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SYSPRO Case Study: Tom Barrow Company Streamlines Operations and Enhances Efficiencies with SYSPRO ERP
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP)
- Functional Applications - Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
Applicable Functions
- Business Operation
- Warehouse & Inventory Management
Use Cases
- Inventory Management
- Predictive Replenishment
- Process Control & Optimization
Services
- System Integration
- Training
The Challenge
The company was conducting all work via the processing of paper. Approximately 6,000 orders per month were manually converted into invoices, an extremely time-consuming and error-prone process. To facilitate order processing and inventory management as well as enhance customer service, the Tom Barrow Company deemed it advisable to computerize its operations in 1996. The company faced several challenges including no manufacturing system in place, lack of visibility into inventory, manual reporting resulting in duplication of work and errors, and managing multiple locations.
About The Customer
Tom Barrow Company was founded in Atlanta, Georgia in 1955. Initially, the company had only a few product lines but quickly earned a reputation for service and integrity. Over the years, the company expanded its product offerings and added more sales and support staff. By 1965, the company had expanded to a new territory with an office in Jacksonville, Florida, and continued to add several branch offices over the next four decades. By the 1990s, the company began representing applied equipment products, including custom air handling units and a variety of specialty products. Today, Tom Barrow Company is the largest commercial HVAC rep in the Southeast, with offices in Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida, serving customers from 10 offices.
The Solution
After an extensive software search, the company selected SYSPRO software based on its ability to tailor the solution to meet desired functionalities, as well as the availability of extensive training and support. Each of the company’s locations was brought online, giving management instant access to the status of jobs at each site and inventory levels at each location. SYSPRO ERP enabled the company to automate operations, including the processing of forms and the mailing of invoices. Management could get an immediate and updated picture of the location and status of every job, with data available with just a few clicks. The SYSPRO MRP and Forecasting modules significantly reduced inventory holdings. The ability to tailor functions within SYSPRO, including the customization of screens, simplified complex order processing and eliminated errors in producing invoices. The accessibility of SYSPRO support and the ease of implementing software upgrades were also highly appreciated.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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