Distribution / Wholesale
Inventory Management System
A distribution and wholesale business operating multiple branches
The challenge
Stock was tracked on paper at each branch, with physical counts reconciled centrally only once a month. Popular items regularly ran out between counts because no one had visibility into stock levels across branches in real time, and reordering was based on staff memory rather than data.
The approach
We reviewed how stock actually moved through the business — receiving, inter-branch transfers, sales, and returns — before designing the system, since the paper process had informal workarounds that a rigid off-the-shelf system would have broken. The system was then built around that real workflow rather than a generic retail template.
The solution
A custom web-based inventory management system now gives real-time stock visibility across all branches, with automated low-stock alerts sent to the relevant branch manager and head office before an item runs out. Historical stock data was migrated in during setup so the business started with accurate numbers, not a blank slate.
Results
- Stock-outs on popular items reduced significantly through automated low-stock alerts
- Head office gained real-time visibility across branches instead of a monthly reconciled snapshot
- Inter-branch stock transfers became trackable instead of informal and undocumented
Tech used
This engagement was delivered as part of our services.
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