Sweet Squared Increased Warehouse Efficiency by 50% with Descartes Peoplevox

Sweet Squared is a professional beauty distributor supplying products to salons and consumers. What started as a small business operating from garages has grown into a company with more than 100 employees and a custom-built warehouse in Leeds. 

As the business expanded, paper-based warehouse processes became increasingly difficult to manage. To improve warehouse efficiency, maintain inventory accuracy, and prepare the warehouse for higher order volumes, Sweet Squared implemented Descartes Peoplevox™. 

"By replacing our paper-based picking methods with Peoplevox, we increased efficiency by at least 50%."

- Shaun McCollum, Head of Operations, Sweet Squared

Before implementing Descartes Peoplevox, Sweet Squared relied on paper pick lists to fulfill orders. The process was sufficient for a smaller operation but became harder to manage as order volumes increased. Picking took longer, required more manual work, and created more opportunities for errors. 

When the company moved into its purpose-built warehouse, the team recognized that those manual processes would no longer support future growth. Ease of use was another key requirement, as they wanted a warehouse management system that new employees could learn quickly. 

"Peoplevox was very user-friendly," recalls Shaun McCollum, Head of Operations. "It was easy to train new people and get them up to speed." 

After implementing Descartes Peoplevox, Sweet Squared replaced paper-based picking with barcode-driven workflows. Warehouse operatives follow optimized picking routes, and every item is verified through barcode scanning before it is picked. This helps ensure the correct item is picked and supports accurate inventory records. 

"The biggest improvements have been efficiency, picking speed, and accuracy," says McCollum. "Peoplevox makes sure the operative scans and picks the right item, which also helps keep our stock records accurate." 

Expanding into the consumer market brought higher order volumes and greater operational complexity. Peoplevox gave the team one place to manage warehouse operations and keep work moving efficiently. “Peoplevox has allowed us to grow into new markets and channels,” explains Martin Rogers, Director of IT. “Since expanding into the consumer market, order volumes have risen from around 300 to as many as 1,000 a day.” 

Peoplevox also helps the team manage seasonal peaks. Real-time reporting gives managers visibility into warehouse activity so they can adjust staffing levels and respond to changes in demand while maintaining service levels."Peoplevox allows us to accommodate seasonal peaks and manage our capacity and workforce while maintaining service delivery," says Rogers. 

Peoplevox gives Sweet Squared the reporting needed to monitor warehouse performance and make day-to-day operational decisions. “We can track every transaction in the warehouse and report right down to operative level,” says McCollum. “We can also see which products are picked most often and move them to better locations.” 

Peoplevox also integrates with Sweet Squared's ERP, dispatch software, and other business applications, giving the team the reporting and operational insight needed to support day-to-day warehouse management. 

Replacing paper-based picking with Descartes Peoplevox increased warehouse efficiency by at least 50%.

Sweet Squared increased daily order volumes from around 300 to as many as 1,000 after expanding into the consumer market.

The warehouse team can manage seasonal peaks while continuing to provide next-day service for salon customers.

Reporting and analytics help managers monitor warehouse performance and optimize stock placement.