Toys “R” Us Poland, a retailer specializing in toys and products for children and teenagers, has chosen Comarch as the provider of IT systems supporting the management of enterprise processes and data. The retailer has implemented three solutions developed by the Polish software company. These are Comarch ERP Standard, Comarch Retail POS, and Comarch WMS.

Comarch systems are fully integrated with one another, handling enterprise accounting processes, providing sales support, and coordinating warehouse operations. Modules comprising Comarch Retail platform have been installed in the chain of 16 Toys “R” US shops in Poland, and at the company’s headquarters, which amounts to almost 100 workstations.

The comprehensive launch of the systems has taken only three months. This is a record-breaking implementation time for Comarch ERP solutions. In January 2019, Comarch specialists performed analysis of Toys “R” Us’ needs, and the systems were running by April.

At the beginning of this year we faced a considerable challenge - to be running a new ERP system by the end of April. To handle such a task, we needed a professional business partner - a company which would not only propose good system solutions, but which would primarily undertake the challenge with a deadline that short. We chose Comarch because it is a recognizable brand and offers a product that looked particularly promising, and due to the great contact with people representing the company. From the very beginning we have had the impression that Comarch’s employees were well-prepared to shoulder the responsibility of the undertaking. Three months of very intense work ended in success, says  Maciej Nowak, IT manager at Toys ”R” Us Poland.

The ERP system under total control

The heart of IT solutions supporting the company’s processes is Comarch ERP Standard. The system keeps records of all information on products offered by Toys “R” Us, streamlines the management of customer accounts, and supports purchase processes.

It also analyzes which products are most frequently purchased by customers, and in which months. Data are collected and may be used in the future to negotiate with vendors earlier, in order to get the most advantageous conditions. The lower the purchase price, the more attractive the shelf price. The system can configure discounts and promotions for end costumers on the basis of purchase prices.

Additionally, Comarch ERP Standard handles accounting processes. It generates bills, invoices, and item release documents, as well as supporting payments, settlements of receivables, and document posting. The solution is used daily by six employees of the accounting department at Toys “R” Us. Also, the launch of the system has enabled the acceleration of the process of exchanging documents with customers, and eliminated the potential for errors arising from manual data entry.

Multi-function points of sale

The Toys “R” Us retail chain comprises more than 64 points of sale. Following the implementation, they have been handled by Comarch Retail POS, which allows comprehensive sales management and the automatic application of personalized offers. Additionally, the software supports promotions, vouchers, and individual discounts granted to clients. From the POS level, store employees may also sell gift cards for Toys “R” Us products. What is more, the system monitors price modifications, informing employees about them.

Efficient warehouse operations

The project also included the implementation of Comarch WMS, which, in cooperation with Comarch ERP Standard, enables the comprehensive management of a high-bay warehouse. In Poland, there are 16 Toys “R” Us shops. They are supplied by a central warehouse located in Kampinos (the Masovian Voivodeship). Separate shops handle order policies individually, according to stock level and demand for particular products.

Employees pick orders and send them to a selected shop. The whole process is smooth, as the system collects information on the precise product locations within a warehouse and shares it with warehouse workers. Employees have been provided with data collectors which direct them to the racks and shelves from which products are to be retrieved. This makes it possible to avoid potential mistakes by employees, greatly improving work efficiency. In total, Comarch WMS is used by 21 warehouse workers, including five employees in the central warehouse and 16 in shops all over Poland.

An additional, unique functionality is the handling of a flow storage (cross-dock) warehouse. Resources are first received and checked, and afterwards they are sorted according to shipment directions and sent to shops, with no need to store them within warehouse locations. Such a process contributes to cost efficiency, since the processing time is shorter and storage costs are eliminated.

Toys “R” Us runs its business within a very competitive industry, where client awareness and needs change dynamically and expectations grow. That is why the company constantly invests in its IT infrastructure, in order to improve the quality of its services. Soon, together with Comarch, the company plans to integrate the ERP system with an online shop, expand its range services with a module supporting electronic document workflows, and launch a mobile application handling sales in brick and mortar shops.