Halsted improves retail operations
We expect that our investment in inventory will be reduced significantly while sales will also increase, simply by having the right stock in the right moment in the right place. Openbravo inventory planning is our way to get there quickly.
We expect that our investment in inventory will be reduced significantly while sales will also increase, simply by having the right stock in the right moment in the right place. Openbravo inventory planning is our way to get there quickly.
Stuart Knight, CEO, Halsted Brothers
Exceptional customer service since 1897
Founded in 1897, Halsted is the leading supplier for building and plumbing in Zimbabwe. The company focuses on providing exceptional customer service and maintaining a large stock holding of timber, hardware, appliances and specialist products and materials catering to all requirements. Today, Halsted manages a central distribution center and eleven fully operational branches across Zimbabwe.
Challenges
Improve operational control and manage all branches more efficiently
One of Halsted’s main objectives was to improve the stores’ operational control and get higher visibility into their performance. The company needed a modern, modular solution that would be able to handle multiple branches and currencies, improve operational controls and reporting, and grow the business.
It was particularly important to have a robust inventory and merchandising system which could handle a vast assortment of heterogeneous products across its stores as well as e-commerce operations.
Halsted chose Openbravo for its ability to fit our requirements and low cost of ownership, as well as for the ability to support a mobile workforce and the organization e-Commerce aspirations going forward.
Halsted chose Openbravo for its ability to fit our requirements and low cost of ownership, as well as for the ability to support a mobile workforce and the organization e-Commerce aspirations going forward.
James Stevens, Group Accountant
Solution
Gaining enterprise-wide visibility and easy integration with headquarters
Halsted was looking for enterprise-wide visibility while empowering each branch to manage its own sales, procurement, warehousing, and financials.
It was also crucial to find a solution with the flexibility to adapt to key requirements such as integration with fiscal devices, multi-currency payments in a single transaction, or specific cash management on each terminal, all in compliance with Halsted security policies.
Results
Higher capacity for daily orders has dramatic impact on bottom line
Once the solution was deployed, Halsted was able to effectively manage hundreds of daily orders. The company’s analytics and decision-making process improved thanks to more accurate, real-time sales information consolidated from every branch. Operational controls were also improved with the effective use of user permissions and more accurate cash management on each register.
The implementation in a second phase of Openbravo’s advanced warehouse functionality combined with sales forecasting capabilities helped to strenghten the operational excellence and optimize working capital.
