Background
Chi Chi are a fast growing highly successful online fashion retailer, focusing on cocktail, prom and evening dresses to bring catwalk fashion to the high street.
Their target audience has many alternatives including well-known high street brands and online only retailers when it comes to buying clothes online.
Chi Chi has a number of USPs and novel ways to attract new customers, and to encourage repeat purchases from existing customers.
Why did Chi Chi need an Optima WMS?
Chi Chi experienced a long period of continual growth, and realised their warehouse was not able to keep up with demand.
Chi Chi quickly identified that their warehouse was not as efficient as it needed to be, and that in order meet the high customer demand for products and expectation for delivery and customer service, they needed a much better way to manage their warehouse.
So, after looking at our website, learning more about Optimser, and reading case studies, they called Optima.
Whilst every project is unique, this is the type of project we thrive on, and the initial 12-week timescale was definitely achievable.
What did Optima do?
In mid-2016, we started setting up their Optimser Warehouse Management System to keep their warehouse better organised.
This included improving picking accuracy and integrating with Metapack to send orders by the most appropriate courier.
We immediately discovered there were several areas of concern for the business and warehouse that needed to be addressed quickly, to bring their operation up to the standard both Chi Chi and Optima agreed it needed to be.
Like many fast-growing companies, Chi Chi was relying on manual stock recording.
Our investigations soon uncovered unrecorded stock and product codes that they had struggled to keep synchronised with the products listed on their ever-changing website.
We recommended that they overhaul their picking and putting away procedures to handle the high number of customer orders received by the website.
More storage space was also urgently needed to accommodate the increasing number of products stocked.
What happened next?
We’re used to working with clients who need additional help with areas of their warehouse or business.
There were many elements of this project that needed the consultancy and problem- solving skills of Curtis Bridge and Aaron Beardmore from our highly experienced Projects Team.
We worked with Chi Chi to resolve their stock and product picking issues, to enable them to achieve 100% picking accuracy.
In addition, our Projects Team were heavily involved in organising the move to the new warehouse, and setting it up to be as efficient as possible.
The work done by our Projects Team provided a stable base for Chi Chi to grow their business whilst still providing excellent service.
Due to the work required to resolve the product issues and the move to the new warehouse, the agreed go-live date conflicted with key trading periods including Christmas and New Year.
We had to put their customers first, and so the go-live date had to be delayed.
In the meantime, as well as moving to a new warehouse, Chi Chi also launched a new marketing campaign, and finalised a deal with a high street retailer.
After this particularly busy time, we revisited the project after the Christmas and New Year rush.
Chi Chi were happy to invest in the necessary staff and technology to support the improved operation.
Under the guidance of Optima, they also undertook a full stock take, which corrected stock figures and automatically synchronised stock levels in the warehouse with stock levels on their website.
Results
- 125% increase in sales
- 4,000 orders dispatched during the first two days of usage
- 400% increase in sales in the first month
These impressive results were achieved because missing stock was found, which could now be sold.
Processes and technology now worked more efficiently, enabling warehouse staff to be more productive and dispatch orders quicker.
Chi Chi saw these unprecedented results thanks to proper product maintenance and stock management.
Conclusion
Chi Chi now have the foundations required to help them grow even more, their warehouse is now capable of holding more stock, and their speedy and accurate stock handling and order processing provides a better customer experience.
Chi Chi fully understood that there were business areas as well as warehouse issues that needed improving. We were glad we could help identify and resolve them, to enable Chi Chi to continue to grow, and better meet customer needs.
Thanks to the relationship we built with Chi Chi during this challenging project, the features and benefits of their Optimiser WMS, and the financially-backed results they have seen, they are looking to us to work with them on future projects to help strengthen their market position.
Optima Comment
“We know that sometimes a busy and growing businesses might feel like it’s not the right time to invest the time and money in a WMS.
However, in our experience, investing early can provide a springboard to greater growth and resolve many common potential warehouse problems before they can happen.”
Want to know how Optimiser WMS could help your business?
Contact Us on 01270 500777, and tell us what you need your new WMS to do.