Transforming Retail with Modular Unified Commerce: Crew Clothing’s Story

Retail success today isn’t just driven by systems - it’s shaped by the partnerships behind them.

At this year’s Retail Technology Show, Crew Clothing Company, together with PMC and Retail247, took to the stage at ExCeL in London to share how collaborative, multi-faceted relationships have become the foundation for delivering agile, scalable and future-ready retail experiences.

The challenge: growth ambitions, legacy limitations

When Richard Surman joined as IT Director at Crew Clothing, the business was poised for significant growth. But the technology estate was standing in the way. Manual processes, limited internal resource and a patchwork of legacy systems made scaling slow and risky. The remit was clear: modernise IT, enable acquisitions, support rapid store openings - all with limited budget and a lean team.

The approach: collaborative partnerships, not just platforms

The turning point came when Crew moved away from traditional vendor relationships and formed strategic partnerships. Their two selected partners were Retail247 (PIM and stock systems) and PMC (mobile POS through the Graphene platform). This was the start of an ongoing, collaborative approach to building a modular, cloud-first architecture.

Together, they designed a platform that:

Could scale quickly to onboard new brands like Saltrock and Ben Sherman

Enabled the launch of 38 stores in rapid succession

Avoided the fragility of all-in-one systems with a modular, best-of-breed ecosystem

Delivered seamless data integration without relying on expensive middleware

Supported continuous improvement via regular product updates and roadmap co-creation

The Graphene platform from PMC enhanced the customer experience, through rapid development features and functionality beyond legacy limitations.

View Our Graphene Platform

Delivering real results, fast

Crew’s approach focused on solving immediate challenges first, demonstrating value early and building momentum. By choosing partners that could move quickly and adapt to business needs, they accelerated innovation without overextending internal teams or budgets.

The outcomes speak for themselves:

Complex projects completed on time and within budget

Faster onboarding of acquisitions into the Crew ecosystem

Ongoing product enhancements influenced by Crew’s real-world needs

A fully integrated system where data flows seamlessly across platforms

As Vishal Shah (Engineering Director at PMC) and Martin Schofield (Chief Executive Officer at Retail247) explained on stage, this level of partnership goes beyond tech delivery - it’s about alignment, iteration and mutual investment in long-term success.

Future-proofing through shared expertise

Retail is evolving fast, and no single system or provider has all the answers. What Crew, PMC and Retail247 have built is a responsive, adaptable framework that grows with the business. Through regular roadmap reviews, shared insights and co-designed solutions, the partnership continues to evolve - empowering Crew to stay ahead of market trends and customer expectations.

Partnership as a growth strategy

In summary, the partnership here is all about building a flexible, unified retail setup through real collaboration – along with a shared commitment to getting things done right.

The results? Faster innovation, future-ready systems and a platform that supports bold retail ambitions.

Strong partnerships are the engine behind retail transformation. When you find the right ones, everything moves faster – and smarter.

Richard Surman

IT Director at Crew Clothing

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