DFS Case Study

Background: 

DFS adopts Asset-i to manage hardware across its estate 

DFS is the leading UK furniture retailer with further stores in the Netherlands, Ireland and Spain. Established for over 45 years, DFS design and produce high quality, comfortable and stylish sofas in different workshops across the UK. Currently, DFS is the most significant UK market leading retailer of upholstered furniture with a portfolio of over 130 stores and numerous warehouses and distribution centres, plus a comprehensive online offering. 

Challenges & Installation: 

Providing a fast and efficient service isn’t without its own unique challenges. Of key importance is ensuring all DFS retail locations have real-time connectivity with Stock and Product Management Systems, accurately safeguarding vital on-demand sales information including stock availability and lead times, current prices and special offers. To this end, each store has a significant IT infrastructure and estate of tablet computers, PCs, printers, and other IT peripherals ensuring each store delivers the best in class customer experience. 

When managing a vast IT infrastructure from a centralised location, it is crucial for the business to know what equipment is in use at each location. Essential details of each asset such as financial information, replacement dates, owner and general condition supports key management decisions and dramatically improves efficiencies when supporting the retail sites. Knowing what products are in use and their respective versions is invaluable when troubleshooting technical issues and should a replacement device need to be deployed, Asset-i enables the support team to respond at a moment’s notice minimising any potential downtime which can impact customer service and ultimately, business performance. 

DFS implemented ExPD’s web-based asset tracking solution as part of their strategic suite of management software to provide total visibility of assets. It enables a full and accountable view of all assets across the DFS estate to be administered within a single system. The team can record every asset registration, movement, and disposal effortlessly; meaning data is always up to date. 

The bespoke mobile application is deployed onto DFS’s fleet of Datalogic Memor 10 mobile computers which are used to scan the identification barcode of items to record all transactions ahead of uploading to the hosted site. Further mobile app functionality includes for asset inspection, image collection and location audits. 

The benefits of using the mobile application to record every required transaction is to allow huge time savings, greater accuracy and above all, asset visibility. 

Result: 

The barcode tracking system is cloud-hosted and administered by the DFS head Office IT team; remote users, including 3rd Party engineers, record asset data when they visit a store. ExPD worked closely with Dean Darby, Head of IT at DFS to ensure the appliction provides the functionality and information required. 

Dean Darby, Head of IT, commented, “Our IT department worked closely with the ExPD team to implement the Asset-i software. Our main purpose is to optimise processes and record the registration of new assets as they are added to the estate. ExPD offered us the perfect tool, Asset-i, the product is solid and does what it needs to do, the real win is the service which comes with it – nothing has been too much trouble for ExPD.” 

Asset-i can enhance tracking of any asset type in any environment.