Customer Profile
A mid-sized safety equipment distributor based in the United States, operating from multiple sales locations and a central warehouse facility. With a lean team of under 20 employees, the company services both B2B and B2C customers through direct counter sales and showroom experiences. The business is a member of a national distributor buying group.
Business Challenge
The distributor had implemented a popular, general-purpose ERP system that proved to be a poor fit. Key issues included:
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Excessive Cost: The ERP system’s pricing model – combining high subscription and maintenance fees – strained the company’s budget.
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Limited Customization: The platform lacked the flexibility to support their unique workflows, requiring costly workarounds.
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Inadequate Functionality: The system did not offer distributor-specific ERP tools, resulting in inefficiencies and data silos across the operation.
Solution
The company transitioned to Inform ERP by DDI System, a purpose-built solution for distributors. Key advantages included:
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Lower Costs: A transparent pricing model eliminated steep fees and allowed for better budget forecasting.
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Tailored Workflows: Industry-specific features and pre-configured tools reduced the need for customization.
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Enhanced Functionality: Robust tools for inventory management, customer-specific order handling, and reporting improved overall operational efficiency.
Results
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Inventory Turn Improvement: Inventory velocity insights increased turns from 2.1 to 4.73 annually—a 125% boost.
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Cost Savings: Inventory carrying costs dropped by $0.5M–$0.7M, freeing up capital for growth.
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Workforce Efficiency: Warehouse onboarding time was reduced by over 1,200%, from one week to just three hours.
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Labor Optimization: WMS staffing was cut from five to three employees, reducing costs by 50%.
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Customization Elimination: Switching from a customizable-heavy system saved an estimated $300K–$600K over six years.
Customer Quote
“Switching to Inform ERP was a game-changer. It cut our costs dramatically and gave us the tools to run more efficiently. We’ve never been more focused on delivering value to our customers.”
— Operations Manager, Safety Equipment Distributor
Conclusion
By optimizing operations and reducing system costs, the organization achieved substantial financial and efficiency gains without compromising accuracy or control. With intuitive design and robust functionality, the new ERP system streamlined order processing, inventory management, and warehouse operations, ensuring what’s ordered is precisely what’s shipped.
This transformation set a new standard of operational excellence, enabling the business to focus more resources on growth and customer satisfaction.