Nixor group provided integrated IT solutions for hospitality, retail, multi-media and security clients in Estonia during the country's transition to the Eurozone in 2002. They were involved in converting over 300 locations and 2000 POS and backoffice systems to the Euro from the local currency. While most systems transitioned successfully on the changeover date, some problems occurred due to lack of testing, technical issues, and inadequate training and preparation. Lessons learned included the need for thorough analysis and planning, strong partnerships, staff training, and testing conversions well in advance to ensure a smooth transition.

1. Everything is possible!

2. Nixor group

3. System integration

4. Complete service
Problem
solving
System
integration
Training and
advice
Help desk and
support

5. Hospitality Retail
Multi media Security
Integrated IT solutions

6. Clients

7. Partners

8. Estonia’s experience
in going into Eurozone

9. Our compentence
Our competence:
6 different systems - hotels, all types of retail shops, cruise ships, restaurants, coffee shops etc.
€ change took place in more than 300 locations and involved more than 2000 POS and backoffice
places
We had to communicate with 4 different international partners, all the customers and also customer
other business partners. Also intense cooperation with banks and credit/debit card authorization
centres, retail union, media and other businesses directly or indirectly related.
90% of the system went online on the €-day. So all price list, stock value and other conversions took place
that night. Many systems updated manually - customer choice.
Many customers closed their shops for 1 day, some even for 2 weeks when there was 2 currency period
as their systems didn’t have functionality for it.
As we did the analyze what information must be changed during the project, we ordered (and did
ourselves) the development and this was tested many times, final test were done by the customer.

10. Activity list
Our competence
- nr of customers
- nr of locations
- nr of places (POS, stock, BO workstation)
Who were involved
- customers
- partners
- competitors
- third party system providers
- media
- unions
What customer did
- request
- analyze
- decision
- order
- third party project management
- testing
- training
- a lot of internal communication
What we did
- analyze
- consultation
- planning
- communication
- agreements
- development
- testing
- training
- delivery
- implementation
- real-time monitoring
- customer support
What was changed:
- same version
- price lists
- stock values
- price labels
- product information
- POS behaviour
* receipts
* customer display
* functions
* keyboard buttons
* declarations in two currency
* returning goods by customer

11. Problems
- systems are not possible to develop according to the needs
- made development was not tested as much as was needed
- customer display’s didn’t show all information in two currency
- third party partners were not well enough informed
- not enough cash was reserved
- cash drawers were not changed to €
- staff was not so well trained, made user errors not know how to correct
- project was not considered so serious in some cases and customer didn’t really put their energy into it
- € payment acceptance were not synchronized with banks
-customer hardware did not have enough resource to complete fast enough the conversion process
-people used fake money
-printing labels took lot of manual work and time
Main problems in Estonia when Euro came

13. Suggestions
- make agreements with your business partners, give them responsibility
- appoint project managers from your side
- try to understand the technical aspects also in detail to secure the transition success
- learn the transition obligations yourself
- think of which conversion rate you want to use - “fair price”, “rounded”, “adjusted nearest”, “product
based”
- if you use “fair price concept” in calculating prices then use stickers in your shop to advert it
- reserve enough cash as you’ll be the “currency exchange office”
- make go-live transition at least month before in order to be able to check everything in front
- if you really need cash handling security systems (coin sorters, note detectors) then do it now in order
to get good pricing
- think of how the old system will be cleaned and archive
- prepare cash drawers to hold right size of coins and notes
- work though the method how you handle user made errors
- if your business is basically 24/7 - think of having even double debit/credit card terminals to accept
payments (LVL & EUR)
- collect and distribute all your location based responsible person names to your POS system partner
- think of how do you use 7 months later valid gift cards, empties vouchers, other vouchers or other
money-value papers?
-if you need to return goods to supplier after 01.01.2014 and the prices have changed - what price you
use to return. Is your supplier ok with it or can system handle this?
-at cash register – two currencies available or not?

15. Thank you for your attention!
Zemitāna iela 2b, 304.kab
Rīga, LV - 1012
www.nixor.lv
nixor@nixor.lv
+37167600475