Mete Sönmez

FAİK SÖNMEZ | Chairman of the Board Directors

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“With Nebim, we use our resources more efficiently.”

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Since 2004, we have been using Nebim software at our company at all phases from production to sales. The software that we used to have at that time didn’t completely meet the needs and expectations of our company. When we were making our selection, we looked for “a software solution that lets us control our resources in the best possible way and that helps us make fast decisions.” The software that we wanted to select had to meet all the needs of the retail sector and had to have a flexible structure. Our research showed us that Nebim’s experience in the sector is more profound than the other candidates so we preferred Nebim.

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Could you please talk about the history of Faik Sönmez?

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Faik Sönmez started custom tailoring in 1950, and soon became one of the most sought-after dressmakers in Istanbul. In 1972, we started applying our fitting and pattern expertise to ready-to-wear clothing. Using our experience of more than 30 years in fitting, we started preparing patterns to suit Turkish women’s measurements; our clothing as comfortable as custom-made pieces is presented with meticulous seaming, high quality fabrics and affordable prices. During the past 60 years, change has been a constant at Faik Sönmez; but our understanding of quality has remained unaltered.

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Basic patterns that took root over the years are revised with pinpoint accuracy for each and every fabric. Starting 6 months in advance, around 1000 samples will be sewn and 400 of those will be brought into production. The garments are sewn by professionals who have been trained in our company and have worked with Faik Sönmez himself for many years. Our alteration service, available in every store, ensures the perfect fitting of the outfit just bought. With our experience of 61 years at Faik Sönmez, we know that a big size garment isn’t just a bigger version of a small size garment. All our pieces reflect that detail. “Elegance”, “simplicity”, “care for details”, in short “quality” is emphasized in our all-time classical garments. We create designs which reflect contemporary styles that will make women of size 40 and above look and feel happy and trendy. Today, we serve our customers with 32 stores and around 60 wholesale points in 12 cities of Turkey and our 2 stores in Erbil (Iraq) and Baku (Azerbaijan) as well as internet sales.

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What were the targets that you set when you first started to implement Nebim solutions?

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Since 2004, we have been using Nebim software at our company at all phases from production to sales. The software that we used to have at that time didn’t completely meet the needs and expectations of our company. When we were making our selection, we looked for “a software solution that lets us control our resources in the best possible way and that helps us make fast decisions.” The software that we wanted to select had to meet all the needs of the retail sector and had to have a flexible structure. Our research showed us that Nebim’s experience in the sector is more profound than the other candidates so we preferred Nebim.

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As we had planned all the steps carefully before the transition project, we didn’t have any difficulties during the transition. In this context, we received a lot of support from Nebim project managers. Especially in such a dynamic sector as retail, Nebim has contributed significantly to the efficient use of our resources and to our fast decision-making.

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During the implementation, have you encountered any difficulties or any positive experiences that came as a surprise to you?

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First of all, I must say that our team at the headquarters and Nebim staff have worked in harmony since the very beginning of the project. At all phases of the project, we organized information and training meetings for our staff at the headquarters and at the stores. With what we obtained from these meetings, we could proceed in a healthier and faster way with the project and got the results of the project in a short time. We think that one must work very carefully before each project and we put this idea into practice.

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About three years ago, we planned to connect all our stores online. On the one hand, we made all the infrastructure ready and provided the necessary trainings, and on the other hand the Nebim team provided us with their support. So, it was possible for us to connect all our stores to the online system in half a workday.

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What are your plans regarding Nebim for the upcoming periods?

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At the moment, we are implementing three projects at our company: Corporate Halogen, Product Distribution and Down Payment applications. We have concluded the necessary trainings and tests and went live with these programs. In my opinion, especially the mobile applications and Nebim business intelligence solutions will increase and become more important in the near future. Our plan is to continue and to strengthen our collaboration in the upcoming period.