The iPad app makes sales "lean and clean" and saves time
At Cero & Etage, we want our processes to be as simple and efficient as possible, and the iPad app clearly supports this aim.Claus H. Mikkelsen, sales and export manager, Cero & Etage
"We save a lot of time at the customer's premises and at our own offices, and I expect that we will be able to free up at least one employee in the sales period. In addition to faster and better order handling, the iPad solution gives us a strategic advantage by providing a far better overview of our sales."
Tailored to the fashion and textile industries
When EG began developing "the sales representative's new mobile tool", a user-driven process was a key priority. Thus, a number of fashion and textile companies, including Cero & Etage, have provided input to the app, ensuring that it is top-tuned to fulfil its users' specific needs.
"Unfortunately, our experience with laptops shows that if things get even a little bit complicated, sales representatives give up on them," says Claus H. Mikkelsen. "The dialogue between us and EG was therefore very important to the end result. They listened to us and avoided making the common IT developer's mistake of focusing on fancy gadgets and a wealth of functions that no one uses. The app has been stripped of excess features and does exactly what is needed. And it does it extremely well."
Easy to get started: The great majority of sales organisations experience a significant IT barrier among their sales representatives. The presentation and order management systems that are easily controlled in the showroom are much harder to control at the customer's premises. The operating system may crash, the software may need updating, the internet connection may be lost, etc. The iPad has the advantage that it combines the automatic internet access of a mobile phone with the functionality of a pc – and with much shorter hardware and software start-up times.
We have succeeded in creating a more efficient mobile sales tool that will improve our sales as well as our customer service.Claus H. Mikkelsen, sales and export manager, Cero & Etage
Challenge
Update and internet access problems when using laptops made it difficult to monitor sales closely and to keep track of what was sold. Furthermore, some orders were handwritten and had to be entered manually into the ERP system.
Solution
The software for EG's new iPad solution is in the cloud, and updates are managed centrally. The solution is easy to use, and all essential features can be mastered in five minutes. The iPad is always online, enabling users to enter new orders directly into the ERP system during customer visits.
Result
Head office can monitor incoming orders by the minute and is always fully updated on the company's sales. Decisions concerning which items should be discontinued and which items should be prioritised can therefore be made much sooner. As handwritten orders are no longer an issue, at least one employee is freed up in the sales period.
Cero & Etage
Company information
Cero & Etage comprises three established brands: Etage outerwear, Cero trousers and Nitto knitwear, which have been on the market for the last 20 years, and a new brand – Boulevard – primarily consisting of tops and blouses. Throughout the years, the company has expanded internationally and currently exports approximately 70 % of its turnover to Scandinavia and more than 10 other European countries. The company is owned by managing director Carin Lundgaard and sales and export manager Claus H. Mikkelsen, who run the company from its domicile in Hørning in Denmark.
Web page
Contact us to learn more
Would you like to find out more about our products and services? Contact our team of experts, and tell us about your business needs and how we can help you.
Senior Manager
Per Nybo Nielsen