Browns Shoes

Browns Shoes is a family-owned business founded in Montreal in 1940. Browns Shoes is a fashion footwear ­retailer with 50 stores established across the country under the Browns and B2 banners.

Challenges

• Browns uses a very customer-centric approach. The goal is to improve the customer ­experience to generate an increase in revenue
• The retailer needs to manage three warehouses at full capacity
• Their highly automated distribution center requires the development of numerous ­custom processes
• Most of the retail stores are located in malls and have access to limited floor space: they ­require a system that can maximize the use of that space to reduce costs and increase revenue
• Browns needed a solution that was flexible enough to handle the highly frequent changes inherent to a retail business. The solution also had to be compatible with the KNAP system

• Provide accurate real-time visibility on the inventory
• Provide accurate real-time visibility on operations
• Improve operational productivity
• Optimize inventory management to ensure stock rotation (FIFO)
• Optimize space utilization
• Increase customer order accuracy
• Leverage the use of the latest barcode technology to interface with Browns’ ERP system
• Provide a flexible solution that can adapt to Browns’ specific needs and evolve along with them
• Implement a system that is customizable and scalable
• Have the ability to handle stock requests and outgoing shipments
• Finally, provide an easy way to implement new ideas and facilitate the timely execution of those ideas

• Browns is now able to develop new processes in record time.
• Browns has met all its requirements for the management of its facilities.
• It is now possible to process an order from the time of the order confirmation online through to the outgoing email with tracking information in less than 15 minutes, without human intervention.
• The cost of fulfilling orders is now five times less than previously.
• Browns is now able to manage individual store inventories and supply them with the most ­popular products in their respective area.
• The solution ensures that the goods meet the carrier on time and accurately.
• Traceability has been enhanced: Inventory accuracy has exceeded 99% after six months.
• Inventory and shipping accuracy are now at 99%. By eradicating errors, the solution has ­eliminated the need to update customers on any mistake.