Cloud-based software specialist for furniture and bed retailers, RetailSystem, has announced the appointment of Des Dickinson as head of New Business Development at RetailSystem South Africa.
Tasked to firmly establish and grow the RetailSystem brand in South Africa, Des brings with her an abundance of industry experience, which includes previously running Reclineronline, a furniture retailer in the country.
Commenting on her new role, Des said: “I come from a strong sales and customer experience background but as the Head of Operations at Reclineronline I gained a more holistic view of the business landscape, specifically with regard to the challenges faced by business owners and managers in having a view of, and control of all facets of the business.
“I joined RetailSystem in early April and, while still finding my feet, the support from the team in the UK is fantastic and I look forward to helping other furniture retailers here in South Africa. Although I have an entrepreneurial heart, I love to work in a team environment, and I love making a difference in people’s lives. This opportunity allows me to do all those things.”
Des added that using her knowledge of the market and being a former customer of RetailSystem, this will help solidify their position in the market, while offering retailers direct and inside-industry experience.
“When I was at Reclineronline, we started by having an online presence only, but quickly evolved to a hybrid model with brick-and-mortar stores. As we grew it became evident that it was becoming almost impossible to manage our processes on excel spreadsheets and it was time to find a system to manage everything in one place.
“We searched high and low for the right solution and RetailSystem literally changed our business. The end-to-end solution set us up for sustainable growth and enabled us to manage everything from the sales floor, warehouse, stock management and sales analysis.
“And we hadn’t even discovered WebSystem, FurnitureBooks, TicketMargin or any of the other solutions yet. When the opportunity to work at RetailSystem presented itself, I embraced it whole-heartedly, eager to contribute to a company that had already proven its value.”
Now in the role, Des has outlined a number of targets with the main aim to build on the company’s ongoing growth. “My goal for South Africa is to establish RetailSystem as the premier retail software provider for furniture and mattress businesses, known for its reliability and comprehensive solutions.
“I envision a future where a dedicated team of RetailSystem specialists in South Africa supports and drives innovation in this challenging yet dynamic market. Ultimately, our aim is to become the trusted go-to partner for furniture and mattress retailers.”
Commenting on her appointment, Robin Sutherland, Global Sales Director at RetailSystem, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Des to the team here at RetailSystem. This appointment will strengthen our presence in South Africa as we continue to grow across the world.”
