Working Better Together: What happened when The EPOS Bureau met Fetchify

August 24, 2022

The philosophy of Working Better Together is at the heart of everything we do here at ClearCourse. 

 

Sometimes that can be as simple as two individuals collaborating effectively. 

 

At other times, it can be about how we make the businesses we bring into the group even better than they were previously. 

 

And, on other occasions, it can be how our businesses work together to achieve something that wouldn’t have been possible without the other. 

 

That happened recently when our group CTO Andrew Gore introduced the teams from retail EPOS brand The EPOS Bureau and address lookup business Fetchify to explore opportunities to work together. 

 

Here’s what happened. 

The initial conversation


A kick-off call took place with Jonathan Crozier, Head of Software Development at The EPOS Bureau, and Chris Mills, Partner Manager at Fetchify, to discuss a potential address lookup feature within the EPOS software. 

 

Following the kick-off call, The EPOS Bureau created a trial Fetchify account and used it to integrate with the Fetchify API.

A Working Better Together outcome


By taking advice from Fetchify and following the straightforward API documentation, The EPOS Bureau could develop the integration with minimal involvement from Fetchify.

 

Clients of The EPOS Bureau can find the correct street address when signing up new loyalty customers using the Fetchify Postcode Lookup API. 

 

Clients now have the ability to quickly and easily sign up new loyalty scheme customers at the point of sale, without needing to spend lots of time manually keying in address details for their account.

Working Better Together – an ideal to live by 


There are so many opportunities for us all to work better together, and this is a great example of how two of our ClearCourse businesses have joined forces to provide a better solution than was previously available. 

 

By being open to the opportunities that collaboration can bring, our businesses can evolve, improve and ultimately provide their customers with a better solution – which is what we all want to achieve. 

 

Jonathan says, “Being part of the same group allows companies like The EPOS Bureau and Fetchify to work together very closely and achieve great results quickly.

 

“The shared goal of adding value to our products and improving the end-user experience based on feedback is invaluable.” 

 

And that’s just one example of the work happening behind the scenes at ClearCourse, to help make our solutions better – together. 

Simon Black, Chair of the Board, ClearCourse

ClearCourse appoints new Chair of the Board, Simon Black

September 17, 2025
LONDON, 17 September 2025: ClearCourse, a provider of industry-specific software and embedded payment solutions for SMEs and targeted enterprises, today announces the appointment of Simon Black, current Non-Executive Director, as Chair of the Board. Simon will support the management team in leading ClearCourse’s next phase of growth, building on the company’s proven vertical software expertise and strength in integrating payment solutions for SMEs. With a clear mission to help small UK businesses grow and compete with enterprise-level technology, Simon brings deep understanding of the software and payments landscape. Before joining ClearCourse, Simon was the CEO of PPRO which, under his leadership, became a global leader in alternative payments via international expansion and multiple successful funding rounds. Prior to that, Simon was CEO of SagePay, where he led the business to 10 × revenue growth. The appointment comes at an important phase as the firm builds momentum, having made three strategic acquisitions of growing businesses so far in 2025: Computers for Flooring , AvonData (Rezcontrol) , and Davidson Richards . This supports ClearCourse’s mission to establish a leading presence in key vertical markets and power SME growth with innovative, industry-specific software and payment solutions that puts big tech in the hands of small businesses.  Christina Hamilton, CEO of ClearCourse, said: “It is fantastic that Simon has stepped into the role of Chair of the ClearCourse board at such an exciting time in our journey. His experience in supporting founders through business transitions will be invaluable in supporting ClearCourse’s ambitious plans for growth.We look forward to working more closely with him to continue delivering value for all stakeholders.” Simon Black, incoming Chair of the Board, added: “I am delighted to become the Chair of the Board of ClearCourse, supporting the team to deliver on the mission to help small and mid-size UK businesses to grow - an incredibly tangible and motivating goal, and one that I greatly relate to. SMEs are the backbone of our economy, and in these challenging trading times, technology can be the difference between surviving and thriving. I look forward to supporting ClearCourse’s management team in unlocking opportunity for their customers to scale and prosper, by adopting ClearCourse’s mission-critical sector specific software and embedded payment products.”
A member of staff at a farm shop smiles as she operates an EPOS terminal

Software and Payments Specialist ClearCourse Acquires Cloud-Based Retail Software Provider, Davidson Richards

July 29, 2025
LONDON 29 July 2025: ClearCourse, the provider of industry-specific software and embedded payment solutions for SMEs, announces the acquisition of Davidson Richards, a leading retail management and EPOS (electronic point of sale) systems provider. Davidson Richards provides cloud-based management and EPOS systems tailored to the retail industry. Founded in 1977 and based in Derby, Davidson Richards launched its flagship product, OpSuite, in 2012 after recognising the need to address gaps left by off-the-shelf products. Today, OpSuite enables retailers to centralise and streamline operations by integrating with core systems such as accounting software, eCommerce platforms, mobile and loyalty applications, and warehousing. Trusted by many leading garden centres – a sector where OpSuite has established a strong reputation – its extensive functionality also makes it suitable for a broad range of sectors, including grocery, fashion, and furniture. Joining the ClearCourse group will enable Davidson Richards to expand their offerings, providing customers with in-house payment and eCommerce solutions. By offering these in partnership with other specialist ClearCourse companies, Davidson Richards will be able to focus on building new client relationships and to profile the benefits of OpSuite to new retail market segments. Led by a long-serving expert team including ex-retailers, Davidson Richards offers its clients consultancy, training, bespoke development and dedicated in-house support. Their customer centric approach means that many of the Davidson Richards team are directly involved in technical or support delivery for clients to provide greater value to its clients. ClearCourse aims to become the engine powering small and medium businesses across the UK by putting big tech solutions in the hands of founders and their growing businesses. Davidson Richards offers a clear opportunity for ClearCourse to deepen its presence in the retail sector, and its long-standing, loyal customer base and experienced team closely align with ClearCourse’s culture and values. Christina Hamilton, CEO of ClearCourse said: “We are delighted to welcome Davidson Richards into the ClearCourse group as part of our Retail & Hospitality Software vertical. OpSuite is a market leading product that is well positioned to expand its innovative offering into new sectors. We are excited about the natural integration this partnership enables, as OpSuite will be able to offer in-house payment and other commerce enabling solutions through the wider ClearCourse group products.” Keith Bateman, Sales Director at Davidson Richards said: “This acquisition marks an exciting new chapter for our business and customers. Joining the ClearCourse group will enable us to enhance the service we offer our customers, particularly through the introduction of an in-house Electronic Funds Transfer solution. ClearCourse is the ideal partner to help us to grow the business through an increased investment into marketing and to reach more customers.”