Acoustical Innovations Case Study
Increasing sales results with an eBusiness Manager solution.
The nation’s largest call centers know who to call when they need telephone headsets. So do big Internet players like Monster.com, Barnes & Noble, and Travelocity.com. They call Acoustical Innovations (AI) of Corcoran, MN, manufacturer and direct distributor of telephone headsets. By eliminating the distribution tier, AI saves its customers money. And when you combine these savings with innovative, high quality products – you have a connection for success that was ready to grow.
The Call Goes Out
As far back as the mid 1990’s, Matt Pitel, AI’s president and CEO, began searching for an accounting and e-commerce solution for his growing company. The company was outgrowing its Peachtree software, yet Pitel simply couldn’t find a replacement product that offered a compelling reason to switch. Technically savvy, Pitel wanted an open database and scalability – hard to find in first-generation Windows products. Pitel’s patience finally paid off with the release of Sage MAS 200 - SQL Server Edition. “Sage MAS 200 SQL was the best solution out of the box,” says Pitel, “feature rich and lots of headroom to grow with us.”
ICS Answers The Call
Sage MAS 200 - SQL Server Edition supports the large transaction volume Pitel expected, and its open architecture lends itself easily to integration with other systems. Of particular importance to AI was eBusiness Manager, a module that provides a turnkey eCommerce solution. Competing products on the market did not offer the wealth of features of the Sage MAS 200 eBusiness Manager. As well as Internet ordering, Pitel wanted his customers to have access to their invoice history and account balance information, and the ability to check stock availability and contract pricing.
Pitel and his IT staff began implementing eBusiness Manager on their own, but ran into difficulties. “I was ready to give up,” recalls Pitel. A call to Sage Software resulted in a referral to ICS Support to use its recognized technical expertise and ability to integrate hardware, operating systems, and business applications. ICS’s technicians began troubleshooting the installation and rapidly had eBusiness Manager up and running. “ICS was able to accomplish in 10 minutes what no one else had been able to in weeks of trying,” says Pitel.
The Orders Keep Coming
AI’s Web site is hugely successful. At any given time, there may be 75 customers placing electronic orders. Sage MAS 200 - SQL Server Edition handles the high transaction volume effortlessly. Customers can order anytime of the day or night – and they do – without the need to wait for a sales representative. AI encourages Internet ordering by offering Web-only sales to customers. With most customers now taking advantage of this convenience, Pitel has noticed the average Web order amount is significantly higher than those placed over the phone, as customers tend to order more accessory items featured on the site. “eBusiness Manager literally paid for itself the first day we went live,” says Pitel, “Any company that is not using this is missing a huge revenue source.”
ICS Support configured the AI system so that as customers place their orders on AI’s Web site, sales representatives receive an email notification and review the incoming order in eBusiness Manager. They can decide to accept, hold, or reject the order. Accepted orders move directly into the Sage MAS 200 sales order module to begin standard processing. eBusiness Manager automatically generates email messages to the customer, informing them of the status of their orders as it moves from submitted, to processing, to shipment. Pitel knows his customers appreciate this proactive communication, and it reduces the calls placed to the customer service department. He credits ICS and eBusiness Manager with his company’s ability to lure a Fortune 100 company away from the competition,
“The value we can offer them now goes way beyond our products,” he explains. When customers pay by credit card, either from AI’s Web site, or from a phoned-in order, the Sage MAS 200 Credit Card Processing module authorizes the transaction in less than two seconds.
Perfect Control of Inventory And Shipping
Each of the products AI sells is tracked by serial number, and Sage MAS 200 - SQL Server Edition handles serialized inventory with ease. “Our inventory count accuracy has been 100% since we started with Sage MAS 200,” says Pitel. It tracks serialized items from first receipt to final sale and beyond. Returns are managed through the RMA Module, which automatically determines whether a product is covered by warranty and alerts the operator to any expired warranties. The RMA module automatically creates the appropriate transactions, including credit memos, replacement orders, and vendor returns. AI’s customers can even check the status of a return over the Internet. A fixed vertical bar code scanner in the shipping department allows AI warehouse employees to rapidly scan the serial numbers of each item as it is packed. As a result, order accuracy is perfect. “Mistakes cost money,” Pitel reminds us, “We get orders right the first time.”
An All Around Solution
ICS configured the Sage MAS 200 Business Alerts Module to serve as the first step in the receivable collection process. A friendly email is sent automatically to customers who have an invoice outside of payment terms. Pitel estimates that 70% of past due invoices are resolved in this way, saving time and increasing cash flow. Business Alerts is also used to send sales representatives an email when a customer has not ordered within a certain number of days, enabling staff to stay on top of customers’ buying habits and proactively seek the sale. “Sage MAS 200 - SQL Server Edition has saved or made this company over a half a million dollars so far,” says Pitel, “It’s paid for itself hundreds of times over. I’m thrilled with it.”
“I recommend ICS Support to other companies. Their diligence and expertise made my project a success.”
- Matt Pitel, President and CEO, Acoustical Innovations (AI)