Office National

Office National distributes a range of stationery items and offers office products, furniture, business technology, and canteen supplies. Although not a franchise system, it operates under a corporate head office structure, and its South African branch is 100% locally owned.

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E-commerce

The identified problem that needed a solultion

Office National required an E-commerce solution that could cater to the diverse needs of its stores. Each store needed a unique database and the ability to operate independently while maintaining a unified brand identity.

The Solution

Warp Development was approached by Office National to customise an E-commerce solution tailored to the unique needs of each Office National store. Leveraging Warp Development’s expertise, individual databases were created for each store, allowing them to stand alone while sharing a standard template and design. This customisation ensured that each store could maintain its individuality while benefiting from a unified online presence.

Implementation

At the onset, the project significantly emphasised developing a comprehensive and appealing product catalogue. This step was crucial for attracting and retaining customers by offering a wide range of office supplies and solutions. The enriched product catalogue served as the foundation of the E-commerce platform, ensuring that customers could find all their office needs in one place.

Following the establishment of a robust product catalogue, the project shifted focus towards optimising the customer user experience (UX). The aim was to create an intuitive, user-friendly interface that facilitated easy navigation, search, and transaction processes. Enhancing UX was recognised as essential for converting website visits into sales and building customer loyalty.

As the project progressed, further developments were made in automation and integration systems to support the franchisees. This phase included:

Marketing Support Automation

Tools and platforms were introduced to assist franchisees in their marketing efforts, enabling them to reach a broader audience with less manual effort.

Ordering Automation for ERP and POS

Integration with existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Point of Sale (POS) systems was implemented to streamline the
ordering process. This automation facilitated a smoother transaction flow from the online platform to the physical stores and back-end systems.

Tech Stack

Project Results

The project successfully collected valuable customer data, expanded market reach, and enhanced brand visibility for Office National. The focus on user experience and automation significantly enhanced operational efficiency, supporting franchisees’ daily operations and improving the customer journey.

The role out of the 48 member stores facilitated ERP integration that automates Inventory updates such as price and automated Sales order generation.
Since the integration it has been observed that there has been a reduction in time required to process sales orders, and an increase in order accuracy due to a decrease in order processing errors.

The Office National E-commerce project stands as a testament to the strategic foresight and adaptability of the business in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. By leveraging digital platforms, Office National navigated the challenges presented by the pandemic and positioned itself for future growth and success in the digital age.

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