Making the Brand
Reflect, maker of customizable beauty products and an arm of Procter & Gamble, started a business in 1999 based on an idea unexplored by the beauty manufacturers before it -- if every woman is an individual, then how can she be satisfied with products that are not made uniquely for her? By keeping this idea top-of-mind, Reflect carved out a strong niche for itself in an otherwise highly competitive market by being the first to offer womankind the luxury of made-to-order, one-of-a-kind beauty products.
Four years later, Reflect's creative, innovative and successful products and its ability to leverage customer demand through Optum technology earned it the Product Innovation Award at the 2003 Consumer Goods Technology Conference.
Customization is Key
With the evolution of Internet technology, Reflect patented a revolutionary customization process that allows women to communicate their beauty preferences to Reflect regarding color cosmetics, skincare, haircare or fragrances.
Each individual product begins with an electronic consultation to better understand both a customer's beauty and personal needs. Based upon a customer's answers to questions posed by beauty experts and research scientists, Reflect can create a one-of-a-kind product formula. When the customer is finished creating her formula, Reflect allows her to personalize finishing touches such as the product's texture, fragrance and packaging. She can even name the products she creates.
Personalizing Production
Reflect commits itself to customer service, promising delivery of customized products within 10 days of order placement. Most online retailers have distribution centers stocked with products ready to be shipped as orders are placed. But because Reflect is a made-to-order beauty product company, each time an order is placed, a new product must be created to meet that customer's unique specifications. Once an order is placed, Reflect must execute a three-part supply-chain process: Manufacturing the product, personalizing the order and delivering it within a specified timeframe.
Reflect mastered the personalization of products with a homegrown "neural network" that uses interactive media to create each unique product at its manufacturing facility in Port Jervis, New York. This neural network gathers data from the customer and tells manufacturing what and how much to make of a particular product.
According to Reflect COO Alex Zelikovsky, formerly the director of logistics for Amazon.com, Reflect's processes and systems make it possible to carry out up to 30 product changeovers in a single seven-and-a-half-hour shift on a single line. Zelikovsky says that as little as two product changes would be one too many for other beauty care companies.
"I have been able to systemize and create a production process that emulates a mass-production line -- but on a customized basis," he says.
Although the manufacturing process occurs on flexible production lines, custom labeling and packaging is done at Reflect's Distribution Center in West Chester, Ohio. As popularity grew and order volumes increased, the company soon realized that a warehouse management system (WMS) was needed to enhance and automate its distribution center's operations and to provide a higher level of customer service.
Adapting to Growing Demand
In May 2001, Reflect upgraded to a larger distribution center to meet its growing demand. Not long after the move, Reflect selected Optum's MOVE WMS solution citing reasons such as the solution's strength in knitting, a clean and straightforward process, excellent customer references and a 20-year history in supply chain management.
MOVE WMS was integrated with Reflect's proprietary order management system to send order information from Reflect.com to MOVE WMS for customization at the distribution center.
MOVE WMS also supervises Reflect's inventory flow to maximize inventory and order accuracy, storage efficiency and labor productivity. Since implementing MOVE WMS, Reflect has experienced faster fulfillment, almost always meeting its 10-day delivery commitment. "It's worked -- we're meeting our deadlines 99.9 percent of the time," says Zelikovsky.
Not only has Reflect increased on-time order fulfillment, but productivity also improved since introducing MOVE WMS to its supply chain. MOVE WMS keeps track of all the tiny details that ensure quality customer service -- making sure that Suzanne's Soothing Shampoo label does not get attached to Victoria's Velvety Lotion bottle.
"Using MOVE has only been a positive experience for Reflect," says Zelikovsky. "We're much more efficient than ever before."