How Furniture Village Cut Costs by 70% with V1CE Digital Business Cards

In modern retail, the smallest changes can drive the biggest impact. For Furniture Village, traditional business cards weren’t just inefficient—they were out of step with their customer-first, sustainability-focused values. That’s why they switched to V1CE digital business cards, cutting costs by 70% and saving thousands of hours in admin time while delivering a better brand experience across all touchpoints.

Founded in 1989, Furniture Village is one of the UK’s leading independent furniture retailers. It is known for combining quality craftsmanship with exceptional customer service. With over 50 stores across the country and a growing online presence, the company offers a wide range of home furnishings, from sofas and beds to dining tables and accessories.

When Paper Becomes a Problem

Furniture Village’s customer-first model means employees regularly attend industry networking events, meet suppliers, and engage with partners. In these moments, making a great first impression is vital.

However, relying on traditional paper business cards had drawbacks beyond cost:

• Staff were waiting up to 10 days to receive new cards
• Paper cards were often misplaced or outdated
• Teams were manually updating CRM systems after meetings
• Contact follow-up was inconsistent and error-prone

“It wasn’t just the money,” Charlie adds. “It was the time and effort, too.”

The inefficiencies became even more noticeable as remote work, video calls, and hybrid events became the norm. Physical paper cards didn’t translate to the new pace and scale of digital business.

Discovering V1CE: One Tap to Connect with a Digital Business Card

In search of a better solution, Charlie discovered V1CE, a platform offering smart business cards that use NFC technology to instantly share a user’s contact details with a simple tap. An electronic business card is a modern alternative to traditional business cards, offering customizable features and versatile sharing options.

“That’s when I kind of found V1CE,” Charlie shares. “They’ve been fantastic from day one. Most importantly, they’ve been massively well received.”

Within weeks, the Furniture Village leadership team rolled out a pilot of 20 V1CE smart business cards. The results were immediate: no more reprints, manual data entry, or outdated contact details.

Whether using a QR code or an NFC tap, staff could share contact info directly to a prospect’s phone. Digital business card work involves sharing through various methods, such as QR codes, email, text, or social media, allowing recipients to access the card in their web browser or a specific app.

“You just tap the card on their phone and it’s done. It’s completely seamless,” Charlie says.

Each card is completely customizable, including the company logo, employee name, and job title. And since no app download is required, even less tech-savvy recipients can connect instantly.

Rolling Out Across the Business to Eliminate Manual Data Entry

Following the pilot’s success, Furniture Village rapidly expanded its deployment to more than 200 employees. Departments including sales, HR, and operations adopted V1CE smart cards as their go-to networking tool. V1CE stands out as the best digital business card due to its customizable features, seamless integration with virtual meeting platforms, and the ability to enhance networking experiences.

“The guys have been raving about it,” Charlie says. “Whenever you go to a meeting, you just put your card straight on their phone—it’s revolutionary.”

Creating digital business cards with V1CE is incredibly easy. Users can design, share, and manage their cards efficiently without the need for NFC technology.

The adoption has led to measurable improvements:

• 95% reduction in paper card ordering costs
• 3,000+ hours saved in admin time per year
• Increased conversion rates from the first meeting to the follow-up

Additionally, V1CE’s dashboard has enabled the centralized management of all employee digital cards, making off-boarding and role changes seamless.

Sustainability and Scalability Aligned

One of the strongest motivators for making the switch was sustainability. Furniture Village is deeply invested in environmentally friendly practices, from materials sourcing to in-store energy usage. By moving away from paper cards, the company estimates it has saved: Over 75,000 paper cards annually. More than 300 kg of CO₂ emissions from printing and transport“It’s brilliant from a sustainability point of view,” Charlie says. “We’re no longer printing loads of paper cards or contributing to unnecessary waste. It’s just one thing you can keep updating and share across the business.”

Consistency Across Channels and Teams

Beyond sustainability and cost, V1CE brought much-needed consistency. With digital business cards standardized across departments, employees deliver a unified brand experience. Thanks to features like customizable QR codes, dynamic email signatures, and even Apple Wallet integration, staff can confidently represent the brand in person, online, or during virtual meetings.

“Now our teams are showing up in a modern, cohesive way—whether they’re at a trade show or on a Zoom call,” Charlie notes.

A Smarter Way to Connect and Grow

The shift to V1CE has empowered Furniture Village to connect with more leads more easily, capture and sync contact info instantly, reduce friction in networking and follow-ups, and increase confidence and productivity across the whole team.

“It’s a small change with massive impact,” Charlie says. “We’re seeing more engagement, more professionalism, and more efficiency.”The digital card has also become a conversation starter. Prospects regularly compliment the experience and ask how they can get something similar."

Looking Ahead

As Furniture Village continues to scale its operations and invest in its digital business transformation, tools like V1CE support that journey. The platform's flexibility ensures future readiness, from CRM integrations and employee directories to virtual backgrounds and social media links.

“V1CE is now part of our tech stack. It’s efficient, eco-friendly, and incredibly user friendly,” Charlie says.

Final Thoughts:

Try It for Yourself. Charlie’s advice to other business leaders?

“I’d encourage anybody that hasn’t looked into doing it to try the new technology and adapt to a new way of working.”

V1CE offers a free plan to get started and scalable subscription options for teams of any size. Whether trying to impress prospects, reduce admin, or improve employee onboarding, it’s a modern, practical tool that delivers real ROI.

Ready to upgrade your business cards and impress at your next meeting? Try V1CE’s free plan or explore premium options today.

Get started with V1CE Digital Cards and take your networking to the next level.