Executive summary
Foster Display Group is a full-service trade show and event experience company that designs, builds, ships, installs, dismantles, and stores custom booth assets for clients across industries such as entertainment, pharmaceuticals, and publishing.
As the company grew, spreadsheets, Google Docs, pack lists, paper workflows, and employee memory could no longer support its circular inventory model. Foster needed a better way to manage both Foster-owned and client-owned inventory, track item availability and location, and give teams access to supporting details such as usage history, documents, photos, and return status.
Foster also needed a faster, more reliable way to turn client and internal requests into fulfillment-ready orders without forcing warehouse teams to hunt through spreadsheets, emails, old job files, or physical inventory checks.
With EZO EAM, Foster is building a centralized, visual inventory operations system for event-based fulfillment. The company now manages roughly 2,000 active SKUs in EZO EAM, with plans to scale toward 10,000. Using EZO EAM’s Request Management portal, carts, Asset Stock Management, mobile access, labels, thumbnails, documentation, and search functionality, Foster is reducing manual work and improving confidence in fulfillment.
EZO EAM helps Foster bring item details, availability, request context, labels, documentation, and warehouse execution into one workflow, so teams can move from request to pick, pack, and fulfillment with far less back-and-forth.
The clearest impact so far is speed: a 10-item fulfillment order that previously took 1.5 to 2 hours can now be completed in about 20 minutes.
The challenge: Circular inventory was too complex for spreadsheets
Foster Display Group operates in a fast-moving event environment. Its teams create custom trade show booths, branded displays, pop-up activations, and large-scale event experiences. Inventory does not move in a simple one-way flow. Items are stored, shipped to events, returned, reused, repaired, reconfigured, leased, or assigned to client-specific projects.
Some inventory belongs to Foster. Some of it belongs to clients and is stored by Foster for future use. Some items are large and custom-built, while others are smaller components or hardware that are available in larger quantities.
That created a circular inventory model that spreadsheets could no longer support.
Before EZO EAM, Foster managed inventory through a mix of pack lists, spreadsheets, Google Docs, paper records, visual warehouse checks, and institutional knowledge. Each job started with a packing list, but availability and location often had to be confirmed manually.
That meant fulfillment was not just a warehouse task. It became an information-gathering exercise before the team could even pick, pack, or prepare the right items.
If someone needed a table, frame, sign, cabinet, or display component, the process often involved walking the warehouse, checking old files, asking warehouse staff, or relying on memory. Sales teams working in another building had limited visibility into what was available, making it harder to reuse existing inventory or confidently recommend items to clients.
The bigger the event schedule became, the harder it was to keep request context, item availability, supporting documents, and fulfillment execution aligned across teams.
As Foster grew and expanded its facility, the need for a centralized inventory system became urgent.
“It was no longer a luxury to have an inventory system. It was a must.”
— Todd Spendley, Foster Display Group
The solution: A centralized system for event-based inventory
Foster turned to EZO EAM to create a more structured and searchable way to manage its inventory.
The company had originally engaged with EZO EAM in 2019, but the system had not been fully operationalized. As the business continued to grow, Foster made a renewed commitment in 2025 to put EZO EAM at the center of its inventory operations.
The team did not attempt a disruptive, all-at-once rollout. Instead, Foster took a phased approach. It started with high-priority inventory categories such as booth frames, hanging signs, and key display components. From there, the team built the database, tested workflows, experimented with modules, and adjusted the system around the way Foster actually works.
One important decision was to move inventory into Asset Stock. Foster manages reusable display components, custom items, and hardware pieces with larger quantities. By organizing inventory in Asset Stock, the team created a simpler, more consistent experience for internal users and clients.
This mattered especially for the client-facing portal. Foster wanted clients to browse inventory, view available items, and build carts without needing to understand internal inventory classifications. EZO EAM helped Foster make that experience easier to navigate.
Instead of treating inventory records, client requests, carts, labels, and warehouse preparation as separate steps, Foster could start bringing them into a more connected fulfillment workflow.
With EZO EAM, Foster can organize inventory into groups and subgroups, add thumbnails, enable keyword search, attach documents, generate labels, and give different users a clearer way to find what they need.
For clients, this creates a cleaner ordering experience. For internal teams, it creates faster lookup, better warehouse visibility, and a stronger foundation for future reporting, purchasing, and event planning.
For warehouse teams, it also means every order can arrive with clearer item context, supporting details, and a more reliable starting point for fulfillment.
Centralized inventory visibility for sales and warehouse teams
One of the most important changes for Foster has been moving inventory knowledge out of scattered records and employee memory.
Before EZO EAM, finding an item could require checking spreadsheets, reviewing old job files, asking warehouse staff, or physically searching the warehouse. That slowed down both warehouse work and client-facing planning.
With EZO EAM, Foster is building a searchable inventory database where employees can browse items visually, filter by category, and use keyword searches to locate items more quickly. Groups, subgroups, thumbnails, and list views make the system easier to use for both warehouse teams and sales teams.
This is especially useful in a business where visual selection matters. A salesperson looking for a table, pedestal, sign, cabinet, or display component can first review existing inventory before requesting a new purchase or asking someone to search the warehouse manually.
That visibility helps requests land with more context from the start. Sales and account teams can see what exists, what may be available, and what can be reused before an order reaches the warehouse.
That visibility also supports better purchasing decisions. When teams cannot confirm whether an item is available, they may buy more than they need. EZO EAM gives Foster a better way to understand what exists, what is currently out, and what may return in time for a future event.
“It will really be a game-changer for our company when we can give our salespeople visual access to all the things that we have in our warehouse.”
— Todd Spendley, Foster Display Group
Faster fulfillment with carts, labels, and cleaner item records
Fulfillment is where Foster has seen one of its clearest measurable improvements.
For clients using Foster’s fulfillment services, EZO EAM’s client-facing Request Management portal and cart system provide a structured way to place orders. The Foster team can then pick, pack, and prepare items using cleaner item records, consistent labels, and clearer order details.
This is the point at which EZO EAM’s value extends beyond inventory visibility. It helps Foster turn a request into a more fulfillment-ready workflow.
Before EZO EAM, a 10-item fulfillment order could take 1.5 to 2 hours. The process involved manual searching, inconsistent markings, clipboard-based checks, and time spent confirming which items needed to be picked.
With EZO EAM, the same type of order now takes about 20 minutes.
The improvement comes from the combination of better item organization and clearer execution. Items are structured in the system, labels are generated, carts provide order details, and warehouse teams can match items faster using consistent EZO EAM item numbers.
Instead of starting every fulfillment task by reconstructing context, the team can work from cleaner item records, visual references, labels, and request details already organized in EZO EAM.
That helps reduce the information hunting that previously slowed picking, packing, and order preparation.
A workflow that previously depended on manual interpretation is now easier to complete with speed and confidence.
“A typical order that would have taken somewhere between an hour and a half and two hours… I can do it in 20 minutes now.”
— Todd Spendley, Foster Display Group
Reducing client back-and-forth with the client portal
Client communication is a major part of Foster’s inventory operations. Clients need to know what inventory is available, what can be shipped, what an item looks like, and which details or documents are attached to it.
Before EZO EAM, those conversations often required multiple emails, file sharing, images, manual checks, and follow-ups. A client might ask what was available, Foster’s team would check records or the warehouse, and both sides would exchange information until the order was finalized.
With EZO EAM’s client-facing portal, clients can view their inventory, browse available items, and build carts directly. This reduces manual coordination and gives clients a clearer way to request what they need.
For Foster, the portal creates a more structured intake point. Instead of requests arriving through scattered conversations, clients can submit clearer orders with the right item context attached.
Todd estimates that the portal has reduced client communication by roughly 50% in fulfillment workflows where it is used.
The portal also helps Foster manage item details more efficiently. When there is a question about how to classify an item, what it looks like, or what documentation is associated with it, the team can create or update the item profile in EZO EAM and share information through the system instead of relying on long email threads.
That matters for custom event assets such as cabinets, lighting components, electronics, schematics, display structures, and supporting documents. Item profiles can include photos, instructions, drawings, compliance information, and other details clients or event teams may need.
In live event environments, timing is critical. If someone needs item information during show setup, they should not have to wait for someone at the office to answer a phone call. With EZO EAM, Foster is building a system where important item details can be accessed when teams need them.
That means fewer fulfillment questions have to be answered manually, and more order context is available before the warehouse team begins preparing the request.
“The addition of the customer-facing portal… easily cut down back-and-forth communication by 50%.”
— Todd Spendley, Foster Display Group
Mobile access for warehouse work
Foster’s warehouse environment includes more than small items on shelves. Some assets are large and irregular, stored across different spaces, or located on trucks, in the yard, or in staging areas.
That makes mobile access important.
With EZO EAM’s mobile app, warehouse teams can look up items, add inventory, take photos, upload details, and access records without returning to a workstation. This has changed how teams work on the warehouse floor.
Previously, looking up an item could mean walking back to a computer, searching for the record, and then returning to the item. Now, employees can access item data on a mobile device while standing near the inventory.
This helps keep fulfillment work moving because teams can verify item details, capture updates, and check availability from the floor instead of breaking the workflow to search elsewhere.
This also makes the system useful for more warehouse operators, not only employees with dedicated workstations. Foster has started training entry-level and non-technical team members to check items in EZO EAM before searching manually.
Instead of looking for an item and later discovering that it is out at an event, teams can first check its availability and status in the system.
For a warehouse team preparing event assets under time pressure, real-time access helps reduce avoidable searches, wrong picks, and fulfillment delays.
“The mobile platform’s fantastic. It has not let us down once.”
— Todd Spendley, Foster Display Group
A phased rollout supported by EZO EAM
A major part of Foster’s success has been the ability to roll out EZO EAM gradually while live operations continue.
Todd came to Foster with extensive warehouse management system experience, having launched approximately 8–10 WMS relationships over the past 15 years. In his experience, many software providers provide strong support during launch but become less responsive once onboarding is complete.
EZO EAM’s support experience stood out because it continued beyond setup.
As Foster tested modules, adjusted workflows, and made decisions such as moving items into Asset Stock, the EZO EAM team provided guidance, explained implications, and helped execute changes carefully. When Foster asked whether a workflow or feature was possible, the answer was often that the capability already existed and needed to be configured or enabled.
That support mattered because Foster could not pause the business to rebuild its inventory process overnight. The company needed to implement EZO EAM one section at a time, learn the platform through real use cases, and build internal confidence before expanding adoption across larger workflows.
The phased rollout also helped Foster improve fulfillment without forcing the team into a rigid process that did not match how event inventory actually moves.
“The level of support has really been continual, and again, the patience and the understanding of that has made all the difference.”
— Todd Spendley, Foster Display Group
Business impact
EZO EAM is helping Foster Display Group move from manual, memory-based inventory control to a more structured fulfillment and warehouse operation.
The clearest impact so far is speed. A 10-item fulfillment order that previously took 1.5 to 2 hours can now be completed in about 20 minutes. For client-facing fulfillment workflows, the portal has also reduced back-and-forth communication by roughly 50%, cutting down on emails, manual checks, file exchanges, and availability confirmations that previously slowed orders.
Together, these improvements show how EZO EAM helps Foster reduce the time between request and fulfillment by providing teams with cleaner intake, clearer item context, better search, mobile access, labels, and documentation in a single system.
The impact extends beyond individual orders. Warehouse and sales teams can now search for items faster, browse visual records, organize inventory by groups and subgroups, generate labels, attach documentation, and access item information from mobile devices. This gives Foster a stronger operating foundation for a business where inventory is constantly being shipped, returned, reused, repaired, and prepared for the next event.
Foster currently manages roughly 2,000 active SKUs in EZO EAM and plans to grow that number toward 10,000 over time. As more inventory categories, internal carts, client portals, and mobile workflows come online, the team expects EZO EAM to support better planning, faster picking and packing, stronger purchasing decisions, and more reliable event readiness.
As adoption expands, EZO EAM can become the fulfillment layer that helps Foster manage every request with more context, less manual coordination, and greater confidence in what is being prepared for each event.
Looking ahead
Foster’s next priority is to expand EZO EAM beyond current fulfillment workflows into broader internal event operations.
The team plans to build out more inventory records, deepen mobile adoption on the warehouse floor, and expand the cart system so internal teams can plan, pick, pack, track, and return inventory for larger event workflows. As more operators work directly on the platform, EZO EAM will become a more embedded part of Foster’s daily operations.
For Foster, the goal is not just to track inventory. The goal is to give teams a reliable way to know what they have, where it is, how it has been used, what details are attached to it, and how quickly it can be prepared for the next client experience.
That makes EZO EAM central to the workflow Foster is building: request the right items, prepare them with the right context, fulfill them faster, and keep the inventory record ready for the next event.
“The most significant impact that EZO EAM has had on Foster so far has been to help us organize our workflows in a way that we can get things done more efficiently, with more certainty.”
— Todd Spendley, Foster Display Group
