Iconography has provided Haskins Furniture with a cloud-based, end-to-end system handling all aspects of the retailer’s daily operations, from ecommerce to delivery scheduling, and everything in between. In May's issue, Furniture News asked Haskins’ Jade Farthing (MD) and Tiff Wiltshire (marketing director) to share their experience of moving away from a legacy furniture retail management system to Iconography’s OMNIS Retail …
Was OMNIS worth the investment?
Jade: Definitely. It’s been a really positive experience, and building the relationship between Haskins and Iconography was important to us. We saved time, it’s more efficient, it’s more effective, and we’re still moving forward. Every time we grow, we know OMNIS will keep up with us.
What was the final trigger to move?
Jade: Wanting to grow and change but lacking the support behind us to do that was a real frustration. Now it’s one system that constantly mirrors what is going on across the whole business, which is a massive positive.
Are there any challenges you’re now able to overcome?
Tiff: Managing stock is easier, it was very complicated before. OMNIS is perfect for me to find any cost prices and linked purchase orders I need.
A lot of retailers have issues with integrations between systems – was that something you experienced?
Jade: It was very clunky. It was two separate processes, we needed to ensure the prices were correct on both the showroom floor and on the website – that just takes time. Now it cannot be different because it’s one unified system.
How has the team embraced OMNIS?
Jade: It took us by surprise that they embraced it really quickly. We had one designated person who got on board quickly with it and could show other members of the team how it worked.
Can store staff be flexible when taking orders?
Tiff: Yes! They take their tablet and card machine with them and don’t have to leave the customer’s side throughout. They’ll sit on the sofa together and do all the pricing from the tablet. If the sale goes ahead, they can have a card machine on hand and take payment on the spot.
Do the team find it easy to keep track of stock levels?
Tiff: They can clearly see in the PoS what stock we’ve got – whether that is reserved, on order or in the warehouse, they can allocate from there.
How are staff finding the CRM?
Tiff: It’s great for service issues, staff can easily see notes when they have a customer on the phone and advise on the status of the issue without hunting for the information.
How do you find top-level reporting information?
Jade: Previously, I had to take my laptop everywhere to see the data. Now, with a cloud system, anywhere I am, I can see what’s going on. If I’m visiting a supplier and need to know which model or fabric is selling well, I can easily look it up on my phone.
What opportunities do you see for the future?
Jade: The next phase is accessories. We’re looking forward to implementing the barcode system to scan small items for a very quick and easy sale.
To watch the full interview and learn more about OMNIS Retail, visit Iconography’s website.
Pictured: Jade in-store with Iconography director, Wayne Robbins
