Crystals

Crystals are a great example of how so many of our accounts have come to fruition - trust built over long periods due to consistent high levels of service, then blossoming into business critical relationships when the need arises.

We first started working with Crystals UK in 2013.  The requirement was to design and build a simple brochureware site.  We have continued to serve that website since, delivering SEO improvements and small bits of functionality.  And while the website isn't business critical for Crystals, we still managed to build an excellent relationship with them.

In 2022 the relationship took on a new dimension when Crystals decided it was time to implement a long held plan to improve critical stock distribution processes between the central warehouse and individual stores.  The processes they had in place were very specific and unique and the result of many years of trial and error.  

It was clear to them that an off-the-shelf system would be an enormous compromise, and would force them to work in a completely different and far less desirable way, hence one never being used.  Faced with this they knew that if they wanted to leverage the efficiency gains that software could deliver, they would need a bespoke system.   

Embarking on these kinds of change can be difficult.  The business is extremely successful and so there wasn't a failing process in place - instead there was the promise of gains in efficiency and accuracy without any guarantees.  In these circumstances budgets are often limited as the perceived risk is high - horror stories of overspend and under-delivery in our industry are commonplace.

The trust relationship already established was critical in moving the project forward.  The required system has a complex data structure, resulting in the need for some sophisticated engineering solutions to be employed to retain speed into the future.  Balancing cost against risk was something both parties needed to do carefully and clear communication was essential.

After a carefully managed build process which took more than a year due to needing to wait for feedback from the client who was enormously busy, the project was launched successfully.  The feedback from the multiple stackholders and users has been universally positive and the system has been near bug-free since launch.  

We have now embarked upon a sustained investment agreement with the client, and we are extremely excited to see how we can continue to develop the application in order to continue to deliver efficiency gains throughout the company's operation.