From its headquarters in Silicon Valley and offices in trend capitals around the world, Centric Software – provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions for retail, apparel, footwear, luxury and consumer goods – has announced the availability of Centric Cloud, a new solution specifically designed for small businesses.
Centric Cloud, a cloud-based PLM solution, helps speed product development, improve costs and increase market responsiveness. Like Centric Software's flagship Centric 8 PLM platform, developed for larger organisations, Centric Cloud packages extended PLM, including mobility and key industry learnings, but focuses on functionality tailored for small business. Centric Cloud is available on a subscription basis or software as a service (SaaS).
Speaking about the announcement, Centric's CEO and president, Chris Groves, says, "Innovation in software and implementation methods has been driven by the needs of large businesses, but the end results—innovative technologies and proven best practices—are universal and adaptable. Inspired by experience gained from more than 100 PLM implementation projects with industry-leading companies, Centric Cloud can be rapidly deployed to bring expert know-how to small businesses, and level the competitive playing field."
Like their larger counterparts, small businesses must carefully manage every aspect of their product design and development process, from merchandising and product presentation to controlling supplier costs, quality and compliance. Without big-company IT resources, these smaller organisations were traditionally forced to use off-the-shelf, cross-industry tools unsuited to the demands of fast-paced industries like fashion and consumer goods.
"In many ways," Groves continues, "the challenges of fashion and retail are most acute at the boutique end of the market, where the fine balance of creativity and coordination counts for everything. Small businesses compete on product, but still lose on process. These companies have had to settle for piecemeal or overly expensive tools to deliver their visions. Centric Cloud was designed to fill that void. It's inspired technology with low barriers to implementation, for the small business with the big dream."
Because Centric Cloud lives on the cloud, projects are always the right size and scalable over the long term. Centric Cloud can be configured remotely, hosted securely off-site, and, with a new ultra-fast implementation, rolled out in as few as 10 working days. With no hardware to purchase and install, upfront costs are reduced. Centric Cloud is designed to grow with companies, whether they make performance wear, footwear, leather goods, tailored apparel, denim, intimates or other fashion goods.
"We're proud of Centric Cloud's ability to elevate even the smallest businesses," Groves says, "For the first time, small businesses have access to inspired, innovative technology that easily spans and includes their critical processes and partners. The boutique brand of today has the potential to become the multinational giant of tomorrow."
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