QuickPoints

Posted by Matt

Simplified Online Store Management for Multi-Brand Companies

Business, Technology
Learn how QuickBrand’s dynamic permissions feature can help you create a customized and scalable online store experience for your employees.

What is QuickBrand?

QuickBrand is an online store platform that allows you to set up company store programs for your employees or customers to buy brand gear for uniform programs, rewards and incentives, or a total marketing supply chain solution. With QuickBrand, you can choose from a wide range of products, customize them with your logo or design, and let us handle the decoration, fulfillment, and customer service. You can also track your store performance, manage your inventory, and generate reports with our easy-to-use dashboard.

Why do you need dynamic permissions?

If you are a company that has several different brands under your umbrella, you may face some challenges when it comes to managing your online store program. For example, you may want to offer different products, logos, or shipping options to different groups of employees, depending on which child company or brand they belong to. You may also want to give some admin users, such as senior leadership, the ability to see and order from all the available options, regardless of their affiliation.

However, creating and maintaining separate online stores for each child company or brand can be time-consuming, costly, and prone to errors. The extra time involvement of maintaining product offerings across multiple stores and juggling multiple logins creates unnecessary administrative burden, and the fragmented nature of reporting across multiple platforms keeps you from having a good “full picture” of your promotional or apparel program.

How does QuickBrand solve this problem?

QuickBrand has a feature called dynamic permissions that can help you simplify your online store management and provide a tailored store experience for your users. With dynamic permissions, we create permission groups tied to email domains, and QuickBrand can dynamically identify which group a user belongs to based on their email address. For example, if you have a parent company called ABC Inc. and two child companies called XYZ Inc. and PQR Inc., you can create three permission groups: ABC, XYZ, and PQR, and assign them to the email domains abc.com, xyz.com, and pqr.com, respectively.

Then, when a user logs in to your online store with their email address, QuickBrand will automatically show them the products, logos, and shipping options that are relevant to their group. For example, if a user logs in with john@xyz.com, they will see the products and logos that are specific to XYZ Inc., and the shipping options that are available to their location. Similarly, if a user logs in with jane@pqr.com, they will see the products and logos that are specific to PQR Inc., and the shipping options that are available to their location.

Additionally, you can give some admin users, such as senior leadership, the ability to see and order from all the products and logos available to all the groups, regardless of their email domain. For example, if you have a senior leader who logs in with bob@abc.com, they will see all the products and logos that are offered to ABC, XYZ, and PQR, as well as any additional products, branding options, payment options, or shipping options that are available only to select users outside of dynamic roles.

What are the benefits of dynamic permissions?

  • Dynamic permissions can help you create a customized and scalable online store program for your employees or customers, without the hassle of creating and maintaining separate stores for each child company or brand.
  • Dynamic permissions can help you ensure that your users are getting a tailored store experience, with the products, logos, and shipping options that match their needs.
  • Dynamic permissions can help you reduce the administrative burden of managing your online store program, as you only need to update one product catalog and one logo library, and you can generate consolidated invoices and reports.

How can you get started with QuickBrand and dynamic permissions?

If you are interested in setting up an online store program with QuickBrand and dynamic permissions, you can contact us today and request a demo. We will show you how QuickBrand works, how we create dynamic permissions and the capabilities it unlocks, and how our custom ecommerce platform can be tailored to suit your brand and your users.

QuickBrand is the online store platform that can help you simplify your online store management and provide a customized and scalable online store program for your employees or customers. Contact us today and see how QuickBrand can help you grow your brand and your business.

Posted by Matt

The Strategic Advantage of PunchOut Technology in eProcurement Systems

Technology

In the fast-paced world of business procurement, efficiency and control are paramount. eProcurement systems like Workday and Coupa have revolutionized the way companies manage their purchasing processes, offering significant benefits that streamline operations. However, the integration of PunchOut technology takes these advantages to the next level, particularly for companies dealing with dynamic and frequently changing vendor offerings. Our QuickBrand custom e-commerce solutions are PunchOut enabled, making it easy for customers to reap the benefits of centralized purchasing, without the burden of manually maintaining dynamic product catalogs.

Benefits of eProcurement Systems

There are many reasons a business may consider a full eprocurement or business management system. In addition to being able to centralize HR functions, there are many significant advantages to streamline purchasing processes, including:

Centralized Purchasing Controls: eProcurement systems centralize the purchasing process, providing a single platform for managing orders, approvals, and vendor relationships.

Cost Savings: By automating procurement tasks, companies reduce administrative overhead, leading to significant cost savings.

Enhanced Visibility: These systems offer real-time insights into spending patterns, enabling better budget management and financial planning.

Supplier Management: eProcurement simplifies supplier management, allowing for easy tracking of vendor performance and compliance.

Compliance and Standardization: The systems enforce purchasing policies and ensure compliance with company standards and regulations.

Incorporating PunchOut Technology

PunchOut technology enhances eProcurement systems by allowing users to access a vendor’s catalog directly from their procurement system. This seamless integration brings forth several key benefits:

Real-Time Catalog Access: PunchOut enables access to the most up-to-date products and pricing, ensuring that buyers always have the latest information.

Customizable Products: For industries where products are highly customizable, PunchOut allows buyers to configure products in real-time, directly within the vendor’s environment.

Dynamic Offerings: Vendors can update their offerings simply by updating their own website, ensuring buyers are always seeing the most up-to-date product offering. In a promotional products and branded apparel environment, this ensures your promotional partner can keep your offering fresh and in-line with the latest trends and new arrivals.

Streamlined Ordering Process: PunchOut simplifies the ordering process, reducing the time from product selection to purchase order creation.

Maintained Purchasing Controls: While buyers are able to shop on vendor websites, companies maintain their centralized purchasing controls by utilizing their eProcurement system in place of a standard checkout, ensuring that all transactions adhere to established policies.

How PunchOut Works with QuickBrand

Integrating your QuickBrand Online Store with your eProcurement system is a straightforward process. Our expert development team will work with you to ensure we have the credentials we need to complete the connection. Once it is completed, your buyers can start within your eProcurement system and “Punch Out” to your online store, where they can browse products and begin building their cart. When the user is done shopping, they simply punch back to your eProcurement system, and everything works within your established business rules and approval flows. Once the order is approved within your eProcurement system, the order is automatically finalized within the QuickBrand store and follows our regular channels for production and fulfillment.

If you are currently using an eProcurement system like Workday or Coupa, PunchOut technology for your company store makes the buying process simple and streamlined for your users, significantly reduces administrative overhead maintaining a product catalog, and allows you to retain full centralized control of your business rules. It is a seamless experience for all parties.

Learn More about our PunchOut capabilities

Contact Us to get started on your custom integrated solution

Posted by Matt

Tech Savvy and Human Friendly

Uncategorized

How to get the best of both worlds when it comes to online stores for swag and branded apparel

Imagine this scenario: You’re in charge of ordering promotional products and branded apparel for your company. You want to make a good impression on your boss, your colleagues, and your customers. You want to find products that are high-quality, creative, affordable, and relevant to your brand. You want to have an easy and convenient way to order, track, and manage your inventory. You want to have a reliable and responsive partner who can help you with any issues or questions you might have along the way.

Now, imagine this scenario: You’re in charge of ordering promotional products and branded apparel for your company. You have to deal with a clunky and outdated online store that somehow both takes forever to load and looks like it was optimized for dial-up. Your selection is outdated, with products you don’t feel good about giving to your customers or putting on your body. You have to deal with a faceless and impersonal partner who doesn’t care about your needs or preferences, and who treats you like a number rather than a valued customer, and makes you do business on THEIR terms.

Which scenario sounds more appealing to you? We’re guessing it’s the first one. And that’s why you need a company store partner that’s both tech-savvy and human-friendly. A partner that combines cutting-edge technology with personalized service. In short, you want to have your cake and eat it too, and that’s where Identity Works comes in, with our suite of custom QuickBrand technology solutions and an experienced team to support your brand.

What are the benefits of a tech-savvy and human-friendly company store?

A tech-savvy and human-friendly company store can offer you many benefits, such as:

  • Convenience: You can order promotional products and branded apparel anytime, anywhere, from any device. You can access your store from a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. You can place orders in minutes, and track them in real-time. You can manage your inventory, budget, and reporting with ease. You can save time and hassle, and focus on your core business.
  • Customizability: Going beyond the look and feel of your custom online company store, you need a partner that is able to quickly map the operation of the store to your business processes on an ongoing basis. Whether that means Punch-Out integration with your eProcurement system for company purchases, Meta shop integration for your fan gear, controlling who has access to make corporate purchases (and what information is captured at purchase to save your accounting department time manually validating invoices), we’ve got you covered, with concierge level service from our QuickBrand specialists to ensure your store is configured based on your unique business needs.
  • Expandability: Our QuickBrand platform powers apparel programs, anniversary programs, new hire programs, rewards and recognition programs, programs with point redemptions, corporate merch and tradeshow asset management programs, retail raving fan merch stores, and so much more. Our clients often come with an initial want, and as their organization grows and their needs change, our solution seamlessly scales with them, allowing for new programs to be quickly launched and expanded using our expansive platform and development savvy.
  • Collaboration: We believe in the power of teamwork. By working directly with our development team, you get to play an active role in shaping the future of your online store. It’s like having a backstage pass to the coolest tech show in town. Our ongoing platform development is driven by customer feedback. We’re here to learn your business challenges, and by working directly with our implementors, we’ll ensure that the custom solution we craft for you gets it right the first time, and based on your needs.
  • Quality: You can choose from a wide range of products that are high-quality, competitively priced, and relevant to your brand. You can rest easy, knowing our merchandising team is safeguarding your brand and reputation with quality products that are ethically made. You can ensure that your products meet your standards and expectations, and that they reflect your brand identity and values.
  • Creativity: All the best tech and service can stall out results if your product mix is not fresh and creative. Identity Works designs award-winning products and marketing programs involving merch that gets the results you are looking for.
  • Service: You can rely on a partner who cares about your success, and who is always there to support you. We’re there on the front lines ensuring your orders ship on time, with the correct art, and to the right place. We believe strongly in the value of regular business reviews, so we can show you the trends on your program, highlight what is new and exciting at market for additional opportunities, and provide a space for collaborative discussion on how we can improve and be a more valued partner to you and your internal/external customers.

A company store is more than just an online store. It’s an extension of your brand. It’s a way to connect with your employees and customers. It’s a way to showcase your culture and values. It’s a way to grow your business and achieve your goals.

But not all company stores are created equal. Some are tech-savvy, but lack the human touch. Some are human-friendly, but lack the tech edge. Some are neither, and leave you frustrated and disappointed.

That’s why you need a promotional partner that’s both tech-savvy and human-friendly. Someone who combines cutting-edge technology with personalized service. Truly, the best of both worlds.

Identity Works is that partner. We want to make your brand shine with amazing products, give you a platform to get that branded gear into the hands of your rabid fans that they’ll love using, and make you feel valued and understood the entire time.

Ready to partner with us? Contact us today and let’s get started.

Posted by Daniela Callejas

5 Questions to Ask Before Partnering with a Company Store Provider

Uncategorized

As the old saying that goes, “Company stores are like icebergs. On the surface they may look the same, with similar structures and page layouts. But, once you look below the surface, that’s where the real differences come!” OK, that phrase may not technically be an “old saying” where you come from, but in our world, the premise certainly rings true.

With the onset of Covid-19, we’ve noticed an increasing demand for custom company stores to help shrinking teams efficiently manage their branded swag and apparel with fewer resources. These custom stores could be anything from full-on reward or sales incentive stores to branded apparel stores or smaller branded gift stores offering a one-time “Thank you” gift to clients or employees. No matter what challenge you look to overcome or efficiencies you seek, it’s important to understand that all stores are not created equal.

At Identity Works, we have been building custom branded stores for the past two and a half decades. Over those 25 years, we’ve learned some things and taken a few notes on the good, bad, and ugly of company store relationships and the system infrastructures needed to keep those stores running smoothly. If you’re looking to partner with a company store provider, read on for five important areas to consider before signing on that electronic dotted line.

1

Is the store built and supported by the company offering the solution you’re considering?

Simply put, if the store isn’t built and supported by the company you’re partnering with, your provider may have no control over when issues get fixed or upgrades to your store happen. This could prove troublesome if something unexpectedly breaks on your site or an upgrade happens during your store’s busy time of day. Along the same lines, be wary of franchises. In some instances, their primary focus may be to grow their network, and they may have little knowledge or ability to provide actual support for the online solutions they sell.

2

Can the solution fit into your existing business processes and be customized to address your organization’s specific needs?

In order to get the maximum benefit out of your online procurement system, it’s important to find a partner who can grasp a full understanding of your needs and translate those needs into specific functionality for your unique situation and challenges. Many third-party solutions either do not offer custom functionality or charge more for development related to customization.

It’s also important to understand how easy or difficult integrations will be with the solution you’re considering and your current systems. In the age of virtual events and less face-to-face interaction with clients, we see teams leveraging branded gear within their campaigns, using swag as a follow-up gift after a meeting or as a thank you for coming on board. In these situations, choosing a provider who has experience integrating with third-party CRMs can offer even more efficiencies by eliminating the need for your team to manually input client information into a second system as they usher leads through the funnel. Similarly, PunchOut integrations with a procurement system can add value to existing systems without disrupting current processes. After all, what’s the point of bringing on a new solution if it can’t talk to your existing systems and offer a smooth experience for your team?

3

How does the provider handle distribution and shipping?

If the solution you need involves inventory, there are some things you should ask to clarify:

    • When one of your employees wants to order off the store, do they know exactly when that product will ship? Do they have a choice of where the product will ship?
    • Where is inventory stored?
    • What controls are in place to ensure the correct product is shipped out?

When it comes to handling inventory and distribution, the ideal solution provides accurate information on the front end, with established production and back office processes in place to ensure products are decorated correctly, picked correctly, and shipped correctly. Gaining a full understanding of these idiosyncrasies in the beginning will save you time and headaches in the long run.

4

Is the system mobile-friendly?

Although the tide is slowing changing, most B2B interactions are still done by computer. Even though this is the case, mobile-friendly systems allow your users to order product on the spot, quickly get answers, or check the status of an order without having to walk back to an office or open a laptop. Systems that are built first with mobile in mind give all users the experience they deserve (and have become accustomed to in their personal lives), no matter what device they use.

5

How expandable is the solution? Can it grow with your business?

We often find that once we have built a system for a client that focuses on the procurement of branded apparel, print, promotional items, or other marketing products; over time that client finds other ways that they’d like to use that solution within their company’s processes to create even more efficiencies. Streamlining an employee anniversary program or managing events through their existing systems are common examples we see. It’s important to keep in mind that template driven, third-party systems typically do not allow for that type of expandability.

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The bottom line.

From bug fixes and upgrades to integration into your existing systems and adaptability for your future needs, we believe in partnering with a provider that can provide scalable and ever-evolving technology solutions. Research diligently, ask hard questions, and don’t be afraid to challenge your potential partners in order to find the solution that works best for your organization. You’ll be glad you did.