tasc Case Study

A Couple Sizes Too Small

Prior to implementing RF-SMART, tasc relied on a boutique software system designed for smaller operations, which created operational challenges as the business began to grow in demand. “That software unfortunately could not scale with us,” said Winston Helling, Chief Operating Officer at tasc.

Recognizing the need for a more robust solution, tasc made the strategic decision to transition to NetSuite as their ERP system. With NetSuite, tasc gained the advanced technology needed to support their growth but lost the barcode scanning functionality previously available in their legacy system, forcing them to rely on manual processes for essential warehouse operations. “We were manually pulling orders by paper,” said Winston. “Even though we put in processes to physically double check UPC codes for each transaction, orders were still leaving our distribution center incorrectly. Our team is great, but we knew we had to provide better tools for our mutual success.”

These manual processes created significant operational inefficiencies, including inventory inaccuracies and misshipments that negatively impacted customer satisfaction. It became clear to tasc that they urgently needed a warehouse management system (WMS) to regain control and support their continued growth.

 tasc turned to a native WMS solution that promised to deliver all the capabilities they needed to eliminate their manual processes and restore the scanning functionality they had lost. What should have been a comprehensive solution to their operational challenges quickly turned into a costly setback. “This WMS just never went,” said Winston. “We would go to a bin location and scan it, and it would just think for a minute just to look up the bin location.” 

Finding the Perfect Fit 

Seeking a solution that could restore their scanning capabilities and support their scaling business, tasc turned to RF-SMART WMS, gaining a comprehensive management solution that seamlessly integrated with NetSuite.

Implementing RF-SMART was a smooth and collaborative experience for tasc. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution, the RF-SMART team demonstrated a genuine commitment to understanding tasc’s unique operational requirements. “The RF-SMART team sat down with us and evaluated what we liked and didn’t like about our previous systems,” said Winston. “They helped us configure a solution tailored precisely to our needs, and three years later, we’re still using the same configuration.”

Picking with Style 

One of the biggest challenges tasc hoped to eliminate with RF-SMART WMS was the use of manual processes in their warehouse. Prior to RF-SMART, pickers were using paper-based methods, which were labor-intensive, inefficient, and created significant bottlenecks in their order fulfillment process.

“It would take 5-6 people at least 2 days to get through the backlog of work,” said Winston. Not only did this manual approach consume valuable labor hours, but it led to late shipments, severely impacting customer satisfaction.

With RF-SMART Pick Planner, tasc was able to completely transform their picking process. This advanced functionality introduced intelligent zone-picking and order batching capabilities that streamlined order fulfillment. By analyzing hundreds of orders simultaneously, Pick Planner was able to create optimized pick tasks and paths to maximize efficiency and minimize wasted movement. “RF-SMART will look at all of our online orders that can be picked in one location and put them all on one task,” said Winston.

RF-SMART’s Pick Planner also equipped tasc with sophisticated SKU consolidated capabilities, significantly reducing repetitive picking activities. By combining all orders with the same SKU onto the same task, warehouse workers were now able to fulfill multiple orders during one trip. “If 5 out of 20 totes need the same SKU, the mobile device tells the worker to pick all 5 and specifies which bin to use, minimizing extra steps,” said Winston.

The results of the adoption of Pick Planner were apparent almost immediately after their initial test. “Where it used to take days to process 500 orders, we now do the same in just five hours with fewer staff,” said Winston. tasc dramatically improved picking speed and efficiency, gaining the agility to scale operations without growing labor costs.

Tailoring Shipping for Success

As a premium sustainable apparel brand, tasc recognized that customers investing in their high-quality products expect fast, reliable delivery, making shipping optimization essential to their brand promise. “When you are spending your hard-earned money on our products, you expect that product to arrive quickly,” said Winston.

Before RF-SMART, tasc’s legacy system created unnecessary costs and slowed down delivery times through poor carrier selection. “If a package was going down the street, our system would select second day air even though ground would get it there the next day for half the cost,” said Winston.

RF-SMART Shipping's No-Code Rules Engine changed everything by automatically analyzing delivery zones and selecting the most cost-effective carrier and service that meets customer delivery expectations. “With RF-SMART Shipping, we’re able to apply predefined rules based on destination or custom criteria for carrier selections and rates,” shared Winston. “This has helped us deliver orders faster and at the best price.”

RF-SMART Shipping also helped eliminate misshipments through dual scanning verification. Not only is an order scanned during picking, but it is scanned again at the shipping station, ensuring that items being packed are correct. “We virtually have nothing leaving this warehouse that is incorrect,” said Winston. This extra layer of added protection and security helped ensure that inventory remains accurate, and customers are receiving the correct products.  

Simple to Learn, Easy to Use

One of RF-SMART’s standout advantages is its exceptionally user-friendly interface, making even the most complex warehouse operations accessible to employees of all skill levels. This intuitive design has dramatically reduced training time and torn down barriers to adoption across tasc’s entire workforce.

“During our peak season, we hired seasonal employees to help handle the surge in sales,” shared Winston. “Within just an hour and a half, new hires were on the floor at their own shipping stations, confidently scanning and packing orders.”

This ease-of-use means tasc can rapidly scale its workforce during highvolume periods, without heavy training investments or slow onboarding. By minimizing errors and accelerating processes, RF-SMART empowers tasc staff to stay focused on delivering results, rather than wrestling with complicated technology.

The Perfect Partnership for Scalable Growth 

The partnership between tasc and RF-SMART exemplifies how the right technology solution, combined with strategic implementation and ongoing collaboration, can dramatically transform warehouse operations. By addressing the key challenges of manual processes, picking inefficiency, and shipping optimization, RF-SMART has helped tasc achieve remarkable improvements across their warehouse operations while scaling their business effectively.

Over recent years, tasc has experienced 33% growth while maintaining operational efficiency. “Even as our business has grown, our warehouse team hasn’t had to expand much, because we continue to layer on new RF-SMART functionality,” said Winston.

As their business continues to grow and evolve, RF-SMART remains a crucial partner in their success, helping ensure that tasc can maintain their position as a leader in sustainable activewear while delivering exceptional customer service and operational excellence. “RF-SMART is a huge part of transforming our warehouse operations,” said Winston.

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