Background

A leading fashion retailer that features multiple brands founded by and led by women needed a way to better manage the high growth they have experienced in recent years. The company made the decision to implement a new order management system (OMS) and encountered immediate challenges with its operation. To address the issues, they needed a team that specialized in technical implementation and support to help effectively manage and optimize their new OMS.

Objective

The retailer brought in Summit Advisory Team to assume control of the project., Summit acteding as an intermediary between the company and their OMS provider and headeding the system integration. Faced with the realization that their current OMS would not allow them to efficiently move into omnichannel order fulfillment, they relied on help from the Summit team to find a new solution that would enhance their capabilities in this area.

Method

Strategic Gap Analysis and System Transition

Summit conducted a comprehensive gap analysis to assist the retailer in selecting an optimal OMS solution. Analysis in hand, they made the decision to transition to Fabric OMS, enhanced with distributed order management (DOM) capabilities that would allow them to fulfill orders from their retail stores. Leveraging their expertise with the retailer’s previous OMS system, the Summit team efficiently managed the integration, customizing the system to the company’s specific needs with the intention of achieving significant cost savings.

Tailored Implementation for Omnichannel Efficiency

To achieve efficient omnichannel order fulfillment, Summit spearheaded the customization and adaptation of the system at the store level. This included the development and implementation of a ship-from-store feature, central to the retailer’s omnichannel strategy. Summit’s proactive analysis and resolution approach to issue management resulted in a smoother transition during implementation with a very lower incident count. In addition, the team developed a robust production support framework that included proactive reporting tools for continuous system and data integrity monitoring.

Comprehensive Change Management and Training

The Summit team’s role extended to encompass change management, ensuring that the retailer’s staff were thoroughly trained and proficient in the new system. The focus on staff readiness was key in facilitating a seamless transition to the new OMS, ensuring operational continuity and efficiency.

Results

The retailer’s network of over 1,000 stores across multiple brands are now all enabled with store fulfillment options. Ongoing support from Summit ensures the seamless operation of both the OMS and DOM systems. “We were excited to help advance this retail company’s move toward comprehensive omnichannel order fulfillment,” said Sean Lucey, Summit Advisory Team practice lead for integration services. “We keep things running on the technical side while they focus on building their brands and meeting the needs of their customers, and that has enabled their growth quite dramatically.”

The collaboration with Summit yielded impressive results:

• 20% increased order count attributed to accurate inventory visibility and optimized order routing.
• 30% reduction in incident count and improved efficiency resulting from automation.
• Reduced fulfillment costs achieved by minimizing order splits and optimizing inventory management.
• Expanded omnichannel capabilities that enable seamless customer experiences across online and in-store channels.

The future is bright for this retailer, and they plan to continue collaborating with Summit to ensure their growth trajectory. The partnership is poised to continue driving innovation and efficiency in operational strategies, solidifying the company’s position as a leader in the retail industry.