Small auto components manufacturer finds QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions a better fit than ERP
Elizabeth SanFillippo -- Manufacturing Business Technology, 7/18/2007 12:00:00 AM
SVP Manufacturing, a Phoenix-based automotive accessories supplier, is a small enterprise. It has 25 employees in two locations, but recent growth prompted the company to move from a DOS-based accounting package to a full-blown ERP system.
The original accounting package “didn’t give us the flexibility to extract information the way we wanted to,” says Rick Hirsch, co-owner of SVP Manufacturing “As we started to grow, [we saw] limitations in our ability to extract information and analyze our customers—and our own performance.”
As it turned out, the switch to ERP wasn't much of an improvement. “It was too complicated, and we never implemented it,” Hirsch says.
Instead, SVP became one of what Intuit claims is a growing number of small and medium-size enterprises that are dumping traditional ERP packages in favor of Intuit’s QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions (QBES).
In addition to basic accounting functionality, QBES delivers these capabilities:
• Manage fix assets, and customer and supplier relationships;
• Forecast customer demand;
• Track inventory; and
• Oversee employee activities.
In January 2006, SVP Manufacturing deployed the full functionality of QBES, except the payroll feature. An Intuit Certified Pro advisor helped with the conversion, but didn’t train users—Hirsch says the interface was easy to learn—but rather helped SVP Manufacturing set QuickBooks up in a way that met SVP's needs.
Now, SVP Manufacturing manages inventory and forecasts using QBES, and is able to focus on its customers and deliver products faster than ever before.
Additionally, SVP customized QuickBooks using third-party software. Hirsch explains, “We run software from V Technologies that allows us to process the box, take the UPS/FedEx shipping information and put a label on it, and then put the information back into QuickBooks so that we have tracking information of what was shipped.”
SVP Manufacturing isn’t atypical. Intuit claims small and midsize manufacturers want ease of use that typical ERP systems don’t always provide, as well as customized systems based around their needs.
Intuit delivers these capabilities in part based on its sales model.
“We call it a hybrid model,” says Jennifer Lewis, director of marketing for Intuit Midmarket Group. “We have taken the best of the VAR model and morphed it so the customer chooses how they want to purchase it. They can customize it themselves, or have someone come out. They can build the sales force they want.”
Intuit also offers more than 450 add-ons that a third party can integrate with QuickBooks, which are available to customers through a solution provider channel. With these add-ons and an open application interface, Intuit believes it has all the functionality needed by a small manufacturer.
And SVP Manufacturing agrees. “We didn’t expect the level of customer support we’ve received,” Hirsch claims. “You can’t afford to be down. You have to keep your business going. You can’t beat the price, quality, value, and support you get.”
PROFILE
Company: SVP Manufacturing
Challenges: Growing auto accessories maker struggled to collect information necessary to manage inventory, analyze customer relationships, and monitor corporate performance.
Solution: Intuit’s QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions
Benefits: Better demand forecasting and inventory tracking; improved reporting on customer service performance
