Big-ticket retailers attending this year’s highly anticipated January Furniture Show (21– 24th Jan 2024), are being offered expert advice with the company that’s helped Tapi Carpets become a 160-store, 800-staff operation in just seven years.
Business solution experts Sci-Net were brought in to help Tapi with its IT infrastructure when it launched its first store in April 2015. Since then, the Tier-1 Microsoft Gold Partner, has become a critical extension to the company’s lean head office team – seamlessly integrating backend technologies that improve efficiencies, reduce staff admin and keep customers front and centre, thanks to improved automation and communications. 
Tapi Carpets’ Chief Information Officer Jason Turner describes the results of the partnership with Sci-Net as ‘outstanding,’ allowing it to up-scale steadily and setting up a customised Dynamics NAV cloud-based system within months, that potentially saved hundreds of thousands of pounds in infrastructure costs.
Working closely with Sci-Net, last year Tapi also introduced a flooring measuring solution and automated tool for its 150-strong workforce of home consultants – allowing them to provide professional quotes, estimates and updates while with customers, at the tap of a button fully integrated into the Dynamics 365 Business Central ERP system.
“Time is precious,” says Jason, “so we collaborated on how we could refine our processes and welcomed an estimating tool that pulls measurements into our system and automates quotes. Using it improves the customer experience, which is incredibly important to us, but it also saves a significant amount of time. We calculated savings of around 4,500 hours of admin in 40 days.
“The system we have now, managed by Sci-Net, means we have visibility of our business with accurate reporting in real time. It is suited to every aspect of our business, from estimating, sales, supply chain, inventory management and website integrations, right through to in-store operations.” 
During the four-day Birmingham NEC show. Sci-Net’s team, who have proven expertise within the furniture sector, will be on hand to give honest and practical advice that can support businesses facing challenges and opportunities relating to everything from supply chain management, stock management, the customer journey, self-service customer portal, payment and delivery management through to after sales care.  
Managing director, Duncan Fergusson, explains: “The current retail landscape has altered significantly and issues relating to supply chain, staffing, logistics and rising costs mean retailers need improved oversight of their operations if they are to weather this period. Through our free health checks, we aim to share our insight with those business leaders who need it the most – getting them on track to where they want to be in 2024 and beyond.”  
As well as its business one-to-ones, Sci-net will also be demonstrating its proprietary platform, ERP Retail, to visitors to its stand, hall A stand 214. The ERP (enterprise resource planning) solution is built around Microsoft’s world-leading platform, Dynamics 365 Business Central, and has been tailored for the furniture and flooring sector. It offers retailers, like Tapi, a single solution which replaces often complex business insight and management tools.

The Sci-Net team is looking forward to returning to the January Furniture Show, where we proudly received the 'Superior Service' Award for ERP>Retail last year. Building on this achievement, Sci-Net is excited to introduce ERP Rapid, a new templated approach based on ERP Retail, ensuring a rapid and cost-effective implementation.
We will be on hand on stand 2-A14 
21–24 January 24