Immediate Impact

The RoomPlace has slashed the time it takes to produce its in-store promotional signage from one week to just five to 10 minutes by switching from a manual and time-consuming series of processes to an integrated, automated solution.

“Since the introduction of the technology, we are now able to print all signage within the store,” said Michelle Pacynski, chief information officer, The RoomPlace, Lombard, Ill., which operates 24 locations in the Chicago and Indianapolis metro areas. “Previously, our processes were manual, so we’re saving a great deal of time.”

The retailer is using the solution (the Retail Enterprise Suite from Episys, Chicago) to manage its everyday floor signs, “as advertised” floor signs, bedding signs and group package signs. Retail Enterprise is an out-of-the-box configurable solution that combines precise labeling and promotional retail signage software with mobile applications. It allows retailers to drive content from a single source to all types of output media, including paper, the World Wide Web, handheld mobile devices and electronic signage.

Previously, The RoomPlace had three to four systems for producing signs, and none were very user-friendly.

“Our systems were very time consuming, and we had to create signs centrally, so it was very difficult to get new promotional signs out to the field quickly,” Pacynski said.

With the new solution in place, the retailer has found it is able to initiate promotions much faster than it could in the past.

“The Retail Enterprise Suite has transformed how we carry out price changes within the business,” Pacynski added. “We can change things very quickly in our showrooms and run different promotions as and when needed. If there are any pricing changes we need to make at the last minute, we know we can handle it.”

The implementation of the technology has also resulted in an improved customer experience. The new signage is cleaner and consistent across all stores, according to Pacynski.

“We have eliminated signage inaccuracies caused by our old, manual processes,” she added, “and are able to present our core customer concept—great savings on beautifully designed rooms—in a way that helps drive our average ticket.”