime Reinstatement Feature, "Thermal Receipt Printing" and the "Wheel and Tire Enhancement Feature".

First time conference attendee Keith Ferriman, center, talks shop with father Gary Ferriman and Chris Bolin.

First time conference attendee Keith Ferriman, purchasing manager for the 13-store Showplace Rent-To-Own chain, says he is looking for an overall understanding of the reporting functions of the software to better meet his customers needs.

"I want to learn how to translate data and consolidate reports to know what is selling and what I need to be buying," Ferriman says. "I want to get a better understanding of the software so I can come back next year with more specific questions."

David Cassada, a 15-year High Touch software user, says while learning about new software features is useful, the opportunity to rub elbows and learn from fellow RTO dealers is what keeps bringing him back to the conference.

PODCAST: Click here for podcast interview with High Touch President Wayne Chambers.

"The networking, that's the main thing," says Cassada of Kelley Sales and Leasing, a 25-store chain in North Carolina and Virginia. "You get ideas and viewpoints from other dealers and see how they do things, that's the most important part of it for me."

In addition to the new enhancement trainings, forums have been added this year to promote user-to-user interaction and coaching on various aspects of "Pro-Store" software features and implementation. Dealers, in this case, will lead seminars for other dealers.

"They use it (software) everyday in a real life environment," Chambers says, "and therefore have a lot of insight we don't necessarily have. We're asking them to bring that insight and help us educate some of the other users to make it a better experience for them as well."

High Touch's total client base claims some 5,000 storefronts in the U.S. and abroad.
 
mevans@rtohq.org