On-demand ordering
Reduced waste
68% staff uptake in month one
The Need
Data centre developer and operator Kao Data wanted to find a better way of managing branded workwear across their business.
With team members based in various
locations and roles, the traditional bulk
ordering model meant guessing sizes and quantities, leading to wasted stock, storage issues and unnecessary transport between sites.
This didn’t fit with Kao Data’s commitment to sustainability, nor was it cost-effective.
The Solution
“Steven from SP Workwear was the most helpful and said yes to everything that we wanted to do, which surprised us, because we didn’t know if it was actually even possible.”
“They were very patient, and very efficient,” said Dawn. “They sent us exactly what we wanted, and suggested alternatives.”
– Dawn Hemmings, Kao Data
They needed a better solution, which turned out to be SP Workwear’s Online Ordering Portal.
Initially, Dawn Hemmings, Marketing Consultant at Kao Data, approached three different companies after finding them via a Google search. After speaking to all three, SP Workwear stood out immediately.
The ability to order single items on demand, without paying a premium price each time, and have them despatched to different locations, was exactly what Kao Data had been looking for.
SP Workwear set them up on their online portal, branded it, and made it available through Kao Data’s intranet. Team members are now able to order the specific branded items they want, in the right size, when they need them.
The most complex part of the process turned out to be choosing exactly the right mix of products to make available as the Kao Data garment range. SP Workwear provided plenty of samples to compare so they were confident in the choices they made.
Why Kao Data would recommend SP Workwear
For Dawn, the standout benefits of having chosen SP Workwear’s Online Portal are:
Professionalism
Zero wastage
Cost savings
Simplicity
“If somebody came to me from another company and said this is what they wanted to do, I would recommend it completely.”
– Dawn Hemmings, Kao Data
The Benefits
Key results
On-demand ordering Kao Data can order only what is needed.
Reduced waste Less unused stock, storage and unnecessary movement between sites.
Easy staff ordering Staff can access the portal and order what they need.
Professional internal portal A branded shop that staff actually complimented.
Better cost control Spending allocations and consolidated deliveries help manage costs.
No unnecessary waste Instead of buying hundreds of garments upfront and trying to match demand to supply, Kao Data can now order only what is needed.
This has reduced costs and supported the company’s sustainability goals.
Dawn said, “It’s really easy to use, nobody’s had any problems using the portal, or making their orders, which is brilliant, because they were going to come to me if they did!”
Professional brand experience
“We’ve had a lot of compliments in-house at how professional the portal looks.”
The portal is helping to reinforce the company brand internally, a great win for the marketing team.
Better control of costs The company introduced spending allocations for staff, which kept budgets manageable whilst giving people the flexibility to choose garments that suited their roles.
The portal allows for consolidated deliveries to individual sites, which has helped to reduce shipping costs further.
Strong staff engagement The hard work that was put into choosing the right garments has paid off.
The Future
With 68% of Kao Data’s company placing an order in the first month, the Kao Shop proved that a branded ordering portal can be simple for staff, professional enough to impress internally, and practical for teams across multiple sites.
For SP Workwear, Kao Data is a strong example of how online ordering can reduce waste, improve consistency, support budget control, and make branded workwear easier to manage as a business grows.
