Watch the recent SPESA video interview to learn more about Productive Solutions, its most popular services, the clientele it serves, and its principal’s views on the most significant industry challenges and opportunities.
Building a business takes more than a good idea and an interested customer base. It takes planning, investment, a skilled workforce—and a healthy dose of industry knowledge. Got a plan?
Rick Ludolph, founder and president of consulting firm Productive Solutions LLC has spent more than 40 years in the industry—and has worked across the supply chain to develop a comprehensive understanding of which things specialty fabrics businesses need to consider to grow and prosper.
They’re called “growing pains” for a reason. You’ve put in the blood, sweat and tears (and a few bucks) necessary to make your business a success. You’ve made your customers happy, and they’ve told their friends. There’s never been enough time in the day, but now … it’s getting tough to manage it all.
A seamless shopping experience is easier to offer when there is seamless connectivity within the business. This is easier said than done. It can require companies to break down organizational silos that isolate information. Often these silos simply build up over time, usually the byproduct of legacy computer systems and manual processes that have persisted even as organizations have evolved.
Today’s retailers are faced with what is both an exciting opportunity and daunting challenge: creating a seamless shopping experience. Today’s shoppers want anytime-anywhere access to product information, customer service, and interactive experiences. Whether they are at home on their laptops or tablets, on the subway on their phones or in stores or malls, consumers expect to be able to engage with brands, manufacturers, and retailers.
Accelerating software implementation cycles is very important in the fashion industry; where success depends on the ability to rapidly respond to changing business requirements. While it once took years to complete full scope implementations, today’s fashion companies often need to go-live with critical system components in a two to six months to meet competitive pressures.
Evaluating and selecting software and other technology has never been more challenging as companies look to gain an edge, address specific needs, or simply stay competitive. Many staffs are so lean that they have their hands full simply managing their existing projects and vendors.