Auto-Star Compusystems
In 1982, two brothers from Medicine Hat incorporated Auto-Star Compusystems, a software company that develops point of sale solutions for pharmacy, health and food, grocery and convenience retailers.
Fast forward to over 35 years, the software development company has products in thousands of stores in every Canadian province, the continental United States, including Alaska and the Caribbean, and has grown from three to 30 employees.
“What sets us apart from our competition is both our products and exceptional customer service,” says Robert Symmonds, who’s been the president and CEO of Auto-Star Compusystems for 16 years. “Our products are developed with retailers in mind from the smallest local shop to large enterprises. We offer software that includes point of sale, back office, and head office solutions to meet retailer’s needs as they grow their business.”
As a leader in innovative software, Auto-Star Compusystems supports thousands of businesses and processes billions of dollars worth of transactions through their software.
Southeast Alberta has always been, and will always be, home to Auto-Star Compusystems and the team. Auto-Star was established in Medicine Hat, but as it’s grown and developed partnerships, there have been times when the executive team has weighed the pros and cons of staying in Southeast Alberta.
“The decision is always to stay in Medicine Hat. The community in Southeast Alberta is very supportive. There is a lot of great talent and an unbeatable entrepreneurial spirit. Our team travels across North America and values the lifestyle Medicine Hat offers. It’s a beautiful city and a wonderful place to live,” says Symmonds.
Symmonds says Auto-Star has been supported by many organizations over the years as a business in Southeast Alberta. Many of their highly skilled employees graduated from Medicine Hat College, and Auto-Star has received grants managed by Community Futures Entre Corp and through Alberta Innovates.
“We’ve also collaborated with Community Futures Entre Corp and Medicine Hat College tomentor local technology start-ups as they develop products and get their businesses off the ground, and have partnered with APEX to provide educational webinars to support the growth of the technology sector in our community,” says Symmonds.
Along with assisting in the growth of the community, Symmonds says Auto-Star is a company that values personal and professional development within the workplace and is a welcoming environment to grow in.
“Many have continued their careers with the company for over 10 years, and nearly half are celebrating over 15 years at Auto-Star,” says Symmonds, who’s been with the company for over 25 years.
Auto-Star has received numerous awards from the Medicine Hat Chamber of Commerce and the Alberta Business Awards, and the Microsoft Regional Winning Customer Award. Symmonds says one of the accomplishments the team holds pride in is their low customer turnover rate as they continue to grow their customer base.
“We strive to create a long-term relationship with our customers. Their success is our success, and we achieve that through regular innovative updates and a dedicated in-house development and technical support team,” says Symmonds. “Auto-Star wouldn’t be successful without our dedicated, caring, and innovative team.”