LightStyles Selects Savance to Streamline Business Operations

LightStyles, a lighting distributor and showroom located in Cornelius, North Carolina, selected Savance Enterprise’s ERP Software to help the business prepare for growth. Skip Hulett, Owner of LightStyles says “Selecting an ERP is a massive decision, but since making it, I have never second-guessed myself with that with the decision to move forward with Savance Enterprise ERP Software.” Skip — who has been the Owner of LightStyles for the past six years — says one of the most important factors driving his decision was Savance’s knowledge of the industry and commitment to doing business the way LightStyles does business. “Savance listened to our feedback and our business needs and customized the areas of the software we needed,” explains Skip.

With its new Savance Enterprise ERP System, LightStyles will be able to streamline processes, gain better control of warehouse operations, improve accuracy, and capitalize on fast order entry to meet the demands of an aggressive growth trajectory. In addition, LightStyles will enhance its content by utilizing XO Logic to integrate with the new ERP platform. This powerful combination gives the lighting distributor the ability to showcase rich product data and industry-specific information to feed sales orders and quotes, eCommerce, and professional proposals.

“Savance’s vast experience in the electrical distribution industry parlayed well into what we need as a lighting distributor. On top of that, their pre-implementation support and follow-through have been outstanding,” says Skip. “There is no doubt they are knowledgeable at what they do. For me personally, being able to continue to interact with the same person who sold us the solution, is also meaningful and beneficial. We know what it takes to build strong relationships and I believe that Savance values their customers the same way, all the way through the process from beginning to end.” 

To learn more, visit the Savance Newsroom. 

For the 2020 Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guide:

http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2020_Distribution_Manufacturing_Software_Guide_Interactive.pdf?utm_source=DownloadElectronic&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2020Guide

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services at http://www.software4distributors.com and to use our Vertical Markets Matrix, visit http://www.software4distributors.com/compare/default.aspx.

Also, read our 2019 Mid-Year Supplements at http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2019_Mid_Year_Supplement_Blog.pdf?utm_source=DownloadPDF&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2019Supp.

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

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American Metals Supply Enhances Business Performance with Epicor

American Metals Supply Co., Inc. is a wholesale distributor of sheet and coil steel, prefabricated duct and fittings, and a complete line of HVAC products. As a third-generation family-owned and now woman-owned business, they have been serving HVAC contractors since 1962. Today they have revenues of over $100 million and eight locations across the Midwest, serving twelve states, all while relying on Eclipse technology advancements to support this growth.

Successfully selling 300K tons of steel in a 12-month period requires having a close eye on sales results. American Metals Supply has used Epicor Data Analytics (EDA) to seamlessly integrate with Eclipse to pull information into dashboards that they can use to quickly view their sales activity.

When the COVID-19 crisis hit in early 2020, they were able to quickly adapt by using EDA to modify their dashboards and monitor new metrics to drive even more efficiency. Using analytics to closely monitor A/R data, including metrics such as days to pay, week over week receivables, and existing credit limits, they improved cash flow by reducing ADP by over three days.

Using the right information in an easy-to-access format, gave the company the ability to avoid reducing headcount, unlike so many of their peers in this challenging market environment.

American Metals Supply does not have a showroom. Approximately 90% of their business is done via delivery. In addition to EDA, American Metals Supply has used other third-party solutions that have been integrated into Eclipse.

Having an eCommerce presence, powered by Eclipse partner Second Phase, allowed them to serve customers quickly without customers dropping by their facility. Utilizing iPads with an app from a solution partner, Innovo, each driver has their own device, removing the need for paperwork and customer contact, while increasing efficiency and flexibility.

"Eclipse has helped us become so efficient in purchasing that we can finish purchasing in half a day and spend the second half of the day working on projects that help us move forward" - Brandon Gregory, Supply Chain Manager, American Metals Supply

 

Read more on the Epicor website.

For the 2020 Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guide:

http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2020_Distribution_Manufacturing_Software_Guide_Interactive.pdf?utm_source=DownloadElectronic&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2020Guide

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services at http://www.software4distributors.com and to use our Vertical Markets Matrix, visit http://www.software4distributors.com/compare/default.aspx.

Also, read our 2019 Mid-Year Supplements at http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2019_Mid_Year_Supplement_Blog.pdf?utm_source=DownloadPDF&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2019Supp.

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

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Knit-Set Canada Enhances Inventory Control With Blue Link

Based in Montréal, Knit-Set Canada Ltd. is an importer of ladies’ sweaters. Knit-Set works with a number of designers to create sweaters inspired by looks seen on international fashion runways. The sweaters are manufactured in Korea and then shipped to Montréal for distribution to a variety of retail locations across Canada.

Sweater styles change year to year, so Knit-Set needed an integrated IT system to provide management with real-time, accurate information about product SKU’s. As well, the company wanted to improve employee productivity within a secure environment, to prepare for anticipated growth. The company was running a number of disconnected software programs and paper-based processes to manage inventory, sales orders, purchasing, tracking of shipments, accounting information and financial statements. The outdated software in use for order entry and accounting applications was minimally supported and could no longer be upgraded. The system in place was not accessible by reporting and analysis tools. Inventory management and shipment tracking were performed using manually updated spreadsheets. Purchase orders were manually produced using Microsoft Word.

“We buy our goods in U.S. dollars, therefore, letters of credit must be checked and double-checked to ensure accuracy,” says Manfred Sandler, V.P. Finance, Knit-Set Canada Ltd. “We needed to track and manage data pertaining to letters of credit and provide real-time reports, to allow our employees to focus on key tasks that impact the business, instead of tedious manual exercises.”

Blue Link / Microsoft Results

The integrated IT solution developed by Blue Link Associates Limited, a Microsoft® Certified Partner, has helped Knit-Set improve productivity across the organization. Access to comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date information is enabling employees to focus on key tasks instead of tedious manual work. Duplicated data-entry has been eliminated, saving staff 10-15 days per month in time.

Better visibility into product status is also helping to improve customer service. Knit-Set has improved its bottom line by providing management with access to timely and accurate information needed to make sound business decisions. The result is better visibility into inventory status, which helps ensure that sales obligations are fulfilled, while also maximizing inventory turnover and reducing the costs associated with warehousing excess product. “Ensuring we don’t have overstock is important to our business because leftovers mean reduced revenue – typically we have surplus inventory at the end of the season,” says Sandler. “Having access to inventory information helps us identify and sell any surplus, and enables us to plan for the following season because we can clearly see what colors and styles sold well.”

With the help of the solution implemented by Blue Link Associates Limited, Knit-Set Canada Ltd. has accrued the following tangible benefits:

• Saved 10-15 working days a year 
•  Improved inventory management 
• Reduced travel costs 
•  Improved security 
• Eliminate manual processes 

Learn more on the Blue Link website.

For the 2020 Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guide:

http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2020_Distribution_Manufacturing_Software_Guide_Interactive.pdf?utm_source=DownloadElectronic&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2020Guide

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services at http://www.software4distributors.com and to use our Vertical Markets Matrix, visit http://www.software4distributors.com/compare/default.aspx.

Also, read our 2019 Mid-Year Supplements at http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2019_Mid_Year_Supplement_Blog.pdf?utm_source=DownloadPDF&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2019Supp.

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

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Improving Virtual Sales Relationships With SPARXiQ

Since their inception in 1993, SPARXiQ has generated billions of dollars of profitable growth for hundreds of organizations, including twenty-five Fortune 500 companies. With their help clients grow revenue, optimize margins, build more effective sales teams, and improve operations. SPARXiQ is offering two webinars designed to help manufacturers and distributors navigate the current environment.

How to Hire Sales Pros That Deliver Results 
Hiring right has always been important, especially for sales roles. Right now, this is even more true than it usually is, and even more important that your new sales hires can sell (possibly remotely, for a while) and deliver the results you need. So, whether you are hiring right now, during our current pandemic crisis, or planning to ramp up or grow again as we move into an economic recovery, your hiring decisions for sales are going to be more critical than ever.

Join Doug Wyatt and Mike Kunkle on July 17th at 2 pm for this episode of Sales Enablement Straight Talk™, to learn how to implement a proven-effective system that combines selection methods to radically improve your hiring success. Stop rolling the dice and hoping – and start hiring sales pros that deliver results!

Register on the website.

Maintaining Meaningful Relationships in Virtual Selling
Even in the new digital age, making personal connections based on trust and integrity, and supporting client goal achievement, remain essential to top sales performers. Ever since COVID-19 brought unique challenges and economic uncertainty, there has been additional pressure on businesses that deepen the importance of loyal relationships.

In this Sales Enablement Straight Talk™ webinar scheduled for August 13th at 2 pm, Mike Kunkle and Doug Wyatt share the frameworks companies can use to ensure their sales teams are intentional about strengthening customer relationships to secure revenue in this time of uncertainty.
Topics include:

• The fundamental mindsets sellers must possess to build deeper relationships 
• How to identify which customer relationships deserve the most focus 
• How to evaluate customer relationships objectively, to know how strong they really are 
• What it takes to develop the relationships with the most opportunity 

Register on the website.

For the 2020 Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guide:

http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2020_Distribution_Manufacturing_Software_Guide_Interactive.pdf?utm_source=DownloadElectronic&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2020Guide

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services at http://www.software4distributors.com and to use our Vertical Markets Matrix, visit http://www.software4distributors.com/compare/default.aspx.

Also, read our 2019 Mid-Year Supplements at http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2019_Mid_Year_Supplement_Blog.pdf?utm_source=DownloadPDF&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2019Supp.

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

Walker Zanger Refines Decision-making with Phocas

For more than 60 years, Walker Zanger, the world’s most comprehensive luxury stone and tile company, has combined traditional tile making techniques with modern sophistication, creating a brand that transcends any singular style. Walker Zanger has 13 showrooms and 175 authorized dealers in US, and also supplies tile and stone to significant projects across the globe.

The company wanted to deploy robust analytics capabilities to help sales representatives and managers make better decisions. Previously, decision making was cumbersome and time consuming. Users had to either settle for canned reports or wait one to two weeks for IT to build custom queries for them. After a report was run, users who needed to see the data from a different perspective had to rerun the report.

Walker Zanger’s Prophet 21 ERP solution from Epicor manages accounting, purchasing, order entry, and inventory for more than 3,000 stock keeping units (SKUs). Managers in operations, sales, and finance use Phocas to create reports and queries on the data within Prophet 21 ERP to easily analyze sales data about these products. Now they look at a summary report and simply click on an item to drill down to more detailed information; for example, by drilling down from total YTD sales to YTD sales by location.

 As a result, staff use Phocas in a fluid manner, asking follow-up questions at the speed of thought to improve decision making. Sales reps now use Phocas to help dealers find ways to increase sales. Reps show dealers exactly what products have and haven’t sold and compare that information with what the majority of dealers are selling. Using this information, dealers prioritize their efforts to improve sales results.

Before implementing Phocas, reps often used multiple reports and combined information for presentation in a time consuming process that did not allow changes to reports on the fly. Managers use Phocas dashboards to set employees’ performance expectations and track their progress in meeting those goals.

To learn more, visit the Phocas Newsroom.

For the 2019 Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guide:

http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2019_Distribution_Manufacturing_Software_Guide.pdf?utm_source=DownloadElectronic&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2019Guide

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services at http://www.software4distributors.com and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard, visit http://www.software4distributors.com/compare/default.aspx.

Also, read our 2019 Mid-Year Supplements at http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2019_Mid_Year_Supplement_Blog.pdf?utm_source=DownloadPDF&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2019Supp.

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

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Chicago Nut & Bolt On Time And On Budget With Computer Insights

Chicago Nut & Bolt, in business for over 20 years, is an industry leader in the area of custom industrial fasteners. Eric Carlson, President, explained CNB’s philosophy. He said “While we distribute standard fasteners, our fastener supply services include fulfilling non-standard requests, such as extra-large and extra-long sizes. We work with sizes from 1/4” to 3” in diameter, in any length up to 72”. We can get them to you quickly because we stock blanks in every imaginable head style that can be modified per your specifications.”

Eric told us one secret to their ability to offer such a diverse and comprehensive bundle of products and services. He said, “Chicago Nut and Bolt has worked with Computer Insights for over 10 years. When we installed The Business Edge, our system was installed and up and running on time and ZERO dollars over budget. I was also amazed that we did all the training on line. It turned out to be the most efficient computer implementation I have ever experienced.”

“Since then, the system has helped us maintain the level of customer service that we have committed to our customers. With The Business Edge, all the information that we need is at our finger tips. It is helping us with our ISO Quality requirements and it is enabling us to give our customers what they need in a single call, no call backs, no voice mails, just prompt, professional accurate service. I have also been impressed by the flexibility of the system and the ability to customize it to our specific needs.”

Learn more at the Computer Insights Newsroom.

New Software Research Guides Available
Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact sjay@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

For 2019 Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guide:

http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2019_Distribution_Manufacturing_Software_Guide.pdf?utm_source=DownloadElectronic&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2019Guide

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services at http://www.software4distributors.com and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard, visit http://www.software4distributors.com/compare/default.aspx.

Also, read our 2018 Mid-Year Supplements at http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2018_Mid_Year_Supplement_Blog.pdf?utm_source=DownloadPDF&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2018Supp.

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

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C.H. Briggs Improves Margins With SPA

Don Schalk, President & COO of C.H. Briggs has this to say about his company's use of SPA's analytics tools for manufactures and distributors:

"Our principal business is specialty building products. Our principal vendors are DuPont for premium surfacing products; Knape & Vogt, Amerock and 3M for hardware products and production supplies; and Panolam, Atlantic Veneer, and Roseburg for board and panel products. With the implementation of SPA’s pricing model, we achieved a 1.5% improvement in gross margin in the first year. This improvement had an annual positive impact of $600K to our bottom line. The level of customer pushback or resistance to pricing changes has been minimal. During the execution of the pricing model, SPA invested time in training our sales force in the principles of the model and included them as participants in the rollout. This helped dramatically to secure their buy-in to the change. SPA has helped us maintain a strong ROI for the shareholder in a shrinking market. They have given us a comprehensive pricing program which includes not only a process but also a strategy, which we never had before working with them. We highly recommend SPA to other distributors looking to maintain solid profitability in a difficult economic environment."

To learn more, visit the SPA Newsroom.

New Software Research Guides Available
Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact sjay@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

For 2019 Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guide:

http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2019_Distribution_Manufacturing_Software_Guide.pdf?utm_source=DownloadElectronic&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2019Guide

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services at http://www.software4distributors.com and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard, visit http://www.software4distributors.com/compare/default.aspx.

Also, read our 2018 Mid-Year Supplements at http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2018_Mid_Year_Supplement_Blog.pdf?utm_source=DownloadPDF&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2018Supp.

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

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ACI Controls Strengthens Industry Position With MITS

ACI Controls, Inc. (ACI) has been a distributor of industrial components, process control instrumentation, and on-site service since 1945. From its headquarters in Buffalo, New York, three stocking locations, and seven sales offices in the northeast, ACI’s staff of 42 provide customers with the equipment, solutions, and customer service required in today’s fast-paced manufacturing environment.


A Tribute customer since 2008, ACI uses TrulinX ERP business management software to efficiently run company operations. According to John Wischerath, VP of Operations for ACI, “we are extremely pleased with the performance of our TrulinX system, but like most of the ERP solutions I have ever looked at it doesn’t have robust reporting and business intelligence built in. When we learned about Tribute’s partnership with MITS, we immediately jumped at the chance to be an early adopter. Being able to leverage our TrulinX data to make better sales and inventory decisions is essential for us as we look to grow, operate more efficiently, and maintain market leadership.”


ACI is already seeing their investment pay off. “If you just take into account the time our staff spent manually putting reports together to identify trends and possible opportunities, the ROI on MITS is clear,” said John. “I highly recommend that all TrulinX customers evaluate MITS Distributor Analytics for their business.” The sophisticated reporting features of MITS will help ACI to maintain its industry leadership position, providing products and services that exceed customer expectations.


To learn more, visit the MITS Newsroom.




New Software Research Guides Available
Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact sjay@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.


For 2018 Distribution Software Guide: http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2018_Distribution_Software_Guide.pdf?utm_source=DownloadElectronic&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2018DSG


For 2018 Manufacturing Software Guide:
http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2018_Manufacturing_Software_Guide.pdf?utm_source=DownloadElectronic&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2018MFG


Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.

Also, read our 2018 Mid-Year Supplements http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2018_Mid_Year_Supplement_Blog.pdf?utm_source=DownloadPDF&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2018Supp
Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.







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Phocas Lights Up the Data of AEL Electrical Distributors

Established since 1981, AEL is an electrical distributor based in Aberdeen, Scotland. AEL specializes in the supply of control, automation and hazardous area electrical equipment to the oil and gas, marine, petrochemical, renewable and energy sectors. AEL has grown quickly and organically over the past 5 years and now includes offices in Houston; USA, Tema; Ghana, Baku; Azerbaijan and Atryau; Kazakhstan. Their main customers are drilling contractors, panel builders and offshore module builders. The lack of valuable information was hampering the ability of the management team and business development team.


This lack of valuable information was hampering the ability of the management team and business development team to:
•Organize the customers in tiers
•Report the sales
•Match the sales to specific contacts in the CRM system
•Analyze the customers sales and target marketing activity to the customer or sector
•Analyze AEL’s purchasing record allowing for better management of the store and stock


Because of this, AEL implemented Phocas’s Business Intelligence and CRM solutions. One of AEL’s most interesting and significant uses of Phocas is using the system to analyze their On Time in Full (OTIF) percentages. Their OTIF system works by taking the date from the sales order, the date from the line item, the date the item was receipted into AEL, the date receipted out to the customer and the invoice date. Phocas then uses these dates to work out whether the goods were received into AEL on time, late or early; and it also uses the dates to work out if the goods were received by the customer on time, late or early.


The benefit of using both Phocas CRM and Phocas BI for AEL is that the users can see sales figures and by clicking a button be taken to the person / account in the CRM system and vice versa. This allows the data to be linked and allows for tasks to be set for the business development team depending on the data received. This link makes the role of the business development team easier, as only one system is used, allowing for effective and efficient training.


To learn more, Visit the Phocas Newsroom.


New Software Research Guides Available
Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact sjay@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.


For 2018 Distribution Software Guide: http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2018_Distribution_Software_Guide.pdf?utm_source=DownloadElectronic&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2018DSG


For 2018 Manufacturing Software Guide:
http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2018_Manufacturing_Software_Guide.pdf?utm_source=DownloadElectronic&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2018MFG


Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.

Also, read our 2018 Mid-Year Supplements http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2018_Mid_Year_Supplement_Blog.pdf?utm_source=DownloadPDF&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2018Supp
Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.







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SunnyD Eliminates Data Silos With Infor Birst

Sunny Delight Beverages Co. is a producer of juice-based drinks in North America, with four brands including its flagship, SunnyD. When the company was spun off from Proctor & Gamble, eight different legacy business intelligence applications were in place, each with independent silos of data. As a result, SunnyD executives would receive conflicting figures because end users were working off unique silos of data. This disparity led to revenue unpredictability, lower margins than necessary, high inventory buffers, and a lack of understanding of true profitability derived from sales promotions. SunnyD embraced the opportunity to modernize and take a strategic approach to business intelligence.


CIO Shawn Roberts, working closely with the CFO, evaluated 17 different vendors before committing to Infor's Birst. Birst integrates data from multiple sources with transparent data governance, while at the same time providing self-service analytic capabilities to both technical and non-technical users.


Business results and efficiencies as a result of the implementation included:

• 7% Transportation savings
• 90% Reduction in plant overtime costs
• 2% Sales increase
• $195,000 Annual contract staff savings

In addition, the business transformed its analytics with Networked Business Intelligence. Networked BI virtualizes the entire analytics and data ecosystem, enabling the transformation of an organization’s approach to analytics. Built on top of Birst’s modern, multi-tenant cloud architecture, Birst creates a set of interwoven analytics and BI instances that share a common data-as-a-service fabric.


Birst’s technical value to SunnyD has been in integrating data and providing governance around previously siloed data sources, while also providing self-service analytics capabilities to both technical and non-technical users.


To learn more, visit the Infor Newsroom.


New Software Research Guides Available
Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact sjay@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.


For 2018 Distribution Software Guide: http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2018_Distribution_Software_Guide.pdf?utm_source=DownloadElectronic&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2018DSG


For 2018 Manufacturing Software Guide:
http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2018_Manufacturing_Software_Guide.pdf?utm_source=DownloadElectronic&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2018MFG


Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.


Also, read our 2017 Mid-Year Supplements
http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2017_Mid_Year_Supplement.pdf?utm_source=DownloadPDF&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2017Supp&gt


Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.



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Billows Electric Supply Enhances Business Intelligence With Phocas

Billows Electric Supply (Billows) is a family-owned business founded in Philadelphia, PA in 1950. Since that time, the company has grown to more than 250 employees operating 19 locations throughout the Delaware Valley. Billows provides the full spectrum of residential and commercial electrical needs, switchgear and lighting.


Over the years, Billows has used several solutions for data analytics, but the most important factors to the company were ease of implementation and use. In the past, Billows had to build silos of information for other analytics software packages, and their complexity meant only a few trained people could and would use them. When Billows was introduced to Phocas, it was clear that it would be easy to gather information and make it accessible to different employees. Phocas provides a simple, accessible solution that makes business intelligence available to everyone in the organization, including non-technical users.


David Lowenstein, vendor relations at Billows, added, “What was important about Phocas was that people could just use the product. They could create their own reports or use pre-fab reports. Phocas made data analytics and reporting accessible to more people throughout the company."


Phocas is now used across Billows for a variety of applications. The sales team sets up reports that are emailed to them on a regular basis. They can track their sales, as well as dig further into transaction details to identify challenges and opportunities. Lowenstein and the vendor relations team create custom reports and dashboards that are used for vendor negotiations. Rather than printing off a variety of reports for vendor meetings, they pull up Phocas’ online dashboards to show customers their transaction history with Billows, which helps when negotiating future product pricing. The executives are also taking advantage of Phocas’ dashboards, which allow them to see from a high level what is going on with sales and inventory across the business. They click on an emailed report link, log into Phocas and can quickly review the top-level numbers, drilling into the data to get more details about customers, inventory and transactions.


Lowenstein concluded, “You can do more with Phocas than you can even imagine and you can now get business intelligence into the hands of people across the organization who don’t have access to data today.”


To learn more, visit the Phocas Newsroom.


New Software Research Guides Available

Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software?
Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you?
Please contact snelson@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

For 2017 Distribution Software Guide: http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2017_Distribution_Software_Guide.pdf?utm_source=DownloadInteractive&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2017DSG 

For 2017 Manufacturing Software Guide: http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2017_Manufacturing_Software_Guide.pdf?utm_source=DownloadInteractive&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2017MFG 

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services<http://www.software4distributors.com/> and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard<http://www.software4distributors.com/compare/default.aspx>.

 

Also, read our 2017 Mid-Year Supplements. http://www.software4distributors.com/downloads/2017_Mid_Year_Supplement.pdf. 

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.