Overview
Founded in 1979, Dragons of Walton Street (DOWS) is a world‑renowned brand of luxurious, hand‑painted children’s furniture and accessories—serving royalty, celebrities, and discerning families worldwide. In 2023, the company embarked on a transition process and chose to innovate, partnering with MSYS to become tech‑enabled and revamp its operations.
In just three months, DOWS overhauled its production processes, introduced new technologies, and empowered its teams with data‑driven methods, resulting in a faster production cycle, higher‑quality output, and a surge in repeat sales.
The Challenge
-
Manual, People‑Dependent Processes
Without standardized procedures or documentation, productivity relied heavily on individual know‑how. -
Disconnected Departments
Sales and customer service had little visibility into production, causing constant follow‑ups and delays. -
Limited Data & Tracking
True production capacity, costs, and timelines remained unclear, making effective decision‑making nearly impossible.
The Solution
Working closely with DOWS, MSYS designed a four‑pillar transformation plan:
- Integrated Communication – Align Sales, Production, and Customer Service on a single platform.
- Data & Analytics – Introduce metrics tracking for better insights into capacity, costs, and timelines.
- Automated Workflows – Simplify and speed up operations through task‑based assignments.
- Process Optimization – Shift away from “orders” and toward “tasks,” removing bottlenecks and clarifying responsibilities.
How It Was Done
A Complete Process Redesign
Traditionally, DOWS organized its production around “orders.” Each invoice included multiple furniture & accessories items that required ordering, hand‑painting, quality checks, and logistics coordination. Artists and production staff had to juggle dozens of details on their own, leading to confusion, delays, and reliance on a few key individuals.
Our solution was to switch from viewing everything as an “order” to viewing everything as a set of “tasks.” By reclassifying each step of the production process as a discrete task—assigned to the right person at the right time—DOWS drastically simplified workflow management.
Why It Works
- Fewer Bottlenecks: By breaking down large orders into smaller tasks, artists no longer spend time deciphering complex orders or negotiating priorities.
- Clear Accountability: Everyone knows who owns each task, preventing them from “falling through the cracks.”
- Reduced Errors: Relying on the system’s documented steps (instead of someone’s memory) leads to fewer mistakes and higher‑quality work.
- Greater Employee Satisfaction: The process is straightforward and fair. Team members see exactly what’s expected—and when—eliminating guesswork.
Technology
To support the redesigned processes, MSYS introduced a combination of software & automations:
- Central Product & Stock System (DMS)
- Real‑time view of product availability, supplier timelines, and specifications.
- Automatically syncs with the order management platform to ensure accurate stock updates.
- Task & Order Management (ClickUp + Zapier)
- Automated Task Creation: When a new order is placed, the system breaks it down into tasks and subtasks, each with its own deadline.
- Real‑Time Assignments & Alerts: Tasks get assigned to specific roles (Production Manager, Artists, QC), with notifications if a deadline is at risk.
- Time Tracking & Documentation: Artists log hours per task, uploading pictures of completed items for quality assurance.
- Data Analytics: Management can easily see how long each item takes, identify bottlenecks, and make data‑driven improvements.
Key Benefit: Off‑the‑shelf solutions like ClickUp and Zapier minimized upfront costs and accelerated the rollout. It also ensures that DOWS isn’t locked into a custom platform that would be expensive to maintain or upgrade.
Management Practices
Even the best tools can fail without the right habits. MSYS helped DOWS implement:
- Weekly Planning (Mondays)
- Joint calls with Sales, Customer Service, and Production to decide which tasks get priority and confirm any bespoke client requests.
- Weekly Retrospectives (Fridays)
- Team reviews completed tasks, identifies roadblocks, and discusses improvements for the following week.
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- Step‑by‑step manuals for every process, reducing reliance on “tribal knowledge” and enabling faster onboarding of new staff.
- Recording & Documentation
- Every call, order, and significant decision is documented, allowing the team to trace back decisions or resolve disputes quickly.
By combining a task‑focused process design, appropriate technology, and strong management practices, DOWS was able to transform its operations—and sustain those changes for continuous growth.
The Impact
By embracing a task‑focused workflow, automation, and structured management practices, DOWS achieved:
- 4x Faster Production – Streamlined operations cut lead times and boosted output.
- Higher Quality – Clear procedures reduced errors and led to delighted customers.
- 20% Increase in Repeat Sales – Clients returned thanks to improved quality and reliability.
- Lasting Change – DOWS adopted a culture of continuous improvement, setting the stage for future growth.
This transformation not only modernized DOWS’s operations but also positioned them to stay agile, competitive, and ready for the next wave of innovation. MSYS is proud to have been part of that journey—and continues to partner with DOWS to optimize the rest of their operations.
