Bench, the popular British brand with roots in the skate and BMX streetwear scenes, known for the large logo shirts worn by musicians such as Lady Gaga, Liam Gallagher, Take That and the Fun Lovin’ Criminals pressed the “reset button” in 2020. The aim was to return to its old greatness and breathe new life into the popular collections. In order to successfully restart the European arm of the brand, an intelligent, future-oriented ERP software solution should be implemented and form the basis for growth.
The team in Trier compared various providers and chose Itsperfect due to its user-friendliness, modular architecture and fashion-specific functions and interfaces.
We spoke to Ingo Sander, Head of Marketing and CTO of Bench Europe, to find out more about the brand’s return and how the new ERP system has become the heart of the company.
The role of an ERP system at Bench
Despite their British roots, Bench’s biggest market has always been Germany, where they played in the same league as well-known names like Esprit. For the relaunch, the brand’s original growth model was focused on wholesale. Because Bench was visible everywhere, from large retailers to smaller stores, it had the same reach of a completely local brand.
To succeed with this strategy, the team wanted to provide retail customers and partners with an immersive experience, with real-time inventory visibility, intuitive ordering, and easy access to product data – from any device and location.
“We were looking for a cloud-based solution that didn’t require us to hire internal IT staff, set up servers, or pay expensive consultants. We tested one provider first, but it just wasn’t a good fit. When we discovered Itsperfect, it was immediately clear to us that everything we as a fashion brand, but also our agents and B2B customers, would ever need was already available. Itsperfect just works. Always and in real time.”
A platform that can grow with you
After the initial implementation, the Bench Europe team leverages fashion-specific ERP features Its perfect. All data on products, collections, materials, washing instructions and more are seamlessly brought together in one system. From there they are made available to external warehouse services, manufacturers and logistics partners. However, the only ‘source of truth’ remains Bench’s ERP system at all times.
Although the team in Trier focuses primarily on the UK headquarters’ collections, they also take matters into their own hands when a promising opportunity arises. These include, for example, our own collections that combine the specific requirements of the target group, such as performance and functionality, with Bench’s core values.
“The ERP is the central hub for everything here at Bench. We are a small team, but almost every one of us has an Itsperfect login so we can access all relevant data at any time.”
With the growth of Bench and developments in the market came the desire for consignment options, a B2C web shop, a B2B portal and several warehouses. All of this could be easily integrated into the existing ERP solution using the modules and apps developed by Itsperfect itself. Whenever the team wanted to expand functionality, the right solution was often just a few clicks away – without lengthy, expensive implementations.
“We wanted to create a B2B store where retailers could view accurate, real-time inventory levels and place orders directly. With Itsperfect, it literally only took a few clicks and a quick phone call to the (very patient!) support team and we were live. Adding EDI connections to marketplaces, using Shopify integration – since the ERP is specifically designed for the fashion industry, everything is already there. These are really great features that I haven’t seen before.”
Rich features packed into a simple, intuitive interface
ERP software often has a bad reputation: lots of functions, but complicated, outdated and confusing. This was one of Bench Europe’s main concerns when looking for a solution, as they were aware that a complicated system simply would not be used well in everyday life.
With Itsperfect, Bench has found a platform with a modern, simple user interface that differs significantly from conventional ERP solutions. All apps, modules, contact lists, interfaces and more work with the same fashion-specific logic and user-friendly interface.
“This is a really easy-to-use tool. Everyone can find their way around the user interface immediately. Even colleagues who may only be familiar with email and Excel can use our ERP and immediately know how it works. This makes life easy for our team, agents, retailers and partners.”
With self-confidence in the future
The Bench Europe team is well on its way to delighting its customers and fans from the best years again. Today you manage data on more than 900 items and over 300 retail customers and agents in a single system. With Itsperfect as the heart of the company, Ingo and his team are constantly opening up new growth channels. And no matter which path you take in the future, your ERP system is and will remain the solid, digital support for the brand, able to meet all the challenges of tomorrow.
“Everything we might need in the next 3-4 years we can achieve with Itsperfect. Even better, the options are already there! All integrations, apps and modules are already available in the App Store today.”