Lazkam, a wholesaler in the ready-made garments and textile space, was looking for an all-in-one software solution that could consolidate sales, inventory, customer information and accounting within their business. This textile company, with a majority B2B focus, imports and supplies clothing to South African chains and family stores, as well as supplying customers across the border.
The previous software they were using had been discontinued, and the company required a software solution that could scale with their growth, remain adaptable and cloud-based to accommodate their 100 employees who are based in four locations in Gauteng and one in Cape Town.
Recognising the need to upgrade their retail software solution, Managing Director, Zuhayr Tayob, assessed several options on the market, before deciding to implement LS Central, an all-in-one retail software solution by LS Retail.
Why LS Central
Built on the globally-trusted Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central platform, LS Central enables complete control of all business processes – from purchasing to warehousing, distribution, marketing, in-store sales, financials and franchise data – from a single platform.
Initially, the company’s decision to implement LS Central was based on it being an internationally recognised retail solution, which ensured access to extensive feedback and reviews. Knowing the role AI would be playing in the future, Tayob also felt that because LS Central is built on Microsoft technology, it had an edge over some of the competitor products and solutions, given that they had been actively planning for and investing in AI for many years. Another draw card was the familiarity which comes with the Microsoft interface which the company was already familiar with, and the integration possible across its solutions stack.
Partnering with Braintree
Lazkam’s collaboration with leading IT solutions provider and trusted Microsoft Partner, Braintree, was established two years ago, once the initial implementation had started.
Tayob says that since partnering with Braintree, Lazkam has had very few issues. “Maintenance and implementation is something that Braintree does very well,” he says.
In order to minimise risks and ensure a smoother transition, Lazkam chose a staggered approach with their transition to LS Central. Tayob says that while running parallel systems was challenging, it is still an approach he would recommend, providing a layer of security and control during the transition to new software.
“What made this partnership so successful was the investment of time and effort made by Tayob in the migration process, which enabled us to gain an in-depth understanding of the strategic vision underpinning the need for this software upgrade,” says Grant Van der Westhuizen, Sales Manager of Business Applications at Braintree.
2024 was the fifth consecutive year that Braintree has qualified as a LS Retail Diamond Partner, the highest achievement for an LS Retail partner, further entrenching Braintree as an expert in providing digital solutions to the dynamic and highly competitive retail and FMCG sectors across Africa.
Navigating the roadblocks and challenges
As with any digital migration of this nature, even for a small to medium-sized business such as Lazkam, the implementation was not without its challenges. An initial concern was Microsoft’s reputation for implementing changes that can be disruptive. There was also a lack of standardised reporting. Tayob says that while the transition to a new system wasn’t immediate, the move to LS Central soon became seamless.
An integrated suite of tools and till point solutions with LS Retail
Given that Lazkam is predominantly a B2B business with only six till points across its centres, the company did not necessarily need an extensive solution, but ended up adopting the full LS Central package.
Initially, Lazkam had some apprehension about moving their operations fully into the cloud, predominantly because of internet reliability. Tayob says that they have only needed to use their back up data once within the last 18 months, with this cloud-based system enabling a great deal more flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency throughout their operations.
The long-term benefits
“The single coolest thing I have seen on LS Central is that it allows you to filter anything, anyhow, anyway. It is a really important feature that should not be underestimated by any company,” Tayob says.
In terms of an accounting function, a key highlight has been the Dimensions feature within Business Central, which has enabled the business to analyse and report financial data more effectively.
Tayob says that the procurement function of LS Central has been a real game changer. “We used to do procurement manually. Stock was captured as totals and there was no real tracking of assets. There is now a distinguishable benefit”.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central includes a comprehensive selling function that streamlines the sales process for businesses, something that Lazkam will start utilising going forward, along with the implementation of Microsoft’s Power BI reporting and the introduction of Microsoft Copilot.
Tayob’s advice to other businesses looking to implement a system upgrade of this nature is to ensure a full migration. Partial efforts can lead to lost revenue, and limited access to Microsoft’s full range of benefits. “You have to go the whole way, otherwise the software is not giving you anything different from other software,” he says.
Reflecting on the process, Tayob acknowledges that a digital migration can be a lengthy and sometimes challenging journey, but collaborating with the right implementation partner makes all the difference. This type of comprehensive business management solution is beneficial for all companies, even small businesses that do have complexities. “They could easily improve their efficiencies with software like this,” he says.
Although adopting elements of the Microsoft offering such as OneDrive was initially met with resistance, the company now embraces it, with OneDrive and SharePoint being integral to the seamless integration of the Cape Town operation, from a digital, data and management control point of view.
“I think we overstretched but we are happy we made that decision. We went for software that meets our needs and more. Because we know we will grow into it,” Tayob says.
“This was not a decision we were making for one to two years but for 20 to 30 years. And the provider was as important as the software”.
