Award-winning designers and producers of cutlery, tableware and kitchenware, Robert Welch Designs is making a significant investment in digital transformation, to reflect the evolution of customer requirements and demand for real-time data, in an omnichannel space. It has chosen specialist business software firm BrightBridge to design and implement this complex project. Cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution Oracle NetSuite will facilitate improved service for customers spanning the retail, hospitality and trade sectors.
The prestigious firm has a heritage of nearly 70 years and supplies exquisitely designed, high-quality cutlery and other tableware to internationally renowned hotels and restaurants. Robert Welch Designs chose Leicestershire based BrightBridge due to their specialisms working with clients within retail, distribution and systems integration.
The project will comprise implementation of Oracle NetSuite including financials, sales and purchase orders, invoicing, inventory control and real-time management information. WAERlinx, a Built-for-NetSuite solution, will be implemented to handle all elements of warehouse management. Seamless integration of B2B, B2C, Amazon, and major retail partners will be achieved using Jitterbit, an integration platform as a service.
This will mean the firm can not only effectively integrate the fulfilment of all orders, whether direct or from third party shopping platforms such as Amazon, Shopify and Wayfair, but more importantly, provide the up-to-the-minute information required by Robert Welch customers. This is thanks to the real-time flow of data the platform facilitates, which will mean customers can access information such as order and delivery details, getting an exact status at every stage. This capability was a crucial element for the firm and a major factor in its implementation decision.
Ed Smith, IT Director at Robert Welch Designs, based in Chipping Campden, said: “The world is moving at a rapid pace, and as a global supplier, we need a technology solution that will allow us to effectively move with it as our business continues to grow and diversify. The growth of omnichannel means we operate in a broader range of channels, so we need a real breadth of functionality. The cloud is the future and we want to be part of that as we know it will afford us the agility to service customers in all areas with speed, efficiency and professionalism – whether they’re a direct consumer, a trade client such as John Lewis & Partners or a hospitality client such as the Shangri-La Group. The solution BrightBridge is implementing will give us the full capability of process automation and instant updates that will furnish our customers with up-to-date information.”
“We want to both properly serve our customer base and grow it, and we believe BrightBridge’s expertise in building robust business architecture, coupled with the plethora of features in the NetSuite and WAERlinx solution, will allow us to achieve that. When there is a big community, which Oracle NetSuite has, development and progress are fast-paced and driven by that community,” he added.
Having a real-time 360-degree view of the business on a single platform, allowing fast identification and therefore resolution of any issues quickly, was also part of the appeal for Robert Welch Designs. The fact it is a cloud-based solution offering automatic updates, and therefore negating the need for manual upgrades, was an even bigger attraction for the business.
While Robert Welch Designs may be moving with the times when it comes to technology, the company continues to design its products (from stainless-steel cutlery and tableware accessories, through to kitchen knives, cookware and homewares) at the Old Silk Mill, Chipping Campden, the same building in which the family business was founded in 1955. Ian Robertson, Sales and Marketing Director at BrightBridge, commented: “It was clear that a firm with such a rich history, stellar reputation and solid high-end customer base needed a solution that would help it continue to exceed customer service expectations via access to real-time data and more intuitive processes. We are confident that the Oracle NetSuite solution, coupled with our expertise, will see a successful implementation for Robert Welch Designs and allow the Company to meet its growth goals.”
As BrightBridge is the only European partner of both Oracle NetSuite and leading integration platform Jitterbit, the firm is well-placed to take Robert Welch Designs on its digital transformation journey.
For more information, please visit brightbridgesolutions.com, or follow BrightBridge on Twitter – @brightbridge_uk – or LinkedIn.