HOPin' Around!

One thing I have noticed about Hair Direct since I’ve been working with them is they never get comfortable with where they are amongst others in the industry. When they do something that raises the bar they don’t sit proudly waiting for others to catch up. Instead, they raise it a bit further. After another level has been reached they go do something else that inches them even a bit higher. I’m not sure if others in the company have really noticed it, but it’s a neat thing to see from my position within the company.

The latest and greatest bar raiser around here is called HOP. We’re hoping to get a “cooler” name at some point, but the name isn’t the really coolest thing about HOP. HOP (Hair Order Program) is a completely new kind of software. In fact Hair Direct has engineered it vertically from the ground up. Nothing in the hair replacement industry has existed like it before and it has come at a considerable investment.

The software has had many generations and has come a long way from where it started. It also isn’t completely being utilized to it’s potential yet but still I think you’ll find the overall aspects to be something really amazing.

Here is what makes HOP so wonderful:

• Connectivity: HOP is connected by the front end (you), back end (us), accounting (your wallet) and factory (your hair), all at once and in real-time.

• Streamlined SOP (Standing Order Program): This will be really great for standing order program customers. You’ll see why in a bit.

• Accurate Ordering: It will be much easier for your Hair Tech to vary the lead time, if need be, for more accurate ordering time. Also all specs about your hair unit are in the automated process.
  

• Track Your Order: It’s a completely automated system that allows you to know where in the ordering, manufacture, shipment, and delivery your hair system is at any given time.

• Real Time Communication: Any changes to a unit can be seen by the factory immediately after you make them online. In fact, if you want to make any change from hair to credit card to address, it’s all done immediately and you would never need to talk to a Hair Tech to do any of this. Of course they never mind hearing from you.

• Visual Timeline: A future (10-12 weeks) web interface will give a visual depiction allowing you to pin-point where your hair system is at any point of the process right from inside your account.

• In The Know: You will be given automated responses via email that will alert you to new orders placed, when your system has started manufacture, when it is being shipped to us, and when it is being delivered to your door.

Basically, this list means less redundancy (or mistakes), and more responsiveness (better service). Hopefully, you won't notice a thing more than your receiving your hair systems and with exceptional service.

P.S…

I spoke with Bill, who’s in charge of day-to-day operations here and he said that HOP was built to be completely flexible and customizable. Though he didn’t want to tell me just yet what the future holds, he did mention a secret list of future features that they will be building into HOP.

See, as soon as they reach one plateau, they're on to the next!