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Benefit
Benefit Supply Chain Transition
As one of the fastest growing premium cosmetics brands in the world, Benefit has made a name for itself by creating innovative, high-quality beauty products. With a distinctive and creative approach, co-founders of the brand, twin sisters Jean and Jane Ford, have taken Benefit from a single boutique in San Francisco to a worldwide phenomenon with over 900 counters worldwide, plus boutique stores and a dynamic catalogue and internet presence.
Such rapid and sustained growth clearly caused supply chain operational pressures which encouraged Benefit to embark on an outsourcing programme which resulted in the selection of Ryder Plc, with significant sector experience, to manage European warehousing and distribution.
Davies & Robson was approached by Benefit to assist in the implementation of the new contract and provide project management support to ensure a smooth transition from the existing warehouse to Ryder’s Northamptonshire facility. The role was complicated by the need to communicate with numerous parties: Benefit’s operational staff in the UK and systems department in San Francisco, the existing distribution contractor, Ryder’s operational and IT teams, and other contractors employed to develop interfaces between various systems in operation.
Following initial meetings with key personnel from all interested parties Tom Holland, Senior Consultant at Davies & Robson, developed a structured project plan within which specific tasks, responsibilities and timelines could be communicated and which was constantly reviewed and updated to monitor and control progress in such areas as:
Hardware specification and ordering
Recruitment
Warehouse design and layout
Inventory transfer
Systems testing
Customer communications
Coupled with the co-ordination and management of regular review meetings this close control and planning helped ensure potential problems and delays could quickly be identified and acted upon to achieve the target handover date immediately preceding the build up to Benefit’s Christmas sales period.
D&R project management helped to deliver a successful solution on time and within budget, enabling Benefit to maintain its key focus of providing a high level of customer service throughout the critical change-over period. With a greater degree of operational flexibility, Benefit is well placed to support ongoing retailer initiatives and other business changes.
www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk
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