Author - Ryan Johnson Published: 22 October 2026

Manual processes to connected fulfilment: Polti’s operational transformation

Supported in:

99.7% SLA across the first eight months
Automated order processing through SAP integration
Lower costs with a bespoke fulfilment model

+72%

increase in orders, first two months vs. most recent two months

99.5%

SLA performance since launch, 100% over last seven months

70%

subscriber retention rate after first six months of trading

Introduction

Polti is an established Italian household appliance brand with a history of innovation dating back to 1978.

Best known for its steam-powered cleaning and ironing technology, Polti has spent decades developing products that make everyday household tasks easier, from steam cleaners and irons to vacuum cleaners and other home appliances.

With an established UK operation serving both direct-to-consumer (DTC) customers and retail partners, Polti needed a fulfilment setup capable of supporting its day-to-day requirements while adapting to changes across the business.

After a difficult period with its previous logistics provider, Polti turned to fulfilmentcrowd for a more connected, responsive and tech-first approach.

Subscription fulfilment

Reliable recurring fulfilment for a business where over 90% of orders come from subscriptions

Customer retention

Consistent fulfilment and customer experience supporting 70% subscriber retention at month six

Gift and kit assembly

Flexible assembly of welcome kits and changing monthly gift variants, with close attention to presentation

Shopify integration

Automated order flow and inventory visibility through a direct Shopify integration with our platform

48-hour delivery

Reliable UK delivery via Royal Mail’s 48-hour service, supporting a consistent experience from warehouse to doorstep

Peak-ready operations

Flexible capacity to support acquisition campaigns, seasonal peaks and increasing order volumes as Uthful grows

Hands-on support

Direct access to the warehouse team, combining scalable operations with the close working relationship Uthful values

The initial challenge

Polti partnered with fulfilmentcrowd at the beginning of 2026, replacing its traditional logistics setup with a more integrated fulfilment operation.

The transition began with our onboarding process, supported by close collaboration between the Polti team and fulfilmentcrowd.

A key part of the project was connecting Polti’s SAP system with the fulfilmentcrowd platform.

With Polti leading the integration work, and technical support from our team throughout, the two systems were connected to automate the movement of orders into fulfilment.

Today, orders placed on Polti’s website flow automatically into fulfilment via the fulfilmentcrowd platform, removing manual steps from the order processing journey.

Polti has also transformed the way it manages its operation.

Rather than relying on manual updates and chasing information, the team uses the fulfilmentcrowd platform every day to stay connected with fulfilment activity and maintain visibility over orders and stock.

For a business managing DTC and B2B requirements, that accessibility is particularly valuable.

Our operation supports Polti’s existing channel mix from one platform, with DTC, B2B and integrations all feeding into a single system.

Crucially, the service is now more closely aligned to Polti’s operational reality, providing a more adaptable and cost-effective alternative to its previous arrangements.

The solution

Uthful partnered with fulfilmentcrowd to combine fulfilment technology with the close-working relationship Simon wanted from an operational partner.

A direct Shopify integration with the fulfilmentcrowd platform means orders flow automatically between the two systems, meaning Uthful has full visibility and control over orders and inventory whenever they need it.

Behind the scenes, our warehouse team manages the requirements of Uthful’s predominantly subscription-based model, from simple recurring orders to welcome kits and changing monthly gift variants.

With most of Uthful's demand following a subscription cycle, stock and order flows can be planned effectively while retaining the flexibility to respond to customer acquisition campaigns and seasonal peaks.

Just as importantly, Uthful has direct access to the people handling its products.

Being able to visit the warehouse, meet the team and work closely with those responsible for Uthful’s day-to-day fulfilment operation gives Simon the confidence that the customer experience is in good hands as the business grows.

And, with an international fulfilment network available when needed, the same partnership offers a route into future markets without Uthful having to build a new fulfilment operation from scratch.

Having that personal relationship is really important to me. I wanted a fulfilment partner that was local enough for me to visit the warehouse and meet the people handling our products. Being able to work directly with the team gives me confidence that they understand our business and care about the customer experience as much as we do.

Simon Swan, Founder, Uthful

A more connected way of working

Beyond technology, one of the biggest changes for Polti has been the support received from our team.

Under its previous arrangement, resolving operational queries could involve lengthy waits for responses, making it difficult for the team to tackle issues quickly and stay on top of fulfilment activity.

With fulfilmentcrowd, Polti now benefits from more responsive communication and direct access to a team that understands its operation.

Issues are infrequent, but when something does need attention, the Polti team can get the answers they need and resolve problems much more quickly.

Combined with the additional visibility available through our real-time platform, that responsiveness has given Polti greater confidence and control over its day-to-day fulfilment.

“The difference since moving to fulfilmentcrowd has been night and day. Now, we’ve got much better visibility through the platform, orders are processed automatically and the support is more responsive. It’s made a huge difference to how we manage fulfilment day to day.”
Daniel Birch, Customer Service and Operations Manager, Polti

The difference since moving to fulfilmentcrowd has been night and day. Now, we’ve got much better visibility through the platform, orders are processed automatically and the support is more responsive. It’s made a huge difference to how we manage fulfilment day to day.

Daniel Birch

Customer Service and Operations Manager, Polti

The results

Since moving to fulfilmentcrowd, Polti has achieved strong service performance alongside improvements in operational visibility and responsiveness.

99.7% SLA over the first eight months of full operations
Automated order processing via SAP integration
Lower costs with bespoke fulfilment model and fewer issues

Looking ahead to the next phase of growth

With its new fulfilment setup now well established, Polti is well placed to support its UK customers and grow the business.

For fulfilmentcrowd, that means continuing to provide the tech and operational reliability to support Polti’s cross-channel goals from a single platform and supplier relationship.