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Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Distributors Continue to Invest In Software Despite Economy

Despite the struggling economy, distributors continue to invest in software to better position their business for long-term success.


"While initially, the thought of investing in a new ERP solution in a down economy may seem daunting, if you think about it, there really is no better time," said Steve McLaughlin, senior vice president and general manager of Activant. "With things slow, distributors have time to review all of the options available and make a decision based on their current and future needs. In addition, they can take the time to train on the new system so their staff is ready to hit the ground running when the economy rebounds."


Many distributors are following McLaughlin's advice. In the month of June alone, nearly 40 distributors invested in Activant Prophet 21™, making it the leading enterprise software solution for distributors. As of today, more than 1,375 wholesale distributors have invested in the system.


"We were impressed by the way the Activant team has factored its experience in distribution into Prophet 21," said Kevin Reidl, executive vice president of Hodel-Natco Industries. The Cleveland , OH, distributor recently choose to move from SAP BusinessOne to Prophet 21. "The package has several very nice tools that were clearly developed from Activant’s experience in the distribution industry, and specifically in fastener distribution. The fact that the people at Activant live and breathe distribution shows in the product."


Distributors on legacy Activant solutions are also looking to move to Prophet 21. "Our overall goal, no matter what system we implemented, was to help us improve our customer experience." said Donna Benner, director of operations for The RG Group in York, PA. The company will move from Activant Disc to Prophet 21. "We wanted to get more data out of our solution more efficiently than we could with our current one. We chose Activant Prophet 21 because they do know our business – they’ve been in our industry for a long time – and the functionality of the system was what we had been looking for.”


"While there is no question that tough economic times put a strain on all businesses," concludes McLaughlin, "those distributors that view this slow period as an opportunity will emerge from this cycle stronger and in a better position to take advantage of what comes next."


About Activant Solutions Inc.


Activant Solutions Inc. ("Activant") is a leading technology provider of business management solutions serving retail and wholesale distribution businesses in three primary vertical markets: hardlines and lumber; wholesale distribution; and the automotive parts aftermarket. Founded in 1972, Activant provides customers with tailored proprietary software, professional services, content, supply chain connectivity, and analytics. More than 30,000 customer locations use an Activant solution to manage their day-to-day operations. Activant has operations throughout the United States and Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.


For more information, please visit http://distribution.activant.com

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