Michigan bar and restaurant owners with liquor licenses are gaining a new online ordering system to help streamline inventories at a time when they’re looking for anything that helps business operations run for smoothly and efficiently.
The Michigan Liquor Control Commission has completed work on, and launched, their new Online Liquor Ordering system for the more than 14,000 liquor licensees across the state, saying it will expand functionality and make the ordering process easier for those businesses.
Orlene Hawks, Director of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), where the Liquor Control Commission is housed, says, “Despite the challenges for many during the past year, it is great that our MLCC team was able to continue the necessary work to successfully launch a new online system that streamlines the process and is user friendly for our liquor license holders when ordering liquor for their bars and restaurants.” Hawks adds, “LARA’s priority is to modernize outdated Legacy IT systems as a way to rethink how we deliver efficient and first class service to our customers, businesses, and licensees. The excellent work of our MLCC team – along with our partnership with the Department of Technology, Management and Budget and our stakeholders – is a reflection of their commitment to this priority.”
The new, modernized Online Liquor Ordering system significantly expands functionality for licensees and offers many new online capabilities. Most notably, licensees can now:
- View and search orders placed on the new system; and search for liquor products…
- Copy previous orders (much easier if licensees order the same items each time)…
- Search by an “old” liquor code and if it’s been replaced, the system will bring up the new code…
- Add multiple users (e.g., owners, managers, etc.); the previous system only allowed one user, per licensee…
- Add products by liquor code and quantity…
The new system replaces a decades-old, antiquated Legacy system that long outlived its usefulness or practicality.
Liquor Control Chairman Pat Gagliardi says, “These enhanced capabilities certainly bring our liquor ordering system into the 21st century for our licensees and will better meet their business needs,” adding, “Also with OLO, we now have a platform to build on that will give us the ability to add other functions that will serve us well into the future.”
Midwest Independent Retailers Association Retail Vice Chair Michael Mitchell from Markham Oil was impressed with the MLCC implementing such a major change to a new system, especially now, saying, “In a non-COVID time this new system would be a massive undertaking. The fact that the MLCC pulled this off during COVID is remarkable,” and adds, ‘’We have many issues every time we change a system or upgrade a program. The MLCC has done a great job of listening to the wants and needs of all of us. Change is never easy, but this was managed very well.”
For licensees who want to learn more about how to use the new Online Liquor Ordering system, the MLCC prepared Frequently Asked Questions, a video of actual training sessions, and a new System Training Manual that is available on the MLCC website. Those can all be found at this link:
https://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-89334_10570_14173-378452–,00.html
Prior to the launch last month, the MLCC conducted extensive testing and training on the new system with MLCC staff, liquor licensees and the state’s authorized distribution agents’ (ADAs) technical and customer service teams, using multiple technologies (e.g. phone, iPads, etc.). The MLCC provided licensees with advance notification and registration instructions prior to the new system going live – which was key to the seamless transition to the greatly modernized system.
Retailers are encouraged to contact the MLCC if they have questions, comments or suggestions on any changes that they think could improve the system. The MLCC is already working on enhancements based on licensee recommendations that are anticipated to launch within the next few weeks.
Rishi Makkar, store manager at International Beverage in Grand Rapids has already offered his recommendations, saying, “It’s so wonderful to have an administration and a development team that truly cares about the end-user experience and is willing to take input to further improve on the already cemented improvements,” and adds, “It’s nice to know that we are truly treated as partners instead of just a license number.”
The MLCC thanks the ADAs and the Michigan Department of Management & Budget IT Services Division staff for their support and assistance.
The new OLO system is for licensees to order their liquor products – not the general public.
