How Berthie Reduced Staff Knowledge Dependency and Training Burden in a Week 

 The Challenge

Berthie, a fashion retailer founded in 2019 in Paris, France, quickly made its mark in the European market, with France, England, and Germany as its primary markets. Known for producing limited series clothing with a strong emphasis on transparency and ethical production, Berthie expanded rapidly across Europe. By 2023, the brand set its sights on the US market, establishing its first warehouse in Los Angeles to ensure fast and efficient delivery to its growing American customer base.

• Manual Processes

As Berthie prepared to enter a highly competitive market like US, the inefficiencies of manual order picking became a glaring obstacle that needed to be addressed to maintain their reputation for quality and timely deliveries.

• New Warehouse Setup

Establishing a new warehouse is a complex endeavor, especially in an unfamiliar market like the United States. Unlike in Europe, where the company had established routines and relationships, the US market presented a new set of dynamics that required careful navigation. The need for seamless integration between the new warehouse and Berthie’s existing e-commerce platforms, primarily Shopify, was critical. 

• Staff Rotation

One of the most pressing challenges Berthie faced was the high turnover of warehouse staff. The new warehouse would likely experience staff turnover, but without a core group of seasoned employees, the operation could become vulnerable to disruptions. High dependency on specific workers meant that any departure could lead to a loss of crucial knowledge, slowing down operations and increasing the risk of errors. To ensure the success of their US expansion, Berthie needed a system that could reduce this dependency and make the warehouse less reliant on individual expertise, thereby mitigating the risks associated with staff rotation.