Kelly-Fradet Lumber Masters Inventory With DMSi's Agility ERP

Kelly-Fradet Lumber is a pro dealer serving professional contractors across Connecticut and Massachusetts. A key part of their business is custom items, many of which have hundreds of configurable options. One of Kelly-Fradet’s biggest challenges lay in serving customers who want an exact copy of custom items ordered months or years ago. With so many configurable parts, customers rarely remember the exact specs of the original piece. To further complicate the matter, Kelly-Fradet’s customers frequently do business at different branches. They may have placed the original order at one branch, but then reorder it at a different location.

Kelly-Fradet wanted to provide even better service to their multi-location customers, so they decided to implement the Agility ERP system from DMSi. “We made the move to DMSi several years ago after experiencing serious growing pains with our previous software,” says Dan Sullivan, Kelly-Fradet’s general manager.

Agility handles every aspect of Kelly-Fradet’s operation, from sales and accounting to purchasing. “Agility integrates all our information into a very efficient system,” says Sullivan. “With just a few clicks, you have everything you need to handle inventory management and fulfillment quickly and accurately.”

Agility streamlines custom order processes, from order-entry to fulfillment. From the customizable Point of Sale screen, Kelly-Fradet’s team can easily search a customer’s order history (including orders placed at other branches) to find a specific custom item. The sales rep can then add the item to the current sales order with a few clicks. “Finding customer information is infinitely easier,” says Rick Barrows, outside sales rep. “Even if a customer isn’t sure about a previous order, we can look up their past orders and re-create the item.”

Overall, Agility’s full integration and real-time data allow the Kelly-Fradet team to deliver outstanding service. “Agility works very well handling multi-store transactions,” says Sullivan. “The process is seamless for customers who visit multiple locations.”

Kelly-Fradet continues to expand its services to customers, branching most recently into e-commerce with the Agility online customer portal, PartnerView. PartnerView increases service levels by giving customers a 24-7 way to place orders and pay bills.

“Agility saves so much time and research,” says Sullivan. “There is no more guessing. The data that Agility provides allows quicker and better decisions regarding inventory, payables, receivables, and purchasing. On a daily basis, I’m able to accomplish much more and do so more accurately. DMSi has been a big factor in our company’s growth and success.”

Learn more at the DMSi Newsroom.

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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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Wholesale Distributor RJ Schinner Leverages Data With MITS

Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, RJ Schinner has been in business for over 50 years and has 8 locations across the Midwest, from the Dakotas to Texas. RJ Schinner operates as a redistribution specialist, or as Jerry Boughner, RJ Schinner’s CIO puts it, a ‘wholesaler to wholesalers’. Their business model consists of purchasing food service, paper, janitor/sanitation, and grocery supplies from over 200 manufacturers and repacking them on pallets for customers who are unable to buy full or half truckloads. This allows RJ Schinner’s customers to mix and match their order, while still taking advantage of the favorable pricing terms offered to a large purchaser.

In searching for a new B.I. and reporting solution, two companies kept coming up – and MITS was one of them. Jerry remembers. “It really came down to my decision, and I wanted something that was native to our system – and with MITS being an official Epicor business partner whose product actually worked on the server as opposed to having to export all the data outside of our company and then have it come back, was a big factor in my decision to go with them,” Jerry said. “Plus I have an ever-expanding sales force and I didn’t want to have the cost and trouble of continually going out and getting licenses for them. I liked the MITS system and how it showed to the sales reps – it was much easier for them to use.”

After the decision was made to go with MITS, the next step was installation. “We first started rolling it out to sales people and management. The feedback I got was that it was very easy to use; in fact I was looking at some of the responses to the MITS test I ran with our salespeople after they had been using it for about 7 months. Every one of them was excellent in their proficiency with using the system. That is the nice thing about MITS - there is a lot of information, but it seems easy to disseminate.”

For RJ Schinner, the data trending functionality in MITS is proving to be an effective cost saver. “We really liked the way MITS trends data, “ Jerry says. “With regard to sales, our sales force can now see within 30 days what’s happening to an account, as opposed to finding about it at the end of the year."

“Our President is using the system for branch analysis – where the sales are trending, where the gross profit is trending – and really diving into the way our business is going, from our buy lines from our manufacturers for example, to determine which branches are up, which are down, etc. Our CEO, who is a wizard at working an Excel spreadsheet, is doing the same type of high-level analysis – and he really loves the MITS system for that. He is spending around 50-60-% less time generating reports than he was prior to MITS.”

Read more on the MITS Newsroom.

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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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Advantage Industrial Automation Improves Customer Satisfaction with Epicor

Advantage Industrial Automation, based in Duluth, Georgia, provides industrial control and automation solutions to the food, beverage, water and waste management, consumer products, and materials handling industries, among others. Founded in 1989, Advantage most recently became a subsidiary of Graybar, a leading distributor of electrical, communications, and data networking products. This relationship benefited both companies by joining Advantage's capabilities with Graybar's supply chain management and logistics services to open opportunities into new territories and better serve existing customers.

Challenge: Identify a Windows-based ERP solutions system that accurately captures historical customer information while streamlining the company's processing, purchasing, and shipping process and offering electronic data interchange (EDI) transaction capabilities

Solution: Epicor Prophet 21 Benefits Provided the ability to process and ship orders in a timely fashion Facilitated EDI transactions and minimized the time and errors associated with handling paper documents Automated internal processes so employees can better serve customers

“Our growth plans have always been to expand with existing customers, while identifying new ones. As a subsidiary of Graybar Electric, our resources and potential are greatly enhanced and we are able to expand into new markets and territories. We are always looking for ways to find efficiencies and improve our processes.” said David Tatro, CIO/Finance Director, Advantage Industrial Automation.

According to Tatro, Prophet 21 furthered this goal by providing the ability to “quickly process orders, purchase products, and get those products out the door to customers.” This includes using EDI extensively with larger customers to reduce the time Advantage employees “spend printing and sending things out, logging into other networks to find key details,” and manually producing and tracking down purchase orders and other extraneous documents.

Other benefits included the automation of transactions using Epicor Trading Partner Connect (TPCx) and mapping software features. This has offered the in-depth eCommerce ability to exchange information electronically with customers. For instance, Prophet 21 enabled Advantage to simply and instantly accept transactions and then share purchase and shipping order acknowledgements with one of its largest customers via their new trading platform.

“Prophet 21 has helped us drastically reduce errors,” added Tatro. “The old days of faxing and managing pieces of paper, as well as tracking down files, are done. We are solely focused on growth and meeting customer needs. Epicor knows distribution, and that's what we do.”

To learn more, visit the Epicor Newsroom. https://www.epicor.com/en-us/resource-center/success-stories/advantage-industrial-automation/

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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Perri Farms Streamlines Operations with Floral Computer Systems' SMARTSystem

"The SMARTSystem gives us the information we need at a moment's notice..." Tony Perry, Owner of Perri Farms of Ronkonkoma, New York

Perri Farms has been using the SMARTSystem since September 1, 2012. All of their operations have improved considerably, and they are much better organized with easily accessed information. Everything flows smoothly with orders getting out on time. The SMARTSystem has given then the tools to be more efficient.

In addition, Perri Farm's website, which was also created by Floral Computer Systems, has provided a great enhancement to business operations by providing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year access for customers. With the e-commerce website, Perri Farms has increased revenue and streamlined operations further. All website orders are clearly identified in the SMARTSystem and the sales rep and manager are notified when a website order is submitted.

Says Tony Perry, "The SMARTSystem gives us so much more control by having the information available. It is very helpful for a smooth running operation."

To learn more and request a demo, visit Floral Computer Systems.

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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Greenhill Industrial Supply Achieves Success With DDI

Greenhill Industrial Supply built its business by providing friendly, dependable service to a local customer base in Bronx, NY. Since the 1930’s, Greenhill has evolved into a distributor of hand and power tools, fasteners, hardware and other building and maintenance supplies to contractors, institutions, hospitals and other businesses in the boroughs of New York. 

After Lenny Gamss bought the business in 1987, he began introducing new technologies to help the company operate more efficiently. After several years, he decided they had outgrown the business's home-grown computer system and needed a more sophisticated and comprehensive business solution. Gamss went in search of a software system that would combine their inventory, purchasing, customer and sales history, receivables and other data critical to running a distribution company. He chose DDI System and realized immediate efficiencies and process improvements.

“Our switch to DDI System’s distribution-centric software made us more efficient. Enhanced data management and inventory control, automated credit card processing and improved customer service are just some of the ways technology benefits our company,” said Lenny Gamss. In recent years, Lenny has upgraded his company once again to DDI’s window-based Inform distribution software. Together with his son, Jeff, they are taking advantage of the latest in technology and the integrated innovations that DDI offers on a continued basis.

To learn more and request a demo, visit the DDI 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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World Precision Instruments Expands Reach With SYSPRO Enterprise

World Precision Instruments (WPI) specializes in sophisticated instrumentation vital to physiological and medical research. The privately held company began operations in 1967 and growing worldwide demand has led to the company to the establishment of offices in Florida, London, Berlin, Tokyo and Melbourne.

WPI offers more than 1500 products, including data acquisition systems, digital cameras, glass capillaries, pre-pulled glass micropipettes, micro-syringe pumps, fiber optic spectrometers, micromanipulators, electrodes and more. The company’s newest products include a popular line of inexpensive micro-dissecting instruments, adjustable pipettes and binocular microscopes. As a full-spectrum supplier of proprietary and standard instrumentation as well as associated “consumables,” WPI enjoys a distinct competitive advantage. The company is also renowned for its ability to fashion custom products to accommodate specific research needs. Customers include independent and “in-house” research labs, schools and hospitals.

The Challenge:
WPI had been using a DOS-based ERP system, which, explains Petra Adamson, IT Manager, “The system gave nothing back. In order to get information, you had to know the dictionary items and create the proper sentences. Individuals needing data from the system actually had to ask the IT department to get it.” It became apparent that to accommodate growing sales and production, the company needed a new system. So, a software search was initiated and after a year of reviewing various software packages, the choice was SYSPRO Enterprise Software. “It had more of the features we were looking for, plus it was the most user friendly system,” says Adamson.

Learn more about SYSPRO Enterprise by visiting the SYSPRO 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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US Air Tool Flies High with VAI’s Cloud ERP

US Air Tool Company (USATCO) has been a family-owned and operated business since 1951. The company is now a US manufacturer and worldwide distributor of high quality tools for the aviation industry with offices in New York and California.


Challenges
USATCO sought a cloud-based ERP system. The company wanted a solution that would fit within their budget, while also integrating seamlessly into USATCO’s IT environment. It was also important for the company to focus more on managing and growing the business, in addition to enhancing customer service, instead of worrying about software and hardware infrastructure.


VAI S2K Cloud-based ERP: The Natural Solution for USATCO
VAI’s expertise in ERP and reputation for empowering mid-market companies with comprehensive, user-friendly solutions made it the ideal partner to address USATCO’s current and future objectives. VAI made the migration to the cloud smooth and seamless for the company’s IT and end users and assisted USATCO with every step that was required, which included configuring secured connections to the hosted servers, user testing on the hosted server prior to go live, and configuration of external devices such as in-house printers.


Business Results
Following the company’s VAI S2K ERP cloud migration, USATCO has realized key business benefits, including:
•Reduced Maintenance Costs: USATCO no longer needs to manage and maintain internal hardware and software separately, providing significant cost savings.
•Data Backup and Security: VAI S2K Enterprise provides secure access to the ERP system, eliminating the need for USATCO to be concerned with system failures or data breaches.
•Investment Protection: With VAI’s subscription-based payments, USATCO can invest in other areas of the business, such as purchasing new office equipment, enhancing the website, and expanding manufacturing procedures with the new cloud model to better analyze costs.
•Less personnel training is needed: It takes fewer people to do more work on a cloud, with a minimal learning curve on hardware and software issues.
•Application High-Availability: USATCO experiences continuous up-time while experiencing no IT or infrastructure points of failure.


To learn more, visit the VAI 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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