How Dillard’s Reinvented Networking with Digital Business Cards

In the fast-paced world of retail, every interaction matters, especially when building strong client and partner relationships. Dillard’s, one of America’s largest fashion retailers, found a smarter way to connect by replacing outdated paper business cards with modern, digital business cards from V1CE. The result? Tens of thousands saved, deeper client engagement, and a streamlined contact-sharing system that matches the brand’s premium identity. Here’s how they did it.

Transformation: Quantifiable Wins Across the Board

Dillard’s experienced immediate and measurable benefits after implementing V1CE digital business cards:

• Over £$58,000 saved annually in design, printing, and distribution costs associated with paper cards
• More than 3,500 employee hours reclaimed by eliminating manual data entry and card management processes
• A 50% improvement in lead generation during networking events and in-store brand activations, thanks to easy contact-sharing and follow-up automation
• Over 120,000 paper cards are eliminated annually, reinforcing Dillard’s commitment to sustainability and significantly reducing its carbon footprint.
• A 38% increase in follow-up engagement, driven by CRM-connected digital profiles and real-time updates

Staff reported increased confidence in client meetings and events, where the smart business cards became icebreakers and branding tools in one.

Background: A Fashion Giant With a Personal Touch

Dillard’s is synonymous with quality, style, and customer service. With over 29,000 employees and hundreds of retail locations across the United States, the company is a leader in luxury fashion retail. Its success has always been built on great people and meaningful connections—whether with clients, partners, or each other. However, managing those connections on a large scale presented its own set of challenges. One seemingly small yet surprisingly costly hurdle? Business cards.

As the company grew, maintaining an up-to-date, branded, and accurate contact-sharing system for tens of thousands of staff members became a logistical and financial burden.

“People still matter, relationships still matter. An algorithm can’t do what this card can do.”
– Greg Ostberg, District Manager, Dillard’s

The Challenge: When Paper Cards Become a Corporate Problem

Managing traditional paper business cards for such a large workforce proved to be more than an operational inconvenience. It was a growing liability.

Every time an employee changed job titles, moved stores, or exited the company, cards had to be reprinted. That meant dealing with delivery delays, reordering costs, design updates, and inevitable errors like typos or outdated phone numbers. Distributing cards across hundreds of stores created its layers of complexity and delay.

Chris Sargeant, Assistant District Manager, put it plainly: “The V1CE card rollout has been a game changer.”

In addition to cost inefficiencies, Dillard’s struggled to align this legacy process with its broader digital transformation efforts. In an age where clients expect immediacy and personalization, handing out a static piece of paper felt off-brand for a forward-thinking retailer.

The Solution: V1CE Digital Business Cards Bring a Seamless Alternative

Dillard’s began its journey toward modernization by partnering with V1CE to implement a scalable digital business card solution. V1CE’s technology offered a complete overhaul of the company’s networking tools, replacing paper cards with contactless, customizable, and instantly shareable digital cards.

Instead of manually typing contact information, employees could now share contact details by tapping their NFC business card or scanning a QR code. Whether on Apple Wallet, Android phones, or even Apple Watch, the digital business card app from V1CE allowed every staff member to connect in real time—no app download was required for recipients.

More importantly, the digital card matched the professionalism of Dillard’s brand. With modern fonts, sleek layouts, and the company logo featured prominently, the digital cards became a natural extension of the brand’s high-end retail identity.

The cards also solved one of Dillard’s most pressing problems: the need for fast, centralized updates. V1CE’s Bulk Edit feature enabled administrators to instantly update employee information across the entire team. Changing store addresses, job titles, or phone numbers no longer meant a printing cycle—it took just a few clicks.

Implementation of Digital Business Cards: A Nationwide Rollout Made Simple

Onboarding new systems can be challenging for a company of Dillard’s size. However, the implementation of V1CE’s digital/NFC business cards was smooth, efficient, and well received.

The corporate team began by assigning digital cards to senior leadership, regional managers, and customer-facing staff across pilot districts. Using V1CE’s digital dashboard, administrators could create digital business cards, assign cards, and manage updates all from one place.

The rollout quickly expanded to store-level employees, with training resources and support from V1CE’s team. The cards worked seamlessly with existing digital systems like CRM integrations and Google Workspace, allowing for automation and syncing of employee directory information. Dynamic email signatures and website links further boosted visibility and engagement.

In a matter of weeks, the entire team had switched from traditional paper cards to a streamlined digital solution.

Client Quotes: A New Way to Connect in Retail

“People still matter, relationships still matter,” said District Manager Greg Ostberg. “An algorithm can’t do what this card can do.”

By eliminating the outdated and error-prone paper business card system, Dillard’s empowered its employees to focus more on what matters—building connections with customers and colleagues.

The team also appreciated how V1CE’s smart cards reflected the company’s shift toward a more agile, digital business model. Each interaction became a chance to impress prospects with sleek design, real-time contact info, and sustainability-driven branding.

Scaling the Impact Across the Entire Company

Beyond frontline retail teams, V1CE’s digital business card system is now used across departments from sales to HR to vendor relations. HR teams can now link new employee onboarding with automatic card creation, while offboarding is as simple as revoking access.

Executives use the cards during vendor meetings, trade shows, and virtual conferences, leveraging QR codes and dynamic links during presentations and video calls. Apple Wallet integration, virtual backgrounds, and personalized landing pages give each team member flexibility without sacrificing consistency.

With multiple cards supported per user and full CRM integration, Dillard’s has one of the best digital business card implementations in retail.

Conclusion: The Future of Networking in Retail

Dillard’s transformation with V1CE is a clear example of how digital business cards work in complex, customer-facing environments. The company achieved immediate operational wins by replacing paper cards with electronic business card solutions while reinforcing its brand as a forward-thinking leader in the retail industry.

From saving time and money to creating lasting impressions and boosting lead generation, the shift to digital business networking was not just a modernization but a strategic evolution.

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