How Gieves & Hawkes and Sue Ryder use modular retail technology to drive success

To be able to adapt to changing market trends and consumer behaviours, retailers need technology that can support their business in the long-term. This is where unified, modular software solutions come in.

Unified retail software unites multiple operations on a single platform - everything from Point of Sale and inventory management to customer loyalty and reporting. The modular part, though, is what enables retailers to start with the features they need now, while giving them the option to add more as their needs evolve.

The beauty of this approach is that it eliminates the complexity of having to integrate separate software solutions, making it easier to add functionality with limited cost and complexity and scale operations easily as retailers grow.

Here’s how fashion retailers Sue Ryder and Gieves and Hawkes achieve success using LS Retail’s unified, modular software solutions. 

Sue Ryder manages a network of 420+ shops throughout the UK

Sue Ryder is British institution: their charity shops sell a wide variety of new and donated items, from second-hand clothing, to furniture, to white goods and even food items.

When searching for modern technology to help them manage their business, Sue Ryder wanted a solution that would be both efficient and cost-effective. “Our whole reason for being here is to make money to do good things, to support our healthcare directorate. So, when we selected a new IT system, it was very important to us that we would get value for money,” said Ralph Larcombe, EPoS Systems Manager at Sue Ryder.

After switching to LS Retail software, Sue Ryder was able to completely transform their operations, gaining benefits such as real-time stock visibility and faster decision making.

“Now we finally know what stock is selling and what we need, in real time,” said Larcombe. “Replenishment is much more effective than it used to be, and it has brought stock holding down, saving us money.”

The software is also intuitive, which makes it easier for their staff to navigate, and enables them to train new employees in just 45 minutes. “The training mode on the LS Retail till has been extremely useful, our volunteers can practice without doing transactions, and usually grasp it very quickly,” Larcombe added.

Gieves & Hawkes spans 200 stores in the UK and overseas

For over 240 years, Gieves & Hawkes has set the standard in bespoke tailoring, earning three royal warrants along the way. With a reputation built on precision and excellence, meeting the high expectations of their clientele is essential to their brand. To uphold this legacy, they needed a system that was not only intuitive but also capable of providing instant, accurate insights to ensure service is executed flawlessly, from the fitting room to the sales floor.

Since moving to LS Retail software, Gieves and Hawkes has improved operations while maintaining the kind of quality service and standards their customers expect. “It’s great,” said Sam Thompson, IT Manager at Gieves and Hawkes. “Rich data is now available to store staff at the point of sale, giving them the tools to provide better customer service.”

Beyond simplifying operations, the system has also equipped their employees with powerful reporting capabilities that help them make more informed decisions, such as reordering the most popular products in the right sizes and colours.

“We can see how a store or sales team is doing and help them if needed. We can be so much more proactive,” said Thompson. “The better customer experience really comes into its own with our VIP customers,” he added. “We can check account activity and give them a knowledgeable, friendly, first-class service.”  

About LS Retail, an Aptos company

LS Retail, an Aptos company has been providing comprehensive software solutions to retail and hospitality businesses worldwide for over 30 years. Our unified, modular solutions combine sales, inventory, customer loyalty, and reporting, into one system with the flexibility to scale and add functionality as business needs evolve.

Today, over 100,000 retail stores, restaurants, cafés, pharmacies, resorts, cruise lines, and more rely on LS Retail software in 157 countries. Some of our customers include adidas, SPAR, Blue Lagoon Iceland, DFDS, Skechers, Boots Apotek.

For more information, click here or visit us at booth L30 at Retail Technology Show to ask LS Retail experts directly how we can help you grow your business.