Johannesburg, 15 May 2013
Sub-Saharan equipment, automation and process solutions distributor, CraigCor Distribution, has increased its distribution efficiency, strengthened its financial controls, and gained critical business insights with SAP Business One, the enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution for small and mid-sized businesses (SMEs).
"The SAP Business One solution we implemented has enabled us to focus our attention on our two core strategies - regional growth and product line growth - in each of our locations," says Matthew Lingenfelder, Managing Director of CraigCor Distribution. "We have also achieved a greater level of inventory control. SAP Business One also provided us with the stable platform we needed to execute our core strategy by giving us the tools to run remote offices and manage different product lines," continues Lingenfelder.
The company made the decision to consider and investigate a new and comprehensive business management system after an array of challenges with its previous systems started holding it back and restricting it from achieving its growth strategies. "Our previous business system consisted of an accounting-only package, and an Access-based CRM tool to track our sales opportunities. Running two separate systems gave rise to an uncontrollable spread of Excel and no integration functionality between financials and CRM.
"As a result of our separate, non-integrated systems, we weren't able to accurately and effectively get information across the various business functions. We needed something that would be able to provide us with a real-time, 360-degree overview of our business to ensure we were delivering service in accordance with our quality policies," says Lingerfelder.
In addition to the spreadsheet and integration challenges, CraigCor Distribution wanted a system that management would be able to manage and support themselves. They were also looking for a solution that would be able to provide them with some enhancement tools to give them a competitive advantage. Lingerfelder says: "We wanted that little bit extra from the solution, and we were excited by the fact that SAP Business One came standard with tools such as mobility, EDI, alerts, approvals and remote access.
"As a result of these standard extras, we were able to dramatically improve our business efficiency. SAP Business One's query, alert and approval functionality provides us with a high level of automation and control that improves quality," continues Lingerfeld.
CraigCor Distribution's SAP Business One solution was implemented by Bluekey Software Solutions, the best-performing SAP Business One Partner in South Africa since 2005. It specialises in the implementation, development and support of SAP Business One for SMEs throughout Africa. CraigCor was very specific about its needs and expectations, which helped the highly experienced Bluekey consultants to provide it with the solution it needed.
Alex de Ryhove, Director at Bluekey Software Solutions, said: "The solution gave them the ability to review procedures they had in place, for example, the sales process from sales quotes to invoicing, highlighting any procedural changes that needed to take place. Relationship maps were also used to track document flows and make sure that any new procedures were followed, as well as providing management with the 360-degree, real-time insight they needed."
Upon completion of the newly implemented system, CraigCor Distribution started realising the benefits almost immediately. "We gained immediate access to all our company data across all our branches and departments with the click of a button - something we had never been able to do!"
When asked about the benefits gained and how Bluekey contributed to the overall success, Lingerfeld said: "The Bluekey team was very committed to the project and took all the necessary steps to ensure that they had a complete understanding of our needs and requirements. They were technically very strong and had a great understanding of the product and how to incorporate our requirements into SAP Business One.
"As a result of a professional project and implementation team, we were able to recover the costs of the implementation within two years. We also had a headcount saving of five people through the automation of certain roles and relocation of those staff members into areas that needed more work," concludes Lingerfeld.
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