“We introduced the DIY retail concept to the UAE in 1999 with our first store in Ajman,” says Mufaddal Murtuza, Executive Director of Speedex Group. “Today, we operate across Al Quoz, Dubai Investment Park, Deira, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, and Abu Dhabi, and we are a leading choice for DIY enthusiasts in the country.”
The group operates through 4 physical retail stores, supported by a dedicated B2B team and a growing eCommerce platform, all aligned to deliver a consistent customer experience.
Business case
Prior to implementing LS Central, Speedex Group operated on a legacy POS system, which presented several operational challenges, particularly in managing promotions, gift cards, and launching a loyalty program.
“Customers are no longer forced to choose between just a couple of options when looking to purchase new goods,” says Murtuza. “Today they have dozens, sometimes even hundreds. They move seamlessly between online and offline experiences, and a company’s success depends on its ability to adapt to these rapid changes.”
To overcome these challenges and better align with evolving customer expectations, the company began evaluating more modern, flexible solutions.
Solution
Speedex Group evaluated multiple local POS and ERP solutions and found LS Central to be the most suitable for their retail operations. “LS Central is well known for retail operations in the UAE and is very user-friendly,” says Murtuza. “Retail operations work very smoothly as compared to other ERP systems.”
The implementation was led by local LS Retail partner LS Infotech, following a structured and methodical approach. “The project began with initial discussions and requirements gathering, followed by the creation of a comprehensive project roadmap,” says Murtuza. “Once the system architecture was designed and customizations were implemented, we went through thorough testing and quality assurance.”
LS Infotech ensured the Speedex teams were fully ready for adoption, conducting training sessions and providing detailed user manuals to staff across all departments. “Thanks to our IT partner’s meticulous checklist and careful preparation, all three stores went live simultaneously, and the transition was seamless,” says Murtuza, adding that post go-live support has remained strong.
Benefits
The implementation of LS Central delivered immediate benefits across Speedex Group’s operations, which include:
- Faster checkout – With streamlined processes at the checkout, customer waiting times have been significantly reduced, and staff can focus more on providing a smooth in-store experience. “The POS system allows for quick and easy transactions, making it simple for cashiers to scan barcodes, apply discounts, and process payments,” says Murtuza. “It also supports various payment methods such as cash and credit or debit cards, ensuring customers have flexible payment options.”
- Seamless online and offline communication – “LS Central is very easy to integrate with other software and services, especially with our eCommerce platform, Magento,” says Murtuza. As a result, customers can transition effortlessly between online and in-store shopping, while inventory and order data remain perfectly synchronized across channels.
- Standardized processes across the business – “The role-based approval system has tightened many loopholes and helped standardize our operations across branches,” says Murtuza. Managers can now monitor operations more efficiently, spot and address issues promptly, and ensure greater accuracy and compliance.
- Personalized customer service – “LS Central allows us more freedom in sales and marketing and enables us to provide better service to our customers,” says Murtuza. “It also helps us tighten our customer and product data, as we are motivated to make full use of the extensive functionality.” By managing all customers centrally, Speedex can run customer-specific pricing and offers while maintaining clean, consistent customer data across all channels.
- Flexible invoicing – LS Central enables the generation of tax invoices for POS transactions in the company’s A4 invoice format alongside standard POS bills, supporting both operational efficiency and compliance.
The company has also achieved notable operational metrics:
- Average checkout time has dropped by 30%, delivering a faster and smoother customer experience.
- POS downtime has been reduced to zero thanks to LS Central’s offline capability within the hybrid SaaS setup. Previously, the system required a constant internet connection, but stores can now operate offline while data synchronizes seamlessly once connectivity is restored, ensuring uninterrupted operations.
In the near future, Speedex plans to roll out the loyalty and LS Pay modules in LS Central to further strengthen customer engagement and offer greater payment flexibility.
