Coping with COVID-19: Remote Work and Team Collaboration in the Face of Market Disruption

CAMPBELL, Calif., March 18, 2020 – Responding to the disruptions faced during the COVID-19 outbreak and requests from the market, Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) market leader Centric Software® announces the launch of a new series of quick-start, online collaboration packages designed to get brands, retailers and manufacturers working remotely in only a few days.  Centric Software provides the most innovative enterprise solutions to fashion, retail, footwear, outdoor, luxury and consumer goods companies to achieve strategic and operational digital transformation goals.

Leveraging a combination of market-driven, technology innovations and industry best practices, brands, retailers and manufacturers can collaborate closely, continuing business-critical operations such as sample reviews, design reviews, buying and go-to-market meetings and more – all remotely. Adopting technology and best-practices also future-proof organizations while cutting time-to-market and streamlining costs.

Three Centric 8 PLM^TM Quick Start Collaboration Packages are now available.  Each is deployed in days, not weeks or months.

“Our customers are looking for ways to stay operational while respecting health guidelines on social distancing, remote working and travel,” says Ron Watson, VP of Product at Centric Software. “In response, we have created packages that enable remote work for sample reviews, vendor collaboration and buying sessions. These can be implemented in days so that businesses can be agile and proactive, gain critical oversight and alter strategies quickly.”

Each of the three packages was conceived for a different stage in a company’s digital journey:

• For those new or unaccustomed to remote collaboration and digital work, a Sample and Quote Package digitalizes both physical and 3D materials, product sample reviews and vendor quote management. Leveraging innovations like cloud-based technologies, easy to use mobile apps and/or industry-leading 3D solutions as well as industry best-practices like guidance on holding online product reviews, taking photos, etc., companies can take first steps into remote group collaboration.
• For companies with Centric PLM but who are not yet fully collaborating with vendors remotely, a second Vendor Collaboration Package gets them up and running with industry-specific innovations for co-design, sample reviews, RFQ management, evaluation and assortment building.
• If challenged by holding online buying, Centric’s digital board solution, Centric Visual Innovation Platform (CVIP), can be rapidly deployed using out-of-the-box configurations whether or not a company already has a PLM solution in place. With the Buying Session Package, develop global, regional and store assortments, get regional feedback, finalize product quantity commitments and more in a highly visual and fully digitalized manner regardless of where teams are based.

“Most of our employees are still working from home,” says Fanny Fan, from the merchandising department of Chinese fashion brand MAXRIENY. “Centric PLM greatly supports the normal operation of our business, and product development work has not been interrupted. Members of all departments can enter, view and share information online at any time using up-to-date data resources to ensure efficient collaboration. Our R&D teams can follow the progress of all samples in real time.”

Zoe Wang, a designer at Chinese womenswear brand GLORIA, says, “Fortunately, our design department has Centric PLM, so we can work at home. Unlike other systems that can only be operated on the company premises, we can easily log into Centric PLM online to check and update development progress anytime, anywhere. The color and material libraries enable us to understand the characteristics of colors, fabrics and accessories without physical objects. Because PLM contains detailed, up-to-date images and data, we can design, match and combine products without using physical samples.”

Centric Quick Start Collaboration Packages are available now from Centric Software, and the Centric team is ready to respond to the emerging challenges of existing and new customers as market disruptions unfold.

“External influences make the marketplace increasingly unpredictable,” says Chris Groves, President and CEO of Centric Software. “Our new packages have been developed in response to requests from our customers to be hyper-responsive to change. Our team will get customers up and running quickly on an easy-to-use, ‘single actionable source of the truth’ digital platform that has been developed specifically to facilitate remote meetings and digital work. We are prepared to help our customers be ready to meet new challenges in the weeks, months and years ahead.”

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Centric Software (centric-staging.com)

From its headquarters in Silicon Valley, Centric Software provides a Digital Transformation Platform for the most prestigious names in fashion, retail, footwear, luxury, outdoor and consumer goods. Centric’s flagship Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) platform, Centric 8, delivers enterprise-class merchandise planning, product development, sourcing, quality and collection management functionality tailored for fast-moving consumer industries. Centric SMB provides innovative PLM technology and key industry learnings for emerging brands. Centric Visual Innovation Platform (VIP) offers a new fully visual and digital experience for collaboration and decision-making and includes the Centric Buying Board to transform internal buying sessions and maximize retail value and the Centric Concept Board for driving creativity and evolving product concepts. All Centric innovations shorten time to market, boost product innovation and reduce costs.

Centric Software is majority-owned by Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), the world leader in 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and PLM solutions.

Centric Software has received multiple industry awards and recognition, including being named by Red Herring to its Top 100 Global list in 2013, 2015 and 2016. Centric also received various excellence awards from Frost & Sullivan in 2012, 2016 and 2018.

Centric Software is a registered trademark of Centric Software Inc. All other brands and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.