Expanding department store group T J Hughes switches to Futura

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Expanding discount department store group T J Hughes, which specialises in premium brands and quality products at low prices, has replaced its legacy retail systems with the popular Futura EPOS and retail management solution to modernise systems and optimise performance as the group expands.

With some 900 staff and 17 stores across the UK, the Liverpool-based retailer, a much-loved Merseyside institution, added three stores towards the end of 2015 and will continue its expansion this year. New store openings are already planned from June onwards in St Helens on Merseyside and Maidstone in Kent, with others to follow.

Futura has been deployed in store across some 190 tills and with 25 users at head-office to provide a robust and modern retail environment, capable of supporting the company's omni-channel business model. With some 35,000 SKUs Futura software is also managing stock for T J Hughes online - www.tjhughes.co.uk - and providing the integration to the company's existing e-commerce provider and to the Peoplevox warehouse platform.

Managing Director Anil Juneja who managed the acquisition of T J Hughes in 2011 commented: "Switching to Futura has enabled us to remove ageing systems from the business and to simplify our systems architecture to better support and optimise core business functions. It also means we can reduce unpredictable support costs for legacy systems and at the same time introduce new functionality both internally and customer facing, to help drive performance. Support systems using Futura are already far more responsive and issues if we have them are resolved much faster. It's also gratifying to see no hidden project costs with a partner like Futura."

With departments covering home and garden, fashion and footwear, fragrance and cosmetics, as well as technology and electricals, T J Hughes is now starting to see improvements across the business from the point of sale to back office functions. Web integration, merchandising, inventory control and business intelligence to inform accurate decision making, are all key.

A further benefit is improved flexibility and agility to respond more rapidly to changing market conditions and customer expectations. The team for example is already planning to implement Click and Collect using Futura's Web Services API as well as modules covering Loyalty points and Gift Cards.

Tina Royall, marketing director at Futura Retail Solutions said: "T J Hughes joins a growing number of department store and lifestyle retailers who rely on Futura as the retail technology backbone of their business. We are delighted to be working with managing director Anil Juneja and his team as they grow the business. Rollout to all stores has been completed following an initial pilot plus staff training and they are now looking at Loyalty and about to roll out Futura's giftcard solution."