Testimonials

At Merlin Software, we are proud to offer a comprehensive retail management system that caters to the specific needs of Australian retailers. The Cobalt Retail Management System will help you manage your business with ease and efficiency. Whether you run a farm supply or equipment store, a hardware store, an irrigation supply store, or any other type of retail business, our system can help you grow and succeed.

But don’t just take our word for it. Hear what some of our satisfied clients have to say about our system and how it has transformed their businesses. Read their testimonials below and see for yourself why Cobalt RMS is the best choice for your retail business.

CEPA Co-operative had been struggling with a complex and outdated Point of Sale and Accounting system for years before meeting the Merlin team at the Gold Coast AIRR Conference in 2020. Our existing sales and accounting procedures had been difficult and long winded, reporting was complex, not user friendly and extremely time consuming. Support from the supplier was slow, not a priority and extremely expensive and our staff were frustrated and had no confidence in the product. We were caught in a downwards spiral and were unsure how to fix the problem. Then we found Merlin and Cobalt. What an uplifting experience that was. Following an introduction and detailed explanation of the Cobalt product from Merlin’s Support Manager, we immediately recognised all the benefits of the Cobalt program and its various modules. The decision was easy and the team at CEPA regained confidence immediately, with the complete cross over and initial training only taking a matter of weeks. Our business has benefitted greatly with the fast, accurate and automatic integration of POS, daily Bank Reconciliation, Inventory Management, General Accounting, Payroll, Reporting (with a myriad of Reports available), daily offsite data back-up, and importantly, the confidence of our sales staff, administration staff, and management having returned, as the product is easy and a pleasure to use. An important factor in Rural Retail is that we are hardly IT technicians and when we encounter issues that we are not sure of, the Merlin Support Team are only a phone call away, and always available. Support is critical and these guys have got it down pat, and they’re really good at it (no matter how much you need). Our Staff, Customers, Accountants and Auditors all think that the move to Merlin and Cobalt is one of the best moves we’ve made in a long time and CEPA’s success and growth since its implementation is testament to its value. Check Merlin and Cobalt out, you won’t be disappointed.
Rob Bogumil

CEO, CEPA Co-operative Ltd

In 2021 we changed our software system to Cobalt by Merlin software. We have had great support from Merlin both in the initial changeover which helped make our transition seamless. The ongoing support for the day to day operations is excellent, and Merlin have taken on board any suggestions we have for improvement, which are mainly fine tuning to make it easier to use as the core system works well. We would recommend this software to similar businesses and look forward to a great ongoing relationship with Merlin Software.
Bruce Keeley

General Manager, Bade Ness Rural

I first got to know Merlin and Cobalt Retail in another rural store so when it came to starting our own business, I knew it was the system for us. The day-to-day functions of Cobalt Retail are easy to pick up and, with the help of Merlin’s software support team, completing other tasks that we found a little more challenging was never a problem. The team is outstanding. They know their system, they are courteous and are always willing to help. The user group training days have been invaluable in getting new ideas and learning more about the system’s capabilities, so we can extract more value for our business. Cobalt is a great system and saves us time. The scheduled reports function is a great time-saver and recently we purchased a Bluetooth scanner, which has really made stocktakes and random stock checks more efficient. We would recommend Merlin and the Cobalt Retail system to any other retail business. It works well; it’s functional and practical. One of the biggest advantages compared to other systems is the customer support that comes with it.
Michael Bowden

Managing Partner, Hills Farm Supplies

Our business has been using Cobalt for over 8 years. We were looking for a new software program that would help us manage the inventory in our growing business, as our previous off the shelf software didn’t have the capability to deal with things like consignment stock and dangerous goods management. We completed extensive research into the various options available and were very impressed with what Merlin had to offer. We love the fact that Cobalt is specifically tailored to the agricultural retail industry and keeps up to date with the ever-changing rules in the sector. The integration between Cobalt and our online buying group platform makes ordering stock very easy and efficient. The reporting capabilities of Cobalt are extensive and reports can be generated for any number of scenarios, which makes for effective data analysis. The customer service provided by the team is excellent. Their response to a query is fast, very helpful and effective. They know their program and are always looking for ways to improve the system based on customer feedback. The user group meetings are invaluable in that they provide direct contact with a Merlin team member and other local businesses who use Cobalt. We take so much away from these meetings, especially chatting to other businesses about how they use particular functions in Cobalt. We view Cobalt as an asset to our business and an investment in our future. We are confident in the security of our data and are extremely happy with how Cobalt complements our business.
Chloe Casson

Business Manager, Frankland Rural

My first introduction to Merlin’s Cobalt Retail system was when I was working with another rural outlet. When I decided to start up our own business, I didn’t look anywhere else. You certainly don’t need to be computer savvy to operate any of the system’s functions, which is a major reason we took this system on. When we get new staff or even work experience kids, they can all learn Cobalt Retail and operate it within a day. We employed a staff member to do office backend and sales tasks. She picked up the new system immediately. The accountancy functions are very easy to operate. It pretty much does our reports as it goes, so it is basically a check-off when it comes to BAS, payroll and supplier payments. At the front end of the business, the counter, it is very easy to look up products, customers, suppliers and so on. Raising a new product code takes literally 30 seconds. Updating a product takes less than that. Products can be split, sell into negatives or whatever. Sometimes we can’t always deal in black and white, and we need to work in to some grey areas, until we get it into the black and white. This system allows for that to happen. Not all customers make it easy at times, so being able to make adjustments at the drop of a hat makes life much easier. Having the ability to check previous product sales history whilst still on the invoice screen is valuable, as we can see what customers have bought before and either make the call to book at previous prices or current prices. The Cobalt system has many options at the point of sale that just make it easy to serve a customer. There are also constant upgrades to the system from Merlin. When an issue is found by their users, Merlin are more than ready to put something into place if needed. The tech guys are helpful, and I love the idea of them being able to access our computer, if we give permission, and sort out any issues with them whilst on the phone, as they can see what we are looking at. Words cannot explain how good Cobalt Retail is, compared to other systems. I would highly recommend it to anyone. It is user-friendly, fast, accurate and does everything we want. We couldn’t ask for a better system.
Chris Wauchope

Managing Director, Far West Rural Supplies

The Merlin program works wonderfully across the board for our business and their support for us in using their system is exceptional.
Keli Loeskow

Managing Director, SUNFAM Bundaberg

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Leave us a review and we’ll post it on our website. Your feedback is valuable to us, as it helps us to improve and grow. It will also help similar businesses learn more about Merlin Software and Cobalt RMS. We can all grow together with a software system that is appropriate for your industry.

We installed the Merlin program in 2010, we are now completely satisfied that we made the correct decision. It is a great fit for our business and very user friendly. Merlin Support is always on hand if any issues need solving or fixed.

Tony VaccaroTAFCO Rural Supplies

Cobalt Retail saves us time. Currently we are implementing the Cobalt multi-store module. This module effectively saves half a full-time role and removes errors associated with manual data entry. Running two store locations in the system provides seamless integration of data, basically in real time.

Peter MooreYolla Co-Op

I feel very fortunate to have met the Merlin team and implemented the Cobalt system into our business. They truly stand behind what they say, provide professional support and communication and most of all are prompt in dealing with questions. I would absolutely 100% recommend the Cobalt system to other stores.

Heather ThomasSay & Co Rural