VBS makes its commitment to 360e software, as e-velopment’s ERP system

Name: VBS Hobby Service GmbH

Founded 1964

More than 150 employees

Logistics software in operation since 2003

Profile

VBS Hobby Service GmbH is a multi-channel mail-order company in the realm of ‘creative hobbies‘. Their range consists of more than 16,000 products, including handicraft materials, tools, articles for craftspeople, decoration accessories and furnishing accessories for further creative processing. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, as well as in France, the company markets its products via its own online shop, as well as via the classic catalogue business, online platforms and retail stores. VBS serves an established customer base of more than 750,000 hobby enthusiasts, throughout Europe.

Starting point

Since 2003, VBS Hobby Service GmbH had been using the 360e Logistics module from e-velopment, jointly with the MOS Tangram merchandise-management system. The project’s aim was to switch over from the existing MOS software, introducing a new software to support the operational processes in product-range planning and purchasing, as well as customer and order management. An important aspect of this was to link-up the online shop and the retail branches in such a way that both have up-to-the-minute stock information on-call (multi-channel approach).

  • What was relevant for VBS was primarily to ensure that activity sequences and processes were replaced by standard functions and standard processing mechanisms. This related to the handling of orders, customers, products and all other core activity areas.
  • From the technical viewpoint, the aim was to replace VBS’s in-house developments by standard processes and standard processes.

Implementation / Project

In the context of agile project methodology (Scrum), e-velopment integrated the 360e platform into VBS’s existing system landscape, and linked up new third-party systems in the course of the project. It was important to involve the VBS workforce in this, right from the start. The seasonal nature of the client’s business meant that the ‘go-live‘ deadline was absolutely not to be missed. Between e-velopment receiving this assignment and the ‘go-live‘, there was less than one year.

After concluding the analysis phase, it was soon evident that the VBS project would go far beyond the introduction of 360e Business, the ERP and OMS system. Alongside the replacement of MOS, involving complex migration of data and the link-up to 360e Logistics, new functions were implemented and introduced.

Among others, these were the following:

  • 360e selective optimisation and a cockpit used for targeted dispatch management: this achieves a more targeted planning of dispatch processes; greater efficiency of capacity-use in the logistics processes, and optimum planning for putting resources to use
  • 360e management of returns, aimed at optimising the returns process
  • 360e Meterware: using the 360e software, it is now possible to maintain and to sell articles such as belts or fabrics based on quantities involving units after the decimal point (fractions of a metre). The company can now accurately depict the logistical process involved in selling bale goods, cut-to-measure.
  • 360e collection planning, directed at efficient planning of articles and product ranges, with regard to quantities, how a season progresses, and an uptick in orders at short notice (recognising top-selling items). A particular feature of this is collection planning for purchase in the Far East, requiring a longer advance-notice period.
  • 360e POS used for out-of-the-box, real-time link-up of the retail store, with modern io cloud-based till and stock management (till system independent of location, as a touch monitor. In this, the till operates based on a browser.
  • 360e market-place integration for out-of-the-box link-up with (at present) Amazon, Ebay, Otto and real, via Brickfox (service-provider for the linking-up of marketplaces)
  • 360e Payment module for linking-up Amazon Pay
  • 360e Risk Management module for connecting-up Arvato Financial Solutions, to make a financial-soundness check

The functionality elements stated here were developed, in parallel with the project of introducing 360e, within the established two-week release cycle. After the joint integration test, VBS gave the green light for the scheduled Go-Live on 15 June 2019.

“Since 2003 we have been committed to e-velopment’s stock-management software. Thanks to the experience gained, and the successful cooperation on logistics, our decision to introduce 360e Business was an easy one. The e-velopment team gave us support in this, extensively and in a partnership of equals, throughout the whole project, from planning right through to the launch. Thanks to this successful switchover, we are securely set-up to take on the future and can fully concentrate on our growth.“

Philipp Lübeck – Managing Director, VBS Hobby Service GmbH

Results for the customer

By introducing 360e Business, VBS laid the foundation for its future growth. The software provides support to VBS in this by:

  • Cross-channel order administration, as a holistic process
  • Faster turnaround of orders in a growing mail-order business
  • Extensive product-range and quantity planning
  • Planning of advertising media, taking into account the business’s seasonal nature
  • Taking care of the whole chain of purchasing activities, especially for Europe and the Far East
  • Extending and securing the growing marketplace business

Partners

  • Arvato financial Solutions
  • Brickfox
  • Flour.io
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