First and foremost, F. Curtis Barry & Company is vendor-independent and completely objective. For over two decades we have helped multichannel marketers to evaluate, select, develop, and implement inventory, warehouse and order management systems. We consult with companies to evaluate their business needs, including future growth plans and wish lists, as well as to select commercially available applications or to develop systems in-house.
We help companies find the right business solution including:
Initial Assessment
In order to find the best solutions for a company's needs, F. Curtis Barry & Company conducts an initial on-site assessment to learn about the way a particular business operates. Based on this information, we compile a management summary of our findings and industry best practices that include a comparative list of potential vendors, solutions, and investment budget estimates.
This initial assessment provides estimates for the range of investment that the project requires, project milestones, and a short list of who the vendors should be. At that point, clients can decide if they need advisory assistance and whether to continue to use F. Curtis Barry & Company. If clients decide to take on the project themselves, the assessment can serve as a road map to help them move forward.
Business System Selection
Compile Business Requirements – Once F. Curtis Barry & Company is retained to work on this portion of a project, we prepare detailed business requirements with the client, interviewing managers and collecting data, based on our knowledge of the industry and best practices. We follow a highly collaborative method, communicating back and forth to make sure clients are getting all the information they need to make decisions.
Send Out Requests for Proposals – The next step is to send out requests for proposals (RFPs) to potential vendors. F. Curtis Barry & Company's extensive experience with direct-to-customer/order management system providers, WMS, retail/POS, inventory management systems and forecasting systems, and e-commerce platform vendors allows us to narrow the field to the two or three providers who might best meet the client's needs.
Selection and Negotiations – The next step is to conduct due diligence with potential vendors, scheduling scripted demos by the vendors, talking to their client bases, and making site visits to companies that are using the finalist vendors' systems. Once the client has selected a vendor, F. Curtis Barry & Company will also assist with vendor negotiations and contracting to complete the system selection process. Once a project is completed, F. Curtis Barry & Company remains accessible and responsive for clients who may have future questions or need services in other areas of their business.
Project Manage the Implementation – F. Curtis Barry & Company can assist clients in project-managing implementation of the system(s) they select. We will assist with planning and managing the client and vendor resources to complete the project within the budget and proposed time frame of the client. F. Curtis Barry & Company can manage the project while keeping clients well informed about the ongoing process, while clients continue their daily routines of marketing and merchandising without being unduly distracted by the implementation process.
E-commerce Solutions
Choosing e-commerce systems presents a special situation. E-commerce technology changes rapidly, and the field of vendors is crowded and competitive. In addition, costs are frequently higher for e-commerce systems than for other systems. Clients can face a significant challenge when integrating e-commerce with their preexisting systems. F. Curtis Barry & Company can help clients link their marketing and IT needs, narrow the focus on potential vendors, determine integration touch points, and decide which service model makes the most sense for their business. We use the same methodology to assess potential e-commerce vendors that we use for multichannel systems vendors, first submitting a detailed RFP to a short list of vendors, and then assisting with vendor demos, negotiations, and contracting if desired.
Below are a few examples of the types of business and order management system solutions we have provided to our clients:
| Case Study 1 |
| F. Curtis Barry & Company analyzed the total multichannel requirements for a major nonprofit organization with 20 retail stores and 30 shops. This project was a three-year conversion of a legacy system to multiple new systems. We collaborated with the client to develop the requirements for a WMS; a direct-to-customer/order management system for the direct, Internet, and wholesale divisions; a retail merchandising system and point-of-sale; and data warehouse systems. Additionally, F. Curtis Barry & Company solicited the vendors with RFPs, analyzed vendor responses, advised on vendor selection, negotiated vendor contracts, and project-managed the system implementations. F. Curtis Barry & Company also managed the integration layer for all of these systems to create the best-of-breed solution for the client. |
| Case Study 2 |
| F. Curtis Barry & Company recently helped a multichannel retailer to search for, select, and project-manage implementation of warehouse management systems & software to replace the client's existing, home-grown solution. We evaluated various layouts before selecting the final design, which combined proven conventional storage and material handling concepts with cost-justified levels of automation. The five-month project has improved operations, reduced costs, and provided the client with a single management and control process for its multichannel inventory. |
If you would like help in selecting an order management system, warehouse management system, inventory management system or other multichannel business systems, contact us. Our marketing manager, Jeff Barry, can assist you by phone at (804) 740-8743, by e-mail at jbarry@fcbco.com, or through our Request Information Form.
