"Our previous system made it difficult to extract data for reporting. With Prism I can see what my clients like and don't like, and I can see where they are coming from. Retail Pro Prism helps me streamline my buying and make better business decisions for Miguel's. It is very empowering!"

- Michael Claude, Owner

How Miguel's Formal Wear streamlined its operations, makes better business decisions and is looking to expand with Retail Pro Prism

About Miguel's Formal Wear

Miguel's is a locally owned and operated haberdashery and clothier in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Miguel's offers superior quality garments and highly personalized service. Michael Claude Jr. is the owner of Miguel's and has been in the menswear industry for a very long time. Before owning his own business, he worked as an associate Manager at S & K Menswear where he gained the experience and love for men's fashion.

What makes Miguel's unique is that they are not just a retail store that sells suits, but they enjoy being part of their community. One of the main objectives of Miguel's is to educate and inform their clients to make decisions on how to be a better dresser. Not all bow ties are created equally. What size lapels go with my face shape? What style of shoe do I wear if my pants are cuffed or plain? Michael is consistently working to perfect his knowledge and education regarding the Menswear industry. He is a member of an amazing organization called Custom Tailors & Designers Association (CTDA). The group meets twice a year to learn about everything from fabric education to suit education to shirt education. This gives Michael the nuts and bolts of what separates him and Miguel's from the big box stores. The goal at Miguel's is to make sure his customers are tailored for confidence!

Miguel's Formal Wear's owner, Michael Claude, shares how the Men's formal retailer is building and improving its retail operations on Retail Pro Prism

Please share a day in the life of your role and responsibilities at the company

I am the owner operator - "chief in charge" so to speak, at Miguel's Formal Wear. From the selling, the upselling, the fittings, the alterations to opening and closing the store. I do it all! However, on the weekends family and friends help me out. I see anywhere from 21-38 clients a week. This includes individuals and wedding parties, which can be 7-8 people per party.

For what specific business challenges did you choose Retail Pro? What business challenges are you solving with the software today?

Most of my business is special orders. With my previous software I couldn't track my invoicing and it was hard to collect payment. Being able to have invoice tracking with Retail Pro Prism ensures I am getting paid in a timely fashion. Our previous system made it difficult to extract data for reporting. With Prism I can see what my clients like and don't like, and I can see where they are coming from. Retail Pro Prism helps me streamline my buying and make better business decisions for Miguel's. It is very empowering!

When was Retail Pro first implemented in your company?

We bought in July 2021 and went live in November 2021.

What role does your Retail Pro play in your customer engagement strategy?

Miguel's is built on a foundation of focusing on the client. Retail Pro Prism is easy to use so I can focus on helping my customers. Knowing the purchase history allows me to do a better job of tracking and engaging with them. I know who they are and how they heard of us.

Retailers are striving to unify commerce. What does that mean for your company? What are you doing to unify commerce?

Retail Pro Prism has made our processes more unified and simpler. We plan to develop an online store to retain customers. Since we are in a military area, our clientele can move around. We would like an omnichannel integration that will allow those customers the ability to shop with us when they're away. We are confident that Retail Pro Prism will be able to support our goal in developing a successful online business.

What does the future look like for your company? What are some of your plans for growth, expansion, customer initiatives, etc.?

We are still exploring Retail Pro Prism and its many features. We would like to grow our customer loyalty as many of our clients are "one and done." Customer retention is essential to success in any business. We are looking at the integration to OptCulture to help us achieve our goal. We also are looking to do a custom plugin to manage our rental business. Currently we use the notes fields in Prism to help track this information. Our goal is to be completely off our old rental software and manage everything with Retail Pro Prism.

Has your Retail Pro been specially configured or customized for your business needs? What challenges or needs were these customizations designed to address? Please describe.

Since most of our business is special order, we have set up special DCS codes. We use Retail Pro reports to view the store's performance. I'm able to build our own reports in the system so I can track specific items and see how well they are selling. Retail Pro Prism has given us new funnels to keep clients engaged throughout their sales experience.

What is the total number of stores using Retail Pro today or planning to use Retail Pro in the near future?

We currently have one location in Virginia Beach, VA. We have plans for a sister store that will be located just 4.5 hours North in Baltimore, MD. This location will also have a mobile truck that will go to offices or homes for a personalized service – bringing our store to your door. Expanding my business was a key factor in my investment in Retail Pro Prism.

Retail Pro Prism helps me streamline my buying and enables me to make better business decisions for Miguel's Formal Wear. It is very empowering!

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