
Discover how digitalisation has improved JF Sports daily operations and customer interaction.
About the company
JF Sports was founded in 1999 as a sports retail shop based in Carlow town. In recent years the business has diversified into teamwear production and they have a production unit based on the upper floor of their retail premises. They supply branded sports kits and associated leisure wear to teams and universities and have also set up an online shop which allows members of their client clubs to order individual items of club branded clothing.
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The Challenge
There were two employees in the business who worked directly with teamwear customers, manging everything from initial contact to the final delivery of the finished products. The business added a third employee to help with the workload just before they undertook this project.
However, they all operated very independently with each employee managing their own customer base. One relied on a paper order book, while another used an Excel spreadsheet to manage accounts.
Each employee had very limited visibility on what each other was working on and this led to potential scheduling issues and bottlenecks in production. The business was also having issues following up with some leads because they were so busy, and potential business was slipping through the net.
The business wanted a system where all their projects could be managed in one place and where all three employees had full visibility of current projects.
What did they do?
JF Sports signed up for a digital programme with their Local Enterprise Office (LEO) who put them in touch with a digital mentor. After an initial consultation and discussions, the businesses concluded that they needed a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.
The benefit of using a CRM system is that the business could customise the functionality to suit their business requirements. JF Sports now have a single database of all customer contacts and details as well as a complete history of all projects undertaken.
JF Sports also changed their accounting software and decided to use a Financial Management Software (FMS) system. This has resulted in a completely integrated system that seamlessly allows the business to produce sales orders, purchase orders, and invoices in a very efficient manner, thus greatly improving their customer service.
The CRM system has allowed the business to record and track every project from initial query to final delivery. The business can now store all relevant customer information and provide employees with full access to all projects in real time, which is vital when covering shifts.
How did it help?
By introducing the CRM and FMS systems, the business has made its operations significantly more efficient, transparent, and accountable.
All relevant customer information is now stored in one easily accessible location.
The business also maintains a real-time record of every ongoing project, complete with all necessary details.
As a result, JF Sports can respond to customers more efficiently and effectively, providing them with the information they need.
Conclusions and future outlook
“The successful transition from paper-based to digital systems is a large step forward in our operational efficiency and will ultimately help us improve our customer service.”