Success Stories

Activant Prophet 21 Helps Distributor Automate Processes and Improve Customer Service

Don Ireland, president and a fourth-generation leader of Industrial Supply Co., knows the importance of evolving with the times. His company was founded in 1915 in Terre Haute, IN to serve the coal mining and brick making industries. Now, almost a century later, there are no longer any brick makers in the Terre Haute area, and the coal mines have all but disappeared.

"Our business has changed quite a bit over the decades," Ireland says. "Changes in the market - and the economy - have precipitated changes in our company."

Ireland estimates that 60 percent of Industrial Supply's business now comes from industrial products, including cutting tools and abrasives. Another 20 percent comes from plumbing products and supplies, and the rest comes from a variety of markets, including pipes, valves, and fittings.

In addition to changing product lines, Ireland has found that to increase sales and reduce operational costs, he must constantly work to stay abreast of technological advances in his industry. "Keeping up with the times is imperative, as far as technology is concerned," he says. "Distributors have to take costs out of operations to survive, and the only way to do this is to automate processes."

Among those automated processes Ireland identifies as imperative for success is electronic inventory control. "We have to know what our product mix is, what's moving and what's not moving. We have to identify dead stock - and convert it from a liability into something we can actually sell," he says.

That's why he chose to move from Activant Acclaim to Activant Prophet 21. "We need to be as sophisticated as possible," he says. "We're not a national player, but we don't want to be a small fish in the big pond, either." Prophet 21, Ireland says, will provide his company with the ability to differentiate itself from the rest of the industry.

Prophet 21 is an integral part of Industrial Supply's long-term plan for growth. Ireland intends to grow his company by at least 50 percent in the next five years. "Opening a branch, small or large, will be much easier with Prophet 21," Ireland says. "The connectivity it offers is excellent, and training new employees will be simple since it's a Windows-based solution."

A Lasting Partnership

Industrial Supply first partnered with Activant in the late 1980's, moving from a manual system to XL, Acclaim's UNIX-based predecessor. "The relationship has been good and the products are excellent," Ireland says. "We've advanced with every solution, from XL to Acclaim, and now to Prophet 21. We're doing a higher volume of business now than we did with Acclaim, and we're better organized. Prophet 21 will help us improve even more."

And, along with Prophet 21, Industrial Supply will implement B2B Seller, a Web-based storefront that connects directly to Prophet 21 for seamless customer service and sales. "Our customers have asked for an e-commerce solution that will enable them to find out what we have without having to pick up the phone," Ireland says. Industrial Supply will also benefit, as customer service representatives that now spend their time answering customer inquiries will be re-deployed. "It will definitely reduce our costs considerably, while giving better customer service," he says.

"We wouldn't be where we are today without Activant," Ireland concludes. "It's helped us keep competitive. And, with Prophet 21, we'll capitalize on new efficiencies and opportunities."

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