Retail and orthopaedics digitally connected, human at every step

Acquisitions, omnichannel, an ever broader customer base: House of Feet became bigger, more professional and more data driven. Joining the international Eqwal Group accelerated that evolution, without losing the human core. In that environment, Retail Manager Lore Blauwblomme looks after the collections, the stores and the recognisable service House of Feet stands for. And every day she sees how technology plays an ever bigger role in their growth.

From family business to international group

House of Feet's roots lie in a small family business, where personal contact and expertise were central. With the takeover by Eqwal, an international player with 4,000 employees, the organisation shifted up a gear.

"We used to have everything in our own hands," says Lore. "Now we sail a much bigger ship. Figures are looked at more strictly and a uniform working method is expected. That took some getting used to, but it helps us grow and at the same time we can keep our own identity."

Meanwhile Eqwal's orthopaedic branch is undergoing a rapid transformation, with 3D scanning, a full 3D printing lab and the centralisation of medical data. Within that larger whole, House of Feet remains the face of retail. A unique but also complex combination of medical expertise and retail experience.

Retail and orthopaedics: one customer, two worlds

House of Feet's strength lies in that unique cross pollination. Customers come in with a question, a problem or on referral from a doctor. Sometimes for shoes, sometimes for orthopaedic insoles, often for both. Advice is the starting point.

House of Feet deliberately chooses sustainable, timeless collections that last several seasons, rather than fast fashion or price wars. The result is a range tailored to different foot types, width fittings and functionality. Customers keep coming back for models they know and trust.

That approach only works if both retail and orthopaedics share the same customer information. That's why the orthopaedic ERP, which manages insoles, custom work and medical treatment paths, is linked to Tilroy. So it remains one customer in one system, whether someone comes for shoes, orthopaedic advice or full custom treatment. Employees always work with the same information and customers never get lost between two worlds.

Uniformity as the foundation for growth

For House of Feet the switch to Tilroy made a big difference. The previous POS system was complex, slow and not suited to the combination of retail and care. Now there is one data standard across all stores. "Above all we were looking for a user friendly solution," says Lore. "Tilroy looked simple, but turned out to be much more powerful at the same time. Reporting and data in particular are ten steps ahead. With a few pivot tables I can now see exactly what was sold, in which size and at which location."

That data is essential to switch quickly between branches. "We move collections all the time. If a range sells better in Antwerp than in Ypres, we send that inventory on right away. Tilroy makes that possible, because we have the same insights everywhere."

The webshop is also fully integrated with the POS, which makes the work considerably lighter. Where photos used to be loaded manually into a separate system, a simple upload is now enough: "Today it's plug and play without double work. What we enter in Tilroy is online right away."

A smooth rollout for acquisitions

Eqwal's retail branch keeps growing strongly, on the one hand through strategic acquisitions of existing shoe stores, on the other by continuously investing in innovation and new concepts. New stores are moved to Tilroy as quickly as possible, to keep one uniform system.

"The moment a store is taken over, we first do a full stocktake in Tilroy," says Lore. "Only then can we start working together, exchanging inventory and buying efficiently. Deurne and Brasschaat were our dress rehearsal. Now we are ready for our biggest project yet: the integration of Schoenen Reyskens. An exceptional store in Genk with a very large and diverse range."

"We have already started aligning all product data and standardising processes for this. Tilroy is the constant in all of it. If the technical side is right," says Lore, "the rest follows by itself."

Efficiency, precision and trust

Since switching to Tilroy, House of Feet has seen noticeable results. Stocktakes go faster and with fewer errors: "We can now finish a stocktake in one morning, that used to be unthinkable." Stock differences have almost disappeared too. "With Tilroy we work much more accurately today. Our inventory is right, our reports are right. That gives peace of mind."

The combination of ease of use and flexibility means the team uses Tilroy widely: from product creation to reporting, from omnichannel management to POS sales.

Advice over discount

The webshop is growing, especially among customers who already know their model and fit. For House of Feet online is a digital shop window. "We are not in fast fashion," says Lore. "Our collections are timeless and slow moving. People come here for service, not for sales. They want to be helped and walk out pain free with the right pair of shoes."

That vision translates into a consistent pricing strategy: fair recommended prices, minimal markdowns and a clear focus on quality over quantity. "We take the time to guide every customer personally and arrive at the best possible solution together."

Looking ahead

In Wijnegem, House of Feet is working on a brand new flagship store that marks the start of a new era. By bringing retail, orthopaedics and mobility under one roof, it creates a care and shopping destination where customers get more than a purchase.