Mountain Equipment Company gears up for better customer experience with Dynamics 365

MEC’s legacy ERP system lacked integration, speed, and visibility—hindering operational efficiency, inventory accuracy, and the ability to deliver seamless omnichannel experiences.

By deploying Microsoft Dynamics 365, MEC is able to integrate its finance, supply chain, and commerce systems, with the objective of streamlining operations and enhancing oversight throughout its omnichannel retail activities.

MEC improved efficiency, accelerated reporting, enhanced inventory visibility, and empowered staff—delivering faster service and stronger customer engagement.

Mountain Equipment Company (MEC) has been a trusted outfitter for Canadians since 1971. Known for its deep product knowledge and commitment to service, MEC helps equip its millions of members for a lifetime outdoors. That same focus on expertise and operational excellence is what led MEC to modernize its core business systems with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance, Supply Chain Management, and Commerce. With an integrated cloud platform now powering its operations, MEC can focus on delivering seamless experiences—from in-store to online—and ensuring the right products are in the right place at the right time.

“With Dynamics 365, it’s really easy for us to figure out quick ways to meet our business needs, and with a lot more speed and efficiency than we’ve had in the past.”

Erik Garrett, CIO, Mountain Equipment Company

A new chapter for a Canadian outdoor icon

From its roots as a small member-driven co-op to being named as Canada’s most trusted brand, MEC has always focused on helping people connect with the outdoors. Today, it serves millions of members through 23 stores nationwide and a growing e-commerce platform. With expertise at the core of everything it does—whether outfitting a backcountry trip or designing new gear—MEC continues to evolve to meet the needs of today’s outdoor enthusiasts.

That commitment to evolution drove MEC to move beyond its legacy AS400-based ERP system. The journey began in 2019 with the implementation of Dynamics 365 Finance. Building on that success, MEC added Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management and Commerce in 2023—unlocking new efficiencies, greater visibility, and a stronger foundation for growth.

Accelerating operational efficiency

With Dynamics 365, MEC’s finance team can now dig deeper into performance data. Financial reporting has become faster and more flexible, allowing for easy data exports into Excel and significantly improving monthly close processes. “This is a really neat piece where we found tons of efficiencies, especially for analysis purposes. Our month-end close is at least 20% faster now,” says Kathy Nomura, Senior Financial Analyst.

On the front lines, the implementation of Dynamics 365 Commerce modernized MEC’s point-of-sale system, replacing a dated solution with one that integrates seamlessly with finance and supply chain systems. “Upgrading our old POS system was a nearly two-year project,” says Erik Garrett, Chief Information Officer. “With Dynamics 365, we made the transition in a matter of weeks, not years.” Transaction times have dropped by nearly 50%, improving throughput in MEC’s high-volume retail environments.

Back-office improvements are just as significant. The previous ERP system required deep technical expertise to operate. In contrast, the cloud-based Dynamics 365 platform is more user-friendly and accessible, allowing MEC’s IT team to focus on delivering enhancements that add business value, rather than managing complex system maintenance.

Security and data integrity have also improved with the move to the cloud. “We’re in a better position from an information security standpoint than we have ever been,” says Garrett.

Omnichannel retail, made seamless

MEC has a long history of offering multiple ways to shop—beginning with a mail-order catalogue in 1974 and adding online shopping in 2001. Today, MEC’s expansive retail locations and e-commerce platform support a robust “buy online, pick up in store” (BOPIS) program. Roughly 20% of customers choose this option, taking advantage of MEC’s widespread store network.

Dynamics 365 plays a crucial role behind the scenes. Its headless commerce capabilities integrate directly with BigCommerce, MEC’s ecommerce platform, enabling reliable and efficient order fulfillment. The system’s warehouse and distributed order management tools ensure that orders are shipped quickly from the most efficient location—typically arriving within two days, and often within one. No small feat for a company with nearly one million orders annually.

MEC has also built custom workflows using Power Automate to streamline inventory management and extend Dynamics 365 Commerce to suit its specific business processes. “With Dynamics 365, it’s really easy for us to figure out quick ways to meet our business needs, and with a lot more speed and efficiency than we’ve had in the past,” says Garrett.

Real-time inventory visibility fuels agility

Fast, accurate inventory visibility is critical for MEC’s retail and online operations. With Dynamics 365, store and warehouse teams now have a real-time view of product movement across the network. This visibility allows MEC to make proactive decisions that improve stock availability and reduce carrying costs.

The platform’s real-time integration with BigCommerce ensures that product availability reflects actual stock levels, updated every 15 minutes—a vital feature when processing nearly a million orders annually.

That same visibility empowers store teams with greater autonomy and improves MEC’s ability to fulfill the promise of fast delivery, whether online or in-store. “Dynamics 365 enables unprecedented inventory visibility. Everyone has a clear picture of product movement, all in one place,” explains Sylvia Mcloughlin, VP of Operations, MEC.

Tools that support staff and drive efficiency

Using Microsoft Power Apps, MEC developed lightweight, purpose-built tools to streamline operational workflows. One app automates the process of issuing notices of assessment when vendors fail to meet contract terms—recovering revenue and reducing manual overhead.

Another app supports store-to-store transfers for online pickup orders. It calculates the most efficient transfer routes and simplifies the process for staff, helping ensure customers can pick up their gear where it’s most convenient.

These tools—developed in-house—are a direct result of the flexibility and extensibility of Dynamics 365 and Power Platform, enabling MEC to innovate without the cost and complexity of legacy system development.

Driving engagement through loyalty

MEC’s strength lies in the quality of its people, products, and customer relationships. With Dynamics 365 Commerce, the company finally had the flexibility to launch a long-planned loyalty program—without the cost or complexity of third-party integrations.

“We’ve been able to launch a loyalty program with our own people at zero material cost,” says Garrett. Since launch, members who participate in the program spend 25% more on average—a testament to the value of a well-integrated system and strong customer connection.

Looking ahead: One platform, endless possibilities

MEC’s ERP transformation has laid a solid foundation for growth. With Dynamics 365, the company has consolidated key business functions, improved its ability to serve members, and enabled teams to work more efficiently across departments.

As Cam Miller, Director of Applications at MEC, explains, “We’re planning for aggressive goals that we could never have pursued before Dynamics 365 because the data simply wasn’t available.”

“Having all our data in one place has truly been a game changer, especially in terms of the business intelligence capabilities it enables,” says Garrett. MEC’s Azure-based data ecosystem now integrates transactional, e-commerce, and customer data—fueling smarter decisions and more responsive operations.

Next on the roadmap: mobile point of sale. MEC plans to roll out mobile POS to enhance in-store service and support events like gear swaps and sidewalk sales—enabling staff to connect with members wherever they are.

Prepared for all the trails ahead

With Dynamics 365 running most of its retail business, from POS to omnichannel retailing, fulfillment, and distribution, MEC has consolidated its primary business functions on a single platform—and looking back, Mcloughlin couldn’t be happier with the progress MEC has made. “Everything is in one place; we don’t have to look in multiple systems. To have that information at your fingertips and be able to look in multiple functions is critical in today’s retail environment,” she says.

Garrett is equally excited about where MEC is going and continues to find ways to use Dynamics 365 to support every part of the organization, including its most distinctive and valued asset: its extraordinarily knowledgeable staff. “We’re excited to grow on the platform instead of trying to catch up with technology.”