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Summerhays Music Strikes Up the Band With Sage 500 ERP
Technology Category
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Data Management Platforms
Applicable Industries
- Retail
Applicable Functions
- Business Operation
- Sales & Marketing
Use Cases
- Inventory Management
Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
Summerhays Music Center, a family-run business that rents and sells musical instruments, was struggling with the financial aspect of its operations. The company had thousands of customers making payments on instruments every month, creating a bookkeeping nightmare. The company's early efforts involved three stand-alone systems for rentals, general ledger, and point of sale. However, the lack of integration between these systems was causing inefficiencies. The company needed a robust, end-to-end financial system that could provide seamless integration with retail modules, enhance efficiency, and accommodate growth.
About The Customer
Summerhays Music Center is a family-run business that began in 1936. The company rents almost 7,000 instruments a year from its three stores and associate dealers throughout the Rocky Mountain states. It also sells a complete line of instruments and supplies, from clarinet reeds, sheet music, and guitars to handmade Bosendorfer pianos priced at $100,000. Given the nature of its business, Summerhays Music Center is as much a finance company as a music store. Thousands of customers make payments on instruments every month, creating a bookkeeping nightmare. The company is based in Murray, Utah and has 90 employees.
The Solution
After a three-year search, Summerhays found the solution it needed in Sage 500 ERP. This system, written in Visual Basic and utilizing an SQL database, allowed for seamless integration with other key components: Fusion Retail Solution, a point-of-sale module from Mik and Associates, and a custom rental module written in-house. When a customer rents an instrument, Fusion generates a paperless contract, as well as a hard copy on the laser printer. The customer reads the terms and conditions of the contract, then signs in a digital signature box. The entire rental process can be completed in about five minutes. The system also includes the Sage Fixed Assets module to depreciate fixed assets like buildings, fixtures, furniture, and office equipment.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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