After nearly 30 years, the name Master Merchant Systems fades into retail history. On February 22nd, 2018, MMS revealed their new name: Maplewave.
Who is Maplewave
Maplewave is the premier provider of software and retail optimization services for the telecommunications (telco) industry. Over the last three decades, they have evolved from a retailer-designed software provider, to one of the most comprehensive retail optimization companies in the industry.
The Beginning
A lot has changed in 30 years. In the mid 1980's, local Halifax music store owner, Russ Brannon, was searching for point of sale software to run his retail stores properly. After failing to find a system that could manage all aspects of his operation, he decided to create one.A rough concept sketch swiftly grew into a fully-functioning system. It worked so well that word quickly spread to other business owners, and the POS became a business opportunity in itself. Master Merchant Systems was born and became a household name in Atlantic Canada.In the early 1990s, MMS dove into the telco retail business and started offering its software using the internet for cloud applications (before there was such a thing as “the cloud”). In recent years, the focus shifted to large, single-payer relationships. These large companies recognized MMS's value, and its ability to handle complex deployments, which sometimes require integrating up to 30 different systems within its retail suite.Three decades later, MMS was a global player in the telco industry. Their software was being used in over 30 countries- and in certain places, it was impossible to buy a mobile phone without using their software.
The Rebrand
Things changed in early 2017.Rebranding wasn't originally in the cards. A simple website refresh project suddenly became much larger. The name Master Merchant Systems had served the company well in its early years, but in the telco retail world, MMS didn't convey what it needed to. And sometimes, it was outright confusing. The name just didn't fit anymore.A rebrand was in order, and Maplewave was born. Where the majority of their clients are international, a name that highlighted their Canadian roots was a differentiator. The image of Canada is strongly recognized around the world, and supports their values of being caring, committed and flexible. MMS just couldn't convey these values in the same way.The “Maple” represents their roots and values, and the “Wave” represents how they keep their customers moving. The name is meant to evoke emotions, rather than being overly descriptive like MMS was.
The Future
What's next for Maplewave? Aggressive growth is only one of many game-changing plans. Along with the name change, Maplewave has started building their next-generation retail platform that will be unlike anything else on the marketplace today. They are also diving into the consulting world with their new consulting program, Amplifier. This service helps their clients become true leaders by focusing on their in-store experience, supply chain and reporting capabilities.Although the tides have changed for MMS, Maplewave has emerged stronger than ever.
