Phase 3’s marketing fulfillment services, including our MediaLink marketing logistics platform, branded merchandise offerings, and warehousing, kitting, and distribution services, can help you streamline your processes. This article shows how two of our clients, Construction Specialties and gusto!, used Phase 3's custom fulfillment solutions to boost efficiency, reduce workload, and support growth. We design our systems to scale with your business so that you always meet your fulfillment needs as you grow.
The Challenge: Disorganized and Time-Consuming Marketing Fulfillment
Construction Specialities (CS): Scaling Sample and Collateral Fulfillment
As a leader in architectural building products, Construction Specialties (CS) faced increasing demands for product samples and marketing materials fulfillment. When CS first implemented MediaLink in 2019, the fulfillment team processed approximately 30 orders per month. However, as their product catalog expanded, so did their fulfillment needs. By January 2025, CS handled approximately 1,050 monthly orders across 1,500 SKUs.
Before MediaLink, CS used manual, hands-on methods for sample distribution. This caused problems with order tracking, inventory management, and fulfilling print materials. They needed a single solution to simplify their logistics.
gusto! Standardizing Multi-Location Marketing Fulfillment
Phase 3 client, gusto!, is a restaurant chain focused on globally-inspired, healthy bowls and wraps. As the company grew to 14 restaurant locations in Georgia, managing signage, marketing materials, and uniforms became challenging. The marketing team had to handle orders for each location manually, causing delays and extra work. To make ordering easier and keep branding consistent, gusto! needed a warehouse and distribution partner that store managers could use to get essential materials quickly and efficiently.
The Solution: Custom Fulfillment Via MediaLink
Construction Specialties: A Scalable, Centralized Platform
Phase 3 customized MediaLink to help CS consolidate its catalog, sample distribution, and marketing collateral management into a single platform. The easy-to-use ordering system helps sales reps find materials fast while maintaining brand consistency.
Key functionalities include:
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Print-on-Demand: Sales teams have access to the latest product sheets and data guides, always correct and on-brand.
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Smart Inventory Management: Leaders can track and replenish stock samples in real time.
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User Access Controls: Materials are restricted by user groups to maintain an organized, streamlined ordering process.
gusto!: Simplified Ordering and Distribution
For gusto!, Phase 3 created a custom MediaLink portal where each restaurant can easily order branded marketing materials, uniforms, and signage.
The system includes:
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Warehouse and Distribution Management: Essential items are kept in stock for all locations.
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Automated Ordering System: Store managers place orders directly without needing marketing team oversight.
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BOGO Card Tracking: This custom feature generates unique barcodes for tracking promotional card usage across locations.
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Credit Card Processing: All transactions are processed on the platform, reducing the administrative burden for the corporate team.
Implementation: Ensuring a Smooth Transition
Construction Specialties
The implementation process required careful inventory management to confirm that CS's high-demand wall-covering samples were ready before launch. The team also organized the large product catalog by using a clear categorization process.
One challenge was managing sample material quality. Cutting large format sheets into small samples occasionally led to inconsistencies in color or finish. To address this, Phase 3 implemented rigorous quality control processes. After launch, the system shipped only high-quality samples while still minimizing waste.
Another challenge was maintaining brand standards while reducing unnecessary back-and-forth edits. For the business card ordering system, we built in safeguards such as automated formatting for phone numbers and email addresses and enforced capitalization rules.
gusto!
The rollout for gusto! involved:
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Uploading and categorizing all brand assets and marketing materials
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Coordinating promotional items and inventory stocking
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Onboarding all restaurant locations and users
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Integrating with their credit card processing system for automated payments
After launch, continuous site updates ensures that marketing collateral remain current, allowing gusto! to respond to new promotions and menu updates in real time.
Results: Increased Efficiency and Reduced Workload
Construction Specialties: Higher Productivity, Better Brand Control
With MediaLink managing over 1,000 orders per month, CS has significantly reduced the time and labor required for fulfillment. The company no longer needs to allocate internal resources or extra warehouse space to fulfillment. Their teams can now focus on product development and sales.
Additional benefits include:
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Cross-Selling Opportunities: Grouping sample requests into branded packages improves brand image. It also makes ordering easier and supports the sales team in upselling.
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"Notify Me When Available" Feature: This automation for restock alerts cuts down on admin tasks and enhances efficiency.
Phase 3's fulfillment services have played a key role in helping CS secure more high-value proposals.
gusto!: Faster, Smarter Fulfillment Across Locations
For gusto!, the centralized ordering system dramatically reduces the workload for their marketing team by eliminating the need for manual ordering.
Additional benefits include:
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Ease of Ordering: Store managers place orders directly, freeing up marketing team resources.
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Real-Time Inventory Tracking: Uniforms and signage are always available because of built-in inventory alerts.
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Scalability: The system's budgets for each location or user help track expenses better. This supports the brand's growth and sets a strong base for expansion.
With 68 SKUs and 32 active users, gusto! now operates more efficiently and maintains brand consistency across all locations.
Lessons Learned: Best Practices for Marketing Fulfillment
1. Prioritize Automation to Reduce Manual Work
One of the biggest takeaways from these projects is the need to automate as much as possible. Whether it's business card formatting, inventory tracking, or automated notifications, reducing manual touchpoints enhances efficiency and saves money.
2. Centralization Enhances Brand Consistency
A single fulfillment platform certifies that all marketing and sales materials, from printed assets to promotional items, remain brand-compliant and readily accessible.
3. Scalability is Crucial for Growing Brands
Both CS and gusto! benefits from MediaLink's scalable structure. It allows them to expand operations without overwhelming internal resources. As CS's order volume increased by 3,400%, the system handled increased demand seamlessly.
Looking Ahead: Continuous Optimization
Construction Specialties
Print-on-demand functionality provides flexibility for CS's ever-evolving product lineup. As they refine their materials, they can quickly update collateral so their branding remains accurate.
CS will also continue enhancing the business card ordering system, allowing more employees to place orders while maintaining brand compliance. Additionally, advancements in warehousing technology will further improve picking and packing operations for even greater fulfillment accuracy and efficiency.
gusto!
Weekly warehouse reports ensure uniforms and marketing materials remain stocked, preventing fulfillment disruptions. As gusto! continues to grow, budget control features per location and user will be refined for optimized expense tracking.
Final Thoughts: A Smarter Approach to Marketing Fulfillment
Phase 3’s marketing fulfillment solutions provide growing companies with efficient, scalable, and brand-consistent distribution systems. Streamlined workflows make managing product samples, sales materials, and promotional assets easier. They save time, cut costs, and boost productivity.
Ready to Transform Your Marketing Operations?
Let’s discuss how Phase 3 can help optimize your fulfillment operations. Contact us today.