“KWD Sport had to migrate to a new online store because the custom-built one was no longer supported. We chose Magento and the Webshop Connector because we wanted to Exact Globe”We wanted to integrate our administrative systems, and this solution offered the most functionality and flexibility,” says manager Renske Hammink-Siebelink.
“Actually, we were taking advantage of the capabilities of Exact Globe Insufficient. Because we wanted to make Exact the lead system in the integration, we set up many additional features so that everything could be properly synchronized with Magento. In the past, a lot of the work was done manually; for example, we maintained two separate product databases. Now that everything is exchanged seamlessly, we’ve further enriched our product database so that all necessary information is immediately available in the store.
When asked how things used to work, she replies: ‘Our customers can configure the colors and sizes themselves in the Magento store, after which the correct item is deducted from inventory in Exact. That used to be a time-consuming task, but fortunately it isn’t anymore! All types of product configurations are now imported correctly into Exact. I used to spend about two hours every day manually importing all the web orders. Now, when I open Exact, the web orders are already ready for processing. During peak season, we receive as many as 40–50 orders per day. In the past, we often still had to manually create customer records in Exact; now, the warehouse staff can get to work right away.’
Thanks to the Webshop Connector, we save at least one FTE.
Renske Hammink-Siebelink
Product Catalog Optimized
“In the past, for example, we only had one item number in Exact for a soccer jersey and would add the details using text lines. Now, each unique item is created separately, giving us much better insight into our inventory and sales statistics; the product database has grown from about 2,000 to 27,000 items.”
The Importance of Proper Preparation
“When I asked whether the implementation had gone quickly, Hammink-Siebelink replied: ‘The total turnaround time was about nine months. We hadn’t fully realized beforehand just how much work was involved in launching a new online store and setting up the integration. Because the Webshop Connector offers so many possibilities, we spent a lot of time optimizing Exact Globe. The better the foundation in Exact, the more efficient the integration with Magento.
’We also ran into a number of problems throughout the project.‘ Hammink-Siebelink explains: ’Because we were used to working a certain way, the new situation also had an impact on our internal processes. My advice, therefore, is to set aside enough time during the preliminary phase to ensure a quick and smooth handover.”
Working More Efficiently
“A lot has changed in the sports industry, and fortunately, we’re now well-positioned to respond to these changes. Our product range has expanded significantly, and thanks to an import module developed by Alistar, new product lines can now be imported into Exact in no time at all and made available in the online store. It used to be a lot of work to keep everything up to date manually; fortunately, that’s now a thing of the past. Alistar has also built several handy features into the integration that further optimize our processes. For example, items that are out of stock in Exact but that we can deliver within two business days are still shown as ‘in stock’ in the shop. ”The Reconciliation Module provided by Alistar also saves us a lot of time, because payments are now automatically posted in Exact,” says Hammink-Siebelink.
“Thanks to the Webshop Connector, many processes are now fast and efficient!”
Good support desk
Hammink-Siebelink is also satisfied with the post-implementation support: “Since the integration was developed by Alistar, we can also turn to them with our questions regarding Exact Globe We can always count on them. The service desk staff always help us quickly and professionally; they always work with us to find the best solution.”
A growing family business with loyal customers
“Where my father’s stepfather started a small ball factory out of his home 54 years ago, there is now a family business with ten employees,” Hammink-Siebelink says enthusiastically. “KWD Sport now offers a very extensive range of sporting goods. Our target audience is very diverse: municipalities, private individuals, schools, and sports clubs. KWD Sport stands out thanks to its wide selection, high quality, an affordable in-house product line, and the ability to, for example, design custom sports apparel. This allows schools, for example, to design their own sports uniforms in the desired color and with their own print, with the assurance that the clothing can be reordered indefinitely. Once someone becomes a customer, they never leave us!”
Ready for the Future
KWD Sport has, by improving the layout of Exact Globe and by integrating it with the Magento online store restyled by BigBridge, we achieved a significant improvement in efficiency. Hammink-Siebelink commented: “Looking back on the entire project, I’m satisfied with what we’ve accomplished. It was an educational process that gave me a few gray hairs, but that’s more than made up for by the smile on my face when I open Exact in the morning and see all the new orders. It was a tough job, but KWD Sport is now ready for the future.’
