Restoration Hardware 2012 Annual Report Download - page 73

and fulfillment operations allow us to manage customer orders and distribute merchandise to stores and
customers in an efficient and cost-effective manner. We also believe that these upgrades have improved customer
satisfaction by reducing delivery times, reducing damage to merchandise and improving the customer’s overall
buying experience.
We intend to continue to strengthen our supply chain operations through a number of key initiatives in 2013
designed to improve our fulfillment and delivery logistics performance and achieve greater efficiencies in the
management of our inventories.
Management and Information Technology
We use industry-standard information technology systems to provide customer service, business process
support, and business intelligence across our sales channels. Over the past several years, our technology team has
systematically upgraded several of our core systems, including:
• Implementing new order management and warehouse management systems to improve efficiencies,
accuracy and service levels;
• Implementing a platform upgrade to our e-commerce and search software products in support of our
marketing strategy and customer ordering preferences;
• Installing new web-based store systems, including in-store iPads, with associated ordering tools, in all
of our stores to support secure, in-store purchasing;
• Deploying a new business intelligence and data warehouse system that equips management with more
timely analysis of the current business trends, results, and comparisons to our historical performance;
and
• Delivering a variety of supply chain enhancements to several key software systems that increase the
efficiencies of operations, and enable our associates to deliver quality services.
We believe these substantial upgrades to our information technology systems provide management with the
ability to drive ongoing improvement in our operating model, focus on efficiency opportunities, and increase
management control. New access to results through our technology tools also equips management to more timely
identify, analyze and respond to business trends.
Over the next several years, we intend to further enhance our IT infrastructure to support our growth. Key
initiatives include:
• Further upgrading our multi-channel ordering, supply chain and inventory management systems to
maximize operating efficiencies;
• Enhancing our in-store, web and mobile commerce capabilities with state-of-the art technology to
optimize the customer shopping experience; and
• Continuing our expansion of business intelligence capabilities and data warehouse management to
optimize information for timely decision making.
We are committed to a high level of integration in technology across our business. We believe our approach to
technology demonstrates an appropriate balance of strategic planning and innovation to support both today’s
business and tomorrow’s growth.
17
Form 10-K