Founded in 1962, the company now operates over 30 retail locations across the United States.
Business case
To keep up with changing customer needs and drive future growth, Namco Pools set out to modernize its systems and create a smoother connection between online and in-store shopping. At the time, the company relied on a third-party connector to integrate Adobe Commerce (formerly known as Magento), their eCommerce platform, with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. While the setup worked, it was expensive to put in place and came with ongoing maintenance fees that impacted profitability. Over time, it became clear that the system wasn’t built to scale or support long-term growth. Namco Pools began searching for a smarter, more affordable solution that could offer better performance and greater flexibility for the future.
Solution
Namco Pools chose to implement LS Central and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Seizing the opportunity, the company transitioned to a cloud-based model to boost scalability, simplify maintenance, and improve overall system flexibility.
The implementation was led by LS Retail partner Optimus Business Transformation, who ensured a smooth transition to the new system. Their consultants provided comprehensive documentation and training, equipping Namco Pools’ internal teams to manage, support, and scale the solution independently, laying the foundation for long-term success. A key component of the project was the LS Central’s integration with Shopify, which enabled real-time synchronization of orders, inventory, and pricing across both online and in-store channels, delivering a seamless omnichannel experience for customers.
Benefits
The transition to LS Central brought immediate improvements to Namco Pools’ operations. “We saw an immediate return on our investment: within the first week of going live, we generated over $15,000 in online sales,” says Whitney Wachtarz, Lead Engineer at Namco Pools. “It was a clear indication that the new system was working exactly as intended.”
Key benefits the company has seen include:
- Lower operational costs – By replacing their third-party eCommerce connector with the eCommerce for LS Central add-on and transitioning to a SaaS model, Namco Pools significantly reduced IT expenses.
- Real-time data insights – With seamless updates to inventory, pricing, and orders across all sales channels, the company is able to deliver a consistent customer experience both in-store and online.
- Efficient order fulfillment – LS Central automatically pulls orders from Shopify to create customer orders, supporting both shipping and Click & Collect options.
- Enhanced analytics – Thanks to LS Central’s powerful analytics and reporting tools, the company gains real-time insights into financial performance, inventory trends, and promotion effectiveness, empowering smarter decision-making.
- Faster employee onboarding – LS Central’s user-friendly interface reduces technical complexity, speeding up staff training, and minimizing operational disruptions.
- Cloud-based accessibility – The SaaS model enables the company to access software and data from anywhere, ensuring product availability at all times and supporting smooth operations across multiple locations and channels.
- Scalable operations – LS Central’s flexible architecture allows the company to quickly adapt to peak sales, seasonal demand and evolving business requirements without disruption.
By implementing LS Central, Namco Pools streamlined their infrastructure, lowered costs, and achieved more agile, scalable retail management. This transformation has empowered the company to grow with confidence while delivering a seamless, connected experience to customers across all sales channels.
