West Midlands firms pool their talents on new John Lewis fit-out

TWO West Midlands firms have pooled their talents on a new project fitting out flagship stores for retailer John Lewis.

Redditch-based AMS International, which produces interiors for a number of major retailers, has been appointed to fit out new stores in Leeds and Chelmsford.

The company employs around 200 people around the world, with offices in Singapore, Shanghai and Australia.

The firm not only manufactures in the UK, but also sources and manages products from a variety of low cost economy producers, bringing together all elements under a unique ‘shop in a box’ package.

It has been aided in its work by software supplied by Tamworth-based Crown Workforce Management Systems – the two worked on the fit-out of the john Lewis store in Birmingham’s Grand Central, which has just marked its first anniversary.

Crown was asked to tender for a new workforce management solution at AMS by its then new Head of HR, Scott Murphy, in October 2014. AMS International, which was founded in 1919, was looking to build on its continued global growth and needed a system which could offer a flexible solution.

Mr Murphy said there was a lot of visible data and although there was a computerised system in place, there was excessive data entry and double-handling of input which did not produce any meaningful analysis.

“We had enough data to do what was necessary, such as pay people, but not enough to give us reliable and consistent information to manage our resources effectively,” he said.

When Crown won the contract with AMS, it helped the company transition from one system to another. It built and configured its core Open Options module for time and attendance and business process management. It helped the business map the workforce, its contracts of employment, working times and locations with shift patterns, allowing it to operate more effectively.

David Bacon, head of sales for Crown Workforce Management Systems, said he was delighted that two West Midlands firms that are in the business of developing bespoke solutions were working together.

“AMS International is a great example of a business developing and providing services to meet the exact needs of its customers and in our own way, Crown Workforce Management, does the same,” he said.

In addition to John Lewis, AMS International’s client portfolio includes Marks and Spencer, Debenhams and Tesco.

Its work on the John Lewis store in Birmingham helped the business scoop the contracts for fit-out of the supply of beauty, beauty spa, fashion, home and electronics departments at the retailer’s new stores in Leeds and Chelmsford.
 

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