Being a reliable partner for the retailers also means making the processes as simple as possible. With this in mind, Sport Import has been consistently pushing ahead with digitalisation for years. The distributor from Edewecht relies on customised systems from its own IT department. They see themselves much more flexibly positioned than would be possible with standard solutions.
“Digitalisation is not an end in itself for us. We love and live personal contact with our dealers. However, this does not exclude that we set up our processes digitally and lean – quite the opposite,” says Ralf Fischer, Managing Director of Sport Import GmbH. Through this approach, contact with the specialist dealers is concentrated on professional exchange and advice. Fischer runs the company alongside Alexander and Michael Müllmann and is responsible for accounting, IT, logistics and service.
Having already introduced e-billing last year, paperless shipping is the obvious next step. In addition to eliminating the printing of packing lists, the project has other advantages for the dealer: Every package that leaves the warehouse in Edewecht now receives its own SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code). This can be scanned by the retailer using a QR code and leads directly to the packing list in the B2B shop’s customer account. This way, the recipient can see at a glance which items can be found in which box. Incoming goods at the retailer are thus optimised. In addition, less paper is used and thereby the ecological footprint is reduced.
“Our dealers are very heterogeneous. We always have an open ear and implement our digitalisation projects in a way that makes things easier for everyone,” says Fischer. If, despite the advantages, a partner still needs the packing lists in paper form, this is possible with a click in the settings of the B2B shop. However, the feedback from the trade is very positive: only a fraction of Sport Import’s 3,500 dealers make use of this opt-in.
