Moda Furnishings prepare for growth with Sage 200

15th April 2021

Moving system is an important process to get right, and for Gareth Lloyd, Finance Director at Moda Furnishings, the relationship with his technology partner is as vital as the software itself.  

Moda Furnishings clearly have an eye for business. Founded in 2015, it has taken the outdoor furniture market by storm, with a premium product range coveted by many. Within its early start-up structure, accounting was an item to do, however as the business has grown, its role as a driver in the business is apparent. Brought in to lead this new direction, Gareth is keen to move the business from Sage 50 to Sage 200 before they get too big. “The plans for the business are quite ambitious, so I want to be proactive. In a previous role, they didn't upgrade until they were a £50 million business, making it a very hard, very long process which I don’t want to do again.” 

A lasting relationship 

Moving to Sage 200 will bring a host of benefits, and Gareth is keen to have much better insight into the business as a result. But having the Datel support team there whenever he needs them is one of the biggest selling points for Gareth. He has worked with Datel before, and as the only member of his finance team, he appreciates the relationship that has formed.  

“I've probably had three different Sage partners over my career, and Datel clearly care more about getting it right for us than themselves. I don't just want questions and answers from a support team. With Datel, they ask the challenging questions to understand and solve the issue fully. Some people don't get that being a Financial Director is pretty lonely, so having the rich knowledge of Datel’s consultants is a big deal for me.” 

A great time to be outdoors

In a twist of fate, the pandemic has created something of a bumper year for Moda Furnishings. Staying at home and spending more time in the garden has increased sales of their furniture and outdoor heating products. Even though the online business is doing well, there are still plans to open more showrooms, and Sage 200 will be instrumental in this. “When we were selecting which system to go with, it was crucial to us that we needed to choose a system that was going to be flexible enough to scale with us over time and have the capacity to perform across all areas of the business - Sage 200 ticked all the boxes,” Gareth explained.   

Gareth spoke to the team recently about upcoming plans, and ensuring every element of the migration is done well. For him, long-term thinking is important, and this view is very much supported by Datel.

“It's very easy to run off with lots of ideas in a business like this, and it's just trying to make sure we make the right decisions at the right time and not biting off more than we can chew. But Datel are very pragmatic about building a long-term relationship and clearly care about moving at the right pace to suit our business.”