BREITLING UK

DWS 00XXX
Solarsoft for merchants
Breitling UK
Customer Spotlight
At-a-glance
• Industry: Watch distributor
• Location: London, UK
Key Challenges
• Billing and serial number information
took five staff two to three days to
manually reconcile
Solution
• Solarsoft’s ERP system
Key Benefits
With
Solarsoft,
Breitling can
track sales
of specific
product
types over a
period,
providing immediate
insight into new
product demand.
Arvind Mehta, Breitling UK
• More than doubled business volumes
without adding headcount
• Far quicker shipping of goods out to
retailers
• Tracking of spare parts used within
the repair process, enables the build
of a complete service history of every
timepiece
• In-depth analysis of warranty
costs by watch type and by year of
manufacture
Breitling UK Tracks
Performance with
Solarsoft
Luxury, precision watch distributor relies
on innovatively customised ERP software
to drive enhanced efficiency throughout
the entire supply chain whilst reducing
administrative and overhead costs
Swiss Watches
Breitling has been manufacturing watches
in Switzerland since 1884. The company
builds certified chronometers designed
primarily for aviation use, although now
worn as high-end luxury watches. The
watches have been distributed in the UK
since 1989 by Breitling UK, which manages
sales to almost 190 retailers.
Since setting up in the UK, Breitling has
been using a comprehensive Enterprise
Resource Planning (ERP) system from
Solarsoft. The software is a highly
customisable solution that has continuously
evolved to keep pace with the company’s
significant growth.
Arvind Mehta, of Breitling UK and regular
user of Solarsoft, explains, “This is a fast
growing business; Breitling UK has more
than doubled sales over the past couple
of years. This customisation of Solarsoft’s
integrated ERP has enabled Breitling to
support this growth without adding staff
while also delivering quantifiable business
and customer service improvements.”
Product Tracking
Each Breitling watch has a unique serial
number, enabling it to be tracked throughout
the supply chain, from initial manufacture,
through distribution to service and repair.
“Solarsoft enables Breitling not only to track
each individual watch across the supply
chain but also to trace straps and bracelets,
which are tracked by batch number, and
spare parts, which are also tracked
as individual items,”
Mehta confirms.
Solarsoft has tailored its software
specifically for Breitling UK to enable it to
upload invoice and delivery information
automatically into the system. In the past, it
took five staff two to three days to manually
reconcile billing and
serial number information
for the weekly delivery
from Switzerland. The
company now feeds the
data directly into the ERP
system from an electronic
file provided by the Swiss
manufacturer.
The new process is not
only considerably faster
than the manual approach
but it has also eliminated re-keying errors.
Indeed, despite more than doubling sales,
the information reconciliation process can
now be handled within a day by a single
member of staff. Future growth will be
easily accommodated.
As Mehta says, “This customisation of
Solarsoft’s ERP system has enabled
Breitling UK to more than double business
volumes without adding headcount.
Furthermore, the company can now ship
goods out to the retailers far quicker which
is also a significant improvement in the
quality of service offered.”
Further Customisation
Following the success of this project,
Solarsoft and Breitling UK are now working
to automate the upload of catalogue price
revisions, further streamlining operations
and driving down costs.
Looking ahead, the next stage of
customisation will enable Breitling to track
the use of spare parts within the repair
process, building a complete service history
of every timepiece.
Each watch includes a two year guarantee
card that certifies the serial number and
date of purchase. Any watch requiring
repair is sent direct to Breitling UK and,
with these system changes, the service
engineer will know exactly what work has
been done under guarantee and which parts
have been used to service the luxury item.
“The ability to track the individual spare
parts used in a repair will enable Breitling
UK to improve the quality of its customer
service,” Mehta says. “Furthermore, the
company will be able to undertake in-depth
analysis of warranty costs by watch type
and by year of manufacture, which will
deliver greater insight to drive performance
improvements.”
Where, When and How?
The depth of reporting provided by the
Solarsoft ERP system has delivered
significant benefits to the organisation
over the years. “Solarsoft has a very good
reporting tool,” he adds. “It enables sales
analysis by product or by retailer, as well as
tracking each retailer’s stock holding.”
In a luxury marketplace, the performance of
each retail outlet is critical, especially given
the investment required in stock, display,
after sales service and staff training. Sales
are also analysed by shop type – whether
it is a large chain or an independent – its
geographic location and whether it is in
a High Street or shopping centre. Sales
information within the system is stored by
both delivery address and invoice address,
enabling Breitling to track performance by
shop category. “This information informs
the company’s ongoing expansion strategy,”
Mehta confirms. Sales analysis is also
provided to Breitling in Switzerland to
support international sales performance
comparisons by product, location and shop
category.
The company pays close attention to the
performance of new products which are
typically introduced annually. “It is essential
to understand the level of interest in new
products to maximise market opportunity,”
he says. “With Solarsoft, Breitling can
track sales of specific product types over a
period, providing immediate insight into new
product demand.”
Strong Relationship
Breitling continues to have a strong
relationship with Solarsoft. “The highly
adaptable nature of the ERP software
enables continual small enhancements,
typically every three to six months, to
support business expansion,” he says.
In the next couple of years, Breitling UK
plans to provide retailers with online access
to product information, online ordering and
the ability to track the progress of watch
repairs and servicing. “Solarsoft’s ERP
software will enable Breitling to reflect the
growing move towards online business,
further improving customer service and
driving down the administrative overhead,”
Mehta says.
Critically, the organisation can continue its
expansion without incurring the headache
of a major ERP systems overhaul. He
concludes, “In the luxury goods marketplace
it is essential to deliver excellent customer
service. By using Solarsoft’s technology to
automate the input of information, Breitling
UK has significantly improved the timeliness
of deliveries to retailers. Furthermore, the
process has streamlined the administrative
process, enabling substantial business
growth without adding headcount.”
CONTACT
SOLARSOFT For a
demonstration
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+44 (0)8447 700900
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AMERICA
+1 (905) 224 2222
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+86 21 6328 7596
www.solarsoft.com