Upholstery chain Designer Sofas has slashed the time spent order processing times and cut lead times after moving its technology into the 21st century.
The 20-store, £25m-turnover family-run business relied on a paper-based system and would hand-write all orders and email them to the factory.
It has now completed a four-year transition from handwritten orders to software from Sci-Net.
‘We want our customers to experience a streamlined, professional and more interactive process when they’re going through the customer journey. The Sci-Net facility has given us that possibility and made it easier to do orders and update our customers. It has made it generally easier for everything all round,’ says Gary Behar, Designer Sofas Group ceo.
Compared to the previous manual method, Designer Sofas has seen improvements with its new approach, including a streamlined order-taking process, prevention of costly mistakes like accidental double-keying of orders, and reduced lead time. The direct integration with its supplier’s system ensures seamless operations and price confirmation through its complex item coding structure.
The chain has also saved considerable amounts of time during the warranty process. What used to take over an hour for a single store to send warranties to Guardsman, now takes only 30 seconds for all the stores.
One of the most significant time-saving exercises lies within the order process, particularly where additional notes or requests have been made. Previously, the team would spend hours on the phone with the salesperson, whereas with the current system, the additional notes can be added at the point of order and are kept in one accessible, centralised place.
Customers have also benefited from the implementation of updated systems, through improved customer service, prompt order confirmations, and the immediate processing of purchase orders.
