‘Sendcloud is the perfect way to connect our online shop with carriers.’
Kerstin Wacker | Logistics Manager at Sternglas
Sternglas has made a name for its no-nonsense urban watch designs. In this Success Story, we take a look at how Sternglas came to life, what challenges this young company’s online business has faced, and how Sendcloud helped to optimise their shipping process.
Tell us about how Sternglas was founded and how it has developed as a company.
To quote Louis Sullivan, ‘Form follows function.’ That was one of the basic ideas behind the Bauhaus movement and it’s also been a philosophy that we live by at Sternglas. That’s why the main priorities behind our designs are functionality and sustainable, durable materials.
We create straightforward wristwatch designs that are affordable for everyone and that everyone can feel good about wearing. Lots of people are tired of the global brands and their artificial, elitist image. That’s why they embrace our down-to-earth approach. We are the alternative to the hip designer brands. Instead of shutting people out, Sternglas is about inclusivity.
Our company was founded in the winter of 2016. Our founder and CEO, Dusting Fontaine, launched our first model at that time with the help of a Kickstarter campaign. The response was really overwhelming. And the rest is history. We released an automatic version of our first model soon after that. And then four more models by October 2018, including one women’s model. Our brand continues to evolve its designs to match the times.
We’ve also established our own logistics department. Today, there are 15 people working for the company in all different areas. Part of the reason we’ve been able to grow so fast has been our highly skilled team and the synergy that exists between us. We have a passion and an ambition for developing new models and optimising our processes, so we can continue to offer our customers the brand experience that they expect from us.
‘Using Sendcloud to build our own logistics department gave us back control of the shipping process while also boosting customer satisfaction.’
What are some of the biggest challenges your shop has faced?
One of our biggest challenges was handling shipping using an external service provider. We are extremely flexible and always try to give our customers everything they ask for, while also adjusting to fluctuations in demand. Our external partner didn’t fully meet our needs, so we decided to set up our own internal logistics department instead.
It was a big step for us as a company, and it paid off. Our customer satisfaction has significantly improved since then, and we feel we have control over our shipping process.
‘The user interface is so intuitive that you can learn how to use it in no time.’
Sternglas ❤ Sendcloud
Sendcloud was the right tool for building our own logistics department from the ground up and really streamlining our shipping process. Before we started working with Sendcloud, we were outsourcing our logistics. The user interface is so intuitive that you can learn how to use it in no time. Now, we have total control over our own shipping. And that enables us to act more flexibly and provide a better customer experience. It’s also saved us loads of time, and, of course, time is money!
Advantages
- Shipping without errors
- Saving money
- Saving at least one hour per day
- Making our shop more professional
‘Sendcloud has completely streamlined our shipping process. It also saved us loads of time, and, of course, time is money!’
Tell us about your shipping process using Sendcloud.
Every morning between 9 and 10, we check the orders using Sendcloud to make sure everything is complete. If there’s any shipping information missing, such as a house number, the customer is contacted. For shipments to countries outside the EU, we need special customs information, which we can very easily enter ourselves in Sendcloud.
After we’ve printed out the picking list, all the parcels are packed according to the plan. Depending on the country, we can easily switch between carriers and choose the one that’s best for us. If there’s still time, we even process a few additional orders that may have come in during the day. It’s really easy, thanks to the Pack & Go features of Sendcloud. Afterwards, the pick-up takes place in the afternoon.
Does the e-commerce peak period (November-December) have a big impact on your shipping process?
Absolutely. Wristwatches make a perfect Christmas gift. So, we always have quite a high volume of incoming orders during the holiday season. Sendcloud helps us get through the work more quickly, so we can handle the higher volume and keep our customers happy.
