Boosted retail store margin by 3.2% across 7 locations in the Midlands
Cleaned and connected point-of-sale databases to identify and eliminate slow-moving stock lines that were draining holding cash.
We helped Midland Spares & Logistics connect seven local auto parts shops in the Midlands to track their actual stock costs. By fixing their database sync issues, they stopped ordering parts that sit on shelves for six months. This work added exactly 3.2% to their overall gross margin.
The challenge
Midland Spares & Logistics operates seven physical retail branches across Dudley, Coventry, and Wolverhampton. They had a major cash-flow problem in May 2024 because their stock holding costs crawled up by £14,300 per month. The branches ran independent point-of-sale systems that only synced data back to the central hub once a week on Sunday nights. This delay meant the purchasing manager in West Bromwich was ordering brake pads and oil filters that were already gathering dust in Dudley. Over 18% of their stock remained unsold for more than 120 days. Branch managers were also manually discounting slow-moving stock by up to 35% without telling the central office, which ate their profit margin.
Our approach
Our team of three consultants—including an database engineer and an inventory analyst—started by auditing the raw database schemas on their local servers. We do not do fancy slides. We configure software that works. We spent four days at the Coventry branch tracking how transactions recorded at the till. We discovered that their legacy SQL database had 417 duplicate part entries, causing incorrect inventory counts. Instead of telling them to buy expensive new ERP software, we wrote Python scripts to clean the existing data overnight. We established a local synchronization pipeline using lightweight API calls. (By the way, we did this during their off-peak hours from 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM to avoid interrupting daily trade.)
The solution
We delivered a live dashboard that syncs inventory data across all seven branches every 15 minutes instead of once a week. We configured Postgres databases at each shop floor to push sales figures to a central dashboard built on Metabase. The dashboard automatically flags stock lines that have not had a single sale in 45 days. We also set up automated procurement rules. Now, when a branch in Wolverhampton sells a starter motor, the system checks if Coventry has an excess unit before letting the West Bromwich office buy a new one from external suppliers. This simple rule reduced duplicate purchase orders by 27% in the first month.
Results
The project finished in September 2024 and achieved a measurable impact. Midland Spares & Logistics reduced their average stock holding period from 64 days down to 43 days, which freed up £31,200 in operating cash. Their overall gross margin across all locations increased by exactly 3.2%.
Timeline
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June 2024Database audit at Coventry and Dudley stores to map inventory schemas
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July 2024Data cleaning phase removing 417 duplicate part records from the SQL system
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August 2024Deployment of Postgres database sync pipeline and Metabase dashboard
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September 2024Staff training on inventory rules and final handover of procurement system
"We spent years guessing what parts were selling where. Ordinary Industries connected our tills in three months. The cash we saved on duplicate stock more than covered their project fee."