Client
Our client is one of the largest wholesale suppliers of quality fabric in the UK
The client has been growing quickly over the last few years into one of the largest stockists & suppliers of the highest quality fabrics, with multiple warehouses and offices around the UK.
The client operates a complete vertical supply chain, manufacturing and supplying their own fabrics, both fire retardant and non-fire retardant, which are used in a wide range of soft furnishing applications including upholstery, bedding and curtains.
The scope of their manufacturing capabilities combined with their own transportation fleet, allows them to offer bespoke customer solutions and deliver orders 24/7 including same day & next day delivery.
Needs
The client was looking to develop a bespoke Business Information and Management System which consolidates all activities relating to sales, procurement, manufacturing, stock and distribution whilst reducing the use of manual and paper processes across the whole operation.
Their vision is to have one system which supports the activities of all departments within the business, from purchasing and sales through to the maintenance team. Suppliers will also have access to the system. The intention is to develop a complete BIMS solution over time, focusing on key elements to address the most pressing requirements and then to build new features and processes in phases moving forward.
The goal is to provide a system which:
- Creates and standardises activities and promotes knowledge sharing, reducing the reliance on individuals.
- Provides an easier, more centralised view of the state of the business (a Hub) at any given point of the day, week month or year – allowing real-time tracking of sales, shipping and business performance
- Ensures improved productivity and ensures a reduction in time wasted.
- Allows critical suppliers & partners to access relevant subsets of functions and data on the system to improves efficiencies and facilitate transparency
Phase 1 focuses on customers, quotations, order processing, stock management, distribution and Sage integration.
Process
Having spent some time reviewing various solutions the client decided on a bespoke custom solution as it offered far more flexibility and adapted to their business, rather than forcing the business to change to work in the predefined manner often required by an off the shelf supplier of software solutions.
The client selected Compass Data Solutions as their development partner to design, build and deliver the solution they required, based on our skills, knowledge and experience with similar BIS solutions. Our ability to quickly understand their requirements and our partnership and consultative approach to designing systems stood out as a key factor in choosing Compass Data as the right partner for them.
Our process begins with our business analysists reviewing the existing business processes and systems, then using best practices to build the flow diagrams and processes to ensure the new system meets the new requirements and supports the way that users use the system making it user friendly and intuitive. Our experience allows us to offer suggestions and guidance which help improve workflow processes that are being automated.
Solution
Using Claris FileMaker, Compass Data provided a custom business information system which allows the client to manage order processing, order fulfilment, purchasing and stock control, warehouse management, production management, despatch and partner communications.
The new solution also introduces barcoding into the supply and production chains allowing far greater awareness of the stock, its location, it’s stage in the production process and the estimated availability date of all stock items.
Result
Moving to the custom solution has reduced their reliance on specific individuals and knowledge in their heads. The change in systems and processes also means that the company has the tools to grow easily and in a controlled manner.
The solution now gives the management team greater visibility of the business both financially and production stages of any given job in real time which has improved interactions with their clients, suppliers and partners.
Overall, the new system provides the client with a modern business information system which will support their business for the foreseeable future.
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