Local software goes global

The iSyncSolutions team, who developed the apparel ERP and PLM software system Sync, has known for a while that their product is world class, having won tenders for big South African retailers over international competitors. Now firmly established as the market leader for apparel software in South Africa, Sync will fly to new heights this year with expansion into the USA.

Terry Gormley and Peter Booysen of iSyncSolutions have just returned from Las Vegas, where they exhibited at Magic Market Week, the world's largest apparel trade show. Magic Market Week is the most comprehensive global market for contemporary fashion and apparel sourcing. Each February and August, Magic Market Week unites the largest influential network of buyers, brands, media and decision-makers in Las Vegas at conveniently merchandised show areas.

"What we have seen in the US is a number of older systems that have been around for two to three decades and have not improved much from when they were first developed," says Booysen. Compare this to Sync, which has added 10 new modules within the last two-and-a-half years alone. The IT industry has reinvented itself over the last three years with a huge change in the way people deal with information on a daily basis, which puts more focus and importance on having an agile development capability to be able to keep up with continually changing technology. Sync's highly skilled team works daily on developing and enhancing the system to ensure it remains the best possible solution for apparel businesses."

From an affordability perspective, Sync is significantly better priced than international competitors, while offering up to five times more features and modules than other systems. This converts into a much shorter return on investment (ROI) and better value for money.

Sync is forging ahead of international competition with cutting-edge software that delivers visibility into the supply chain, specifically product life cycle management (PLM). "We have recently expanded Sync to include Web-based modules for areas of the application where users require a mobile experience and where external suppliers need to provide updates. This has been piloted by the introduction of a Web-based QA module, Task Module and Vendor Portal. The QA module allows offsite users and suppliers to capture garment Quality Audit submissions, thereby improving efficiency in the QA process, reducing lead times and improving communication. The Web-based task module allows users to provide valuable order updates while they are out of the office and also links suppliers to the critical path module." The improvement in visibility in the supply chain is something that has underpinned massive improvements in performance and growth, which has been proven by brands such as the phenomenally successful fast-fashion retailer Zara.

Watch this space as our proudly South African ERP and PLM system does South Africa proud in the international market.