FDE Sets 87-Day ERP Implementation Record

September 16th, 2020 by the STORIS Marketing Team

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, STORIS & Factory Direct Enterprises (FDE) set an ERP conversion record for a Top 100 Retailer.

FDE went live on STORIS in just 87 days. Implementing new technology across a $200M, 400-user operation is a significant accomplishment under normal circumstances and in this case, exemplifies change management at its finest from two remote workforces.

The Chrinian family owns Factory Direct Enterprises, the Ashley HomeStore Northeast licensee with 18 showroom locations in the tri-state area. Implementing a new ERP solution was a future priority for FDE. However, as New Jersey was experiencing state-wide shutdowns that forced temporary store closures, FDE used the unexpected downtime to accelerate the project. FDE chose to implement STORIS during this time to gain a scalable technology infrastructure with valuable analytical capabilities to support growth.

“In reviewing STORIS’ commitment to products that help retailers thrive in the home furnishings industry, we knew that they were the right partner for our future. The STORIS team worked closely with us on a successful implementation in record-setting time to give our business the multi-channel solutions needed to thrive in any environment,”
Eugene Chrinian, FDE Chairman.

The milestone implementation was possible due to the collaboration between STORIS and FDE. Both parties approached the project with strategic alignment and laser focus. Each day, the teams convened virtually to discuss priorities and task organization.

STORIS’ Sr. Project Manager, Will Andrews noted, “Communication, attention to detail, agility, and organization allowed us to manage tasks efficiently. FDE’s team did an outstanding job of extracting data accurately for a timely conversion.”

COO, Brandon Chrinian remarked, “STORIS looked after our business as if it were their own. The level of shared commitment speaks volumes. The execution of the STORIS organization and their rooted company culture appeals to us as we begin a long-term partnership.”

Even though they have only been live on STORIS for 3 months, FDE is already seeing results.

From the core solution, FDE has improved margin and discount control, enabled exception reporting for minimum gross profit, and expedited checkout. Also, the ability to integrate into Ashley Furniture Industries to provide real-time Available to Promise (ATP) details at the POS and automate inventory replenishment has been imperative.

Not only did FDE implement the core STORIS ERP, but they are also utilizing advanced technologies. This included mobilizing their salesforce on Customer Experience Management (CXM), integrating their credit program through the Finance Queue, and rolling out system-wide Business Intelligence.

STORIS’ Sr. Manager of Consulting Services, Jake Egan commented, “FDE put together a strong team committed to success. They took each opportunity to streamline their Standard Operating Procedures. FDE’s leadership led by example, keeping their end-users poised to embrace change.”

STORIS runs many Ashley HomeStore Licensees. FDE is now a part of this strategic technology community leveraging the STORIS solution with direct integration to Ashley.

“STORIS’ thought leadership and its cohort of Ashley HomeStore companies represent a strong network. We have an expanded community that can now collaborate on the challenges we are facing and solve them together,” commented Brandon Chrinian. “The known viability of the STORIS solution and their high level of service gave us confidence in our decision to move forward during a time of uncertainty.”

STORIS has helped many retailers, like Factory Direct Enterprises, realize the benefits of technology-driven operations and a Unified Commerce strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, since March 2020, STORIS has added 102 new stores, 1,041 new users, and $533M in furniture retail revenue to its network.

If your home furnishings retail operation can benefit from a scalable technology platform, contact STORIS at 1.888.4.STORIS or Request a Demo today.