News

A large number of haulage, logistics and courier firms have been left in the lurch by the collapse of software provider Database Business Systems (DBS) last month. The recent reduction in the VAT rate has exacerbated the problem as DBS's fleet management software is stuck at the old 17.5% rate, making it practically useless for invoicing. Meanwhile, administrator Tenon  Group is preparing to switch off the DBS server - on which most of the customer data is still stored on.

IT services firm PHJ Solutions has stepped in to assist several transport firms left high and dry by DBS's move into administration. Howard Jones, MD of PHJ, says: "We have been able to help several haulage and courier firms negotiate a price with the administrators to retrieve their data and software source codes, and are currently working on rewriting the bespoke software for a lot of them as we are familiar with DBS software.

"However, many are small businesses who have already invested thousands in the software and can't afford to pay the prices the administrators are asking, so they haven't got back their source codes." As DBS tailored its software to suit the needs of each customer, every DBS programme has a different source code. This code is necessary if a computer programmer is to rewrite the software.

"We've  just learnt that the administrators are about to close down the DBS server, so if any transport firm is using a hosted piece of DBS software [one that runs on the DBS server] then it will no longer be available," adds Jones."Equally, if there are any firms that have not retrieved their source codes, these will also be lost when the server is switched off."

Tenon Group, appointed as administrator on 5 November, declined to comment.

Any firm with DBS software which hasn't already done so is advised to contact the administrator, Craig Morrison at Tenon Group, on 0131 221 8820 or craig.morrison@tenongroup.com.

For those that have already retrieved their source codes, PHJ is offering a quick-fix solution to the VAT rate problem for just £99. Contact PHJ on 0845 057 0520.

Origin Systems is also able to rectify the VAT rate problem and can be contacted on 0870 112 9177.