Customer Company Size
SME
Region
- America
Country
- United States
Product
- Acumatica Distribution Edition
- Advanced Financial Management
- Order Management
- Inventory Control
Tech Stack
- Acumatica Cloud ERP
- Sage MAS500
- Oracle NetSuite
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Productivity Improvements
- Cost Savings
- Customer Satisfaction
Technology Category
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Data Management Platforms
Applicable Industries
- Retail
- Agriculture
Applicable Functions
- Sales & Marketing
- Warehouse & Inventory Management
Use Cases
- Inventory Management
- Supply Chain Visibility
Services
- System Integration
- Software Design & Engineering Services
About The Customer
Premier 1 Supplies is a retail and e-commerce company that provides electric fencing and electric netting, sheep and goat supplies, clippers and shearers, ear tags, poultry products, and expert advice to livestock farmers throughout the United States. The company was founded in 1977 by Stan Potratz, who returned to Iowa and the family farm after working in the UK as a farm manager for 10 years. The company began by importing the equipment needed for the family farm’s operations. By 2008, Premier 1 had grown to several thousand items, requiring a more robust system for the family business operations. The company implemented Sage MAS500 and an add-on called Direct500, which provided some basic e-commerce functionality. However, the transition to this software was painful and still fresh in employees’ minds even 10 years later.
The Challenge
Premier 1 Supplies, a retail and e-commerce company specializing in agricultural and farming supplies, was using an aging Sage MAS500 system for its operations. However, when credit card companies notified the company that it had to upgrade its payment software to remain compliant, CEO Ben Rothe began looking for a new B2C ERP system. The company's software was so old that no one knew how to upgrade it, and the cost of keeping Sage alive was estimated to be almost like starting over. Rothe wanted a modern, easy-to-upgrade solution from a provider poised for growth. He researched cloud-based SaaS software firms and considered a custom-made solution. However, he found that many B2C solutions only offered pieces of what Premier 1 needed.
The Solution
Unable to find a B2C software with every function Premier 1 needed, Rothe implemented Acumatica’s B2B system. This system offers an open platform that allows him to easily extract data, streamline workflows, and connect to outside applications and the company website. The company worked with Crestwood Associates, a past winner of Acumatica’s Cloud Adoption Partner of the Year, on the implementation. The rollout went very well, and the company didn't miss a beat. They were able to process just as many orders as before, and the transition was a big success. Acumatica provided Premier 1 with data-based insights not available with the legacy ERP, dramatically improving operations. The company can now execute sophisticated marketing efforts that were only a dream before.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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