Working in partnership, PMC and Star Micronics have provided Crew Clothing Company with a complete mobile solution that has allowed the retailer to markedly improve its retail technical proposition and customer experience offering.
Crew Clothing Company initially required a new means of serving customers at pop-up stores, driven by the growing popularity of this type of outlet during the pandemic. Today, PMC’s Graphene solution is the unified commerce platform handling Crew Clothing online orders and transactions at all 106 retail stores. Graphene is the core, modular component of Crew Clothing Technology architecture, integrating other composable solutions to deliver the full instore and online solution.
The approach was to deploy a retail development platform and modern development capability to transform the retailer’s in-store IT infrastructure. The solution design and integration allow employees of any technical level to use the solution with minimal training. From the initial pop-up stores to the full retail estate, the Graphene platform scalability has enabled rapid deployment with the first solution delivered within 10 weeks of conception and expanded to 100 stores within a month.
For omnichannel commerce, the mobile solution provided by PMC’s Graphene platform ensures an equally reliable offline experience, from real-time updates to transactions, order management and other critical tasks which can be constantly synced between user devices and the Graphene platform. Proactive monitoring and alerting functions ensure performance SLAs are tracked and met, while integrations with payment providers, hardware and additional applications ensure an efficient user experience.
PMC partnered with Star Micronics to provide the required hardware which resulted in the Star mC-Print3 series being selected for its innovative design alongside seamless integration and connectivity, making it ideal for a range of tablet and Cloud POS applications. Having successfully deployed the mC-Print31LB for a number of years, Crew Clothing is planning to move to the mC-Print31CBI with a view to also rolling out this printer to other brands including Saltrock. As one of the latest models in the mC-Print3 series, the mC-Print31CBI has been designed to provide enhanced features and functionality as well as superior connectivity to meet the evolving demands of retail.
As Richard Surman, Head of IT at Crew Clothing Company, explains: “We required a printer with both Bluetooth and network connectivity to enable us to connect different devices and use the printers as seamlessly as possible. Our setup allows us to move equipment around with ease and swap over without the need for engineers should we experience any faults. We have been entirely satisfied with the performance and functionality of the Star mC-Print31LB and look forward to rolling out the mC-Print31CBI. Customers are able to obtain their receipts quickly, enabling the checkout journey to be as seamless as possible.”
In addition to Star’s Ultra-C (Power Delivery) USB-C interface which supports iOS, Android and Windows devices for tablet POS connectivity, the mC-Print31CBI also features Ethernet LAN, USB-A hub, integral Bluetooth connectivity and optional WLAN. Moreover, Star’s SteadyLAN™ technology offers stable network tethering to iOS, Android and Windows mobile devices when connected via USB to Star printers that also have access to a network connection, either via wired Ethernet or the MCW-10 WiFi Adapter.
For Cloud POS applications Star’s next generation CloudPRNT™ technology, which is also suitable for local POS with instant printing, is included as standard for fast reliable online ordering and omnichannel environments, whilst offering support for the latest progressive web applications.
Printing at up to a rapid 400mm per second, the mC-Print31CBI can handle high volume transactions while flat receipts are ensured thanks to Star’s print flat technology. The printer also includes a paper near end sensor and Star’s unique cash drawer connection sensing feature. This allows the printer to distinguish an open drawer or one which is completely disconnected, enhancing security. The information can be reported directly to a locally controlling application or via the cloud.
With a continued focus on sustainability and in line with Star’s entire mCollection™ range, the mC-Print31CBI offers paper-saving features including reduced top margin and supports the latest environmentally friendly media. Moreover, the printer is packaged in compact, recyclable packaging with no single use plastics.
Elliott Winskill, Technology and Solutions Director at PMC, concludes: “Graphene uniquely combines physical and digital capabilities to create next generation propositions using unified commerce and retail orchestration. It is easily integrated with market specialist tools and the client’s own in-house capabilities to enable value delivery of new experiences in the most cost optimised manner. Partnering with POS solutions provider Star Micronics has allowed PMC to offer Crew Clothing a complete mobile solution. Having experienced the exceptional functionality and reliability associated with Star printers over a number of years, PMC is able to provide hardware in the knowledge the client is receiving a complete mobile solution that is second to none.”
