⎯ THE CHALLENGE
464 STORES. 55 DAYS.
MORNINGS ONLY.
A leading brand in the cosmetics and fragrance industry needed to update the fixtures at its retail locations throughout Spain. This was not a partial or phased update—it was a massive, simultaneous overhaul across 464 stores, coordinated with the industry’s leading retailers.
The complexity wasn’t just a matter of scale. The real challenge was the time constraint: only the morning shift was available for in-store work.The stores could not allow the furniture rearrangement to disrupt business operations for the rest of the day. This cut the available work window in half, required meticulous logistical coordination, and left no room for improvisation.
The goal was to complete the 464 retail locations in 55 business days, without affecting the end customer’s shopping experience and while maintaining an impeccable brand image at all times.
⎯ OBJECTIVES
WHAT THE CUSTOMER NEEDED
Furniture replacement at 464 retail locations in 55 business days
Complete the transformation of all retail locations included in the plan within the agreed-upon timeframe, maintaining the same high standard of workmanship from the first to the last.
Operations were conducted exclusively during the morning hours
. We adhered to the establishments’ operating hour restrictions without causing any operational problems for the team—by reorganizing routes, teams, and logistics to optimize each workday.
Full coordination between logistics, the field team, and retailers
Ensuring that the new furniture arrived at each store at just the right time—neither too early (with no space to store it) nor too late (with no time to install it).
“In a project of this scale, success can’t be improvised. It’s built before the first store opens—with finely tuned logistics, coordinated teams, and retailers who trust the process.”
SIG Spain Operations Team
⎯ THE SOLUTION
OVERALL COORDINATION:
LOGISTICS, EQUIPMENT, AND RETAILER
A project involving 464 retail locations in 55 days cannot be carried out with a homogeneous team. It requires a coordinated ecosystem—specialized independent contractors, retail location managers, and area coordinators—all synchronized with the delivery logistics and schedule of each retailer.
ROUTE PLANNING AND SCHEDULE BY AREA
We designed an area-by-area implementation schedule, optimizing routes to maximize the number of retail locations visited each morning. Each team knew its route in advance, avoiding wait times and unnecessary travel.
LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT SYNCHRONIZED WITH EXECUTION
We coordinated the delivery of the new furniture so that it would arrive at each retail location just before the field team’s visit. No makeshift in-store storage, no waiting, and none of the chaos caused by having uninstalled equipment in an active store.
COORDINATION OF SELF-EMPLOYED WORKERS AND POV MANAGERS
We mobilized a mixed team of freelancers specializing in furniture refurbishment and point-of-sale managers with experience in the cosmetics channel. The key was synchronization: everyone knew what to do, when, and with whom to coordinate.
ONGOING COORDINATION WITH RETAILERS
We maintained open and constant communication with the managers of each retail chain. Their support was essential for gaining access to the stores during restricted hours, adjusting the schedule when unforeseen issues arose, and ensuring that the furniture replacement did not disrupt store operations.
⎯ RESULTS
THE NUMBERS
THAT COUNT
464 POS
OBJECTIVE OF THE PLAN
100% complete, except for Valencia
55 DAYS
DEADLINE MET
Mornings only
100 %
SIG EFFICIENCY
No incidents attributable to the equipment
The project achieved 100% of its goals in all regions of Spain —with one exception that deserves to be honestly mentioned.
⚠️ Valencia and the DANA Effect. The retail locations in the Valencia area could not be completed by the scheduled deadline due to the impact of the DANA—the natural disaster that severely affected the Valencian Community in the fall of 2024. This was a force majeure event completely beyond the project’s control, which the SIG Spain team documented and communicated to the client in real time.
⎯ KEY LESSONS LEARNED
WHAT WE’RE TAKING AWAY
FOR THE NEXT PROJECT
In large-scale furniture replacement projects, collaboration between store teams and chain managers is just as important as logistics and the field team. Without that support, access becomes difficult, schedules fall apart, and execution suffers. Aligning with the retailer from the start isn’t just a matter of professional courtesy—it’s a strategic move.
Working only in the mornings seemed like a limitation—but in reality, it was an exercise in optimization. The key was ensuring that delivery logistics and in-store operations were coordinated down to the minute. When that works, the restriction ceases to be a problem.
The impact of the cold low-pressure system on Valencia was unexpected and unavoidable. What made the difference was how communication was handled: immediate documentation, clear information for customers, and no attempt to sugarcoat the outcome. That honesty is part of the service.
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