Their Story
After more than 25 years in the card retail industry, Postmark are celebrating the start of one of their biggest years for growth ever.
Starting with just a single store, the multi-award-winning card store has flourished, currently employing 22 people, whilst beating off large supermarket and retail chains. Their stores across London include Balham, East Dulwich, Chiswick, Greenwich and Kingston, as well as a slick and streamlined online presence too. From the very beginning, Managing Director and Founder Mark Janson-Smith had the foresight to see that Cloud was the way to grow and future proof the business. After transitioning in 2012 to Cybertill’s single platform Cloud solution, RetailStore, Mark and his dedicated team saw instant benefits to the further enhancements and product development, and has now set his sights on growing the business further by opening more locations in the next 18 months, whilst further expanding their online presence.
Centralisation of Multi-Store Inventory
Stocking over 3,500 designs from some of the UK’s biggest and most exciting designers presents it’s own challenges - especially when it comes to stock, inventory and keeping one step ahead of the new wave of Brick and Click customers. Multi-channel off and online offerings needed to be up to scratch - after all Postmark have a large number of stock items to manage across the business. Working with RetailStore, the cloud based system centralises orders and restock of items both online and offline through a simple process. The system allows Postmark to dramatically control the increase or decrease of inventory and product offerings to consumers. Working to connect Postmark with suppliers easily, if item stocks are low the system automatically sends a simple email directly to the supplier ordering the exact number of items in advance to ensure items are not stocked out in store or online - whether that be at 3am or 3pm.
Mark said: “RetailStore’s cloud based service allows us to dramatically benefit and control our inventory systems and relationship with our suppliers. The simplicity of what is required centrally reduces the human resources required
to manage a large amount of stock whilst, communicating effectively with suppliers.”
Optimisation between stock levels and sales for each store recognises sales trends and identifies whether stock should be moved between stores.
“If an item is selling well in one shop but not in another we are able to shift that stock to the store that it is selling well at, highlighting what’s on trend and not in what area,” added Mark.“This movement in stock satisfies the customer needs through intelligent data sent centrally and helps us to plan our next step in managing designs and future trends.”
Backend Flexibility & Real Time Data Information
“The cloud-based system offers powerful features needed to run a successful business,” added Mark. Integrating business process and tools creates centralised operations for Postmark to run their business effectively based on real-time data available at any hour of the day. Bespoke reporting of sales data, revenue, inventory and more, in real time provides the flexibility for Managing Director Mark to run reports at anytime, anywhere in the world. “Flexibility is so important when you have your own business and you have a family - and a life! It’s really important that a system works for what you need and when you need it. I work often remotely through my laptop or mobile phone. If I’m away with business at trade shows, or with the family on holiday, RetailStore suits the 24hr world we live in and allows me to have flexible working hours without the need to
work 9am-5pm GMT.” Real time information offers a great insight for businesses and allowsthe company to work as cost-effectively and lean as possible to ensure vital cash flow is not tied up in unnecessary stock. RetailStore’s bespoke capabilities have allowed Postmark to manipulate and finely tune the data formulated into a reporting system that suits the requirements of their business model and to service their customers.
“No one wants an excel file full of information you don’t need and confusing data,” added Mark. “The best thing about the system is that you can tailor it almost completely to every specification you need to really assess the business from a holistic view point.”
With more than 22 staff, including, managers and part-time employees, the system also helps Mark to become the eyes and ears for the HR function of his burgeoning multi-site business. The centralised system manages backend operations effortlessly by creating a tool to keep track of what times staff are working and track personal targets and achievements. “We can remotely see when our staff are clocking in and clock out across our multiple-stores as well as identifying till sales and revenue, benefiting us hugely and identifying our strategic growth areas and when to dish out that all important praise.” Mark said.
Innovative Thinking Using Innovative Systems
Postmark have had a list of success’ over the past 13 years of being in business, winning titles such as ‘UK’s Best Greeting Card Retailer 2017’ and beating off stiff competition from the likes of Tesco, WHSmith and The Card Factory. Innovative thinkers and customer centred, the business is leading the way in customer experiences, with creative award-winning initiatives like their ‘Feel Good Friday’ campaign which encourages people to send cards ‘just because’, offering a free card and postage to anywhere in the UK. Campaigns such as their ‘Feel Good Friday’ or past ‘Golden Ticket’ initiatives can track customers that sign up to them and information is readily available to download via RetailStore’s platform.
Although the campaigns have leveraged success and recognition for Postmark, Mark is still working through how best to consistently and effectively communicate to his customers. “There’s no one size fits all with CRM and we like to think we do things differently here at Postmark. The success we have seen with however is steering us towards starting a loyalty program, sending customer newsletters and begin to use social media more effectively.”RetailStore offers plugins for businesses to add onto their cloud based platforms such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) that can allow growing businesses like Postmark to flourish and capture their target audience with effective material, without the fear or cost or overcomplicating the management of the process.
Future Growth Strategy
RetailStore’s simplicity acts as a powerful tool that doesn’t require a strong technology background to use. Marketing plugins and customisation helps businesses to track their customer base and followers, whilst integrating seamlessly products and backend optimisation for business growth. Not only will Postmark hope to grow their traffic online and but also in-store through their imminent store expansion. RetailStore’s cloud based system makes adding terminals for different stores extremely easy. The Cloud platform acts as the overarching system and will allow Postmark to copy and replicate the processes from its existing stores over to their new stores - therefore integrating an entire new system will not be required. Instead a column will be simply added to the bespoke data reporting for each store and suppliers will be sent an email with the new address and stock requirements.
Mark said: “The ease and simplicity of the system champions anything I have ever come across, which means expanding our shop front portfolio. Training requirements will come from the years of experience we have using the system too. “The holistic view created by the system allows us to comfortably know that we can manage and monitor our business effectively via downloading real time data, revenue streams and collating invoices remotely. The system looks at all aspects of the business which makes our decision to grow the company an easy one.”
Cybertill’s RetailStore platform includes:
Cybertill’s RetailStore cloud-based retail management and EPoS software can help you to provide a seamless customer experience both in-store and online. Our innovative cloud-based platform helps retailers make more profits, automate manual process, and fully integrate their entire retail operation easily.
1. Outstanding POS software with real-time, secure stock, sales, and customer data visibility
2. Cloud-based, modular complete retail management platform with enterprise merchandising and warehousing options including automated and in-transit stock reservations
3. Omnichannel sales and returns processing including click and collect, dropship, and interstore transfers
4. Enhanced customer experience with touch screen mobile POS and e-receipt options
5. Advanced real-time reporting including accounting, budgeting and forecasting
6. Marketplace modules for multi-channel online selling
7. Seamless integration into existing ERP, accounting, ecommerce systems, and more
8. Modules for bespoke in-store services such as workshop, VIP customer service and repairs
To arrange a free, no obligation demonstration, ring our friendly sales agents on 0800 030 4459 or visit retailstore.co.uk/arrange-a-demonstration
