Ithaca Agway and True Value managed their business with Epicor Eagle POS Software and was struggling with the high costs associated with that system. The costs for this POS affected their ability to competitively price their products and they often had to
cut other store expenses to compensate. Not only was it expensive to enhance their solution since they had to buy additional hardware or software every time they made a change, but the cost of yearly maintenance and support was hurting their bottom line. When
they did need assistance from Epicor, they were waiting at least 1-2 days to get answers for their issues.
For their power equipment, Ithaca Agway and True Value was also bogged down with paper orders. Tracking of equipment orders and maintenance on paper led to a number of pains. For example, if an item was in the shop being repaired, they didn’t have real-time
status updates on whether they could make a sale and couldn’t predict when it would be available. They had this same limitation when it came to ordering parts. It was extremely time consuming to track items and it affected the level of customer service Ithaca
Agway and True Value could provide.
Ithaca Agway and True Value worked with a number of suppliers, including Agway, Bradley Caldwell, Commerce Corp, Hillman, Orgill, and True Value. With their Epicor solution, they were not able to price compare products and were never really sure if they
were getting the best price at any given time.
Ithaca Agway and True Value needed a change since they couldn’t effectively manage their business with such little insight and couldn’t afford to dish out more cash for a solution that wasn’t even meeting their needs.
Solution:
Ithaca Agway and True Value first started to explore Microsoft Dynamics® RMS offered by System Solutions LLC in December 2010 because it was listed as a Gold Third Party POS system by True Value. They were quite impressed with how Microsoft Dynamics RMS
worked, especially with True Value Rewards. They immediately noticed the potential cost saving features of Microsoft Dynamics RMS once fully implemented, such as email and downloadable invoicing, mobile-scanned receiving, suggested order capabilities,
cataloged items to reduce receiving errors and the ability to track repairs and special orders. Andy Boerman, Owner of Ithaca Agway and True Value says, “Microsoft Dynamics RMS had the capabilities without the huge costs, unlike Epicor Eagle. And the support
available from System Solutions LLC was knowledgeable and timely from the very beginning.”
Ithaca Agway and True Value converted their data to Microsoft Dynamics RMS in July of 2012 and with the help of System Solutions, has since added a number of capabilities that are streamlining processes and enhancing insight across their business.
Benefits:
Real-Time Insight and Reporting: Real-time insight is important for any business, but this is especially the case for Ithaca Agway and True Value. Andy Boerman says, “With Microsoft Dynamics RMS, I have a daily management summary that’s
live at any given moment. I can see cash sales, charge sales, cost of goods sold, margin for the day, inventory, cost of sales, accounts receivable and payable, as well as a complete history of sales. All of this information helps us work smarter.”
Ithaca Agway and True Value can also do SKU additions or changes in real time and they don’t need to wait overnight to get accurate information or to update inventory. They now know what’s in stock and whether equipment is undergoing maintenance. They can
answer their customer’s questions and have greatly improved their customer service because of this.
Automatic Supplier Catalog Updates: The Microsoft Dynamics RMS picture catalog now allows more flexibility so that cashiers can find the correct SKU for a particular product without delay.
Ithaca Agway and True Value can also view electronic catalogs from multiple suppliers to find the most cost effective price for their products. Each supplier cost is tracked simultaneously for items that can be purchased from two or more suppliers. This
allows Microsoft Dynamics RMS to automatically suggest purchase orders for items from the suppliers with the lowest cost, increasing Ithaca’s profitability. They can also make price comparisons by simply scanning a UPC and the mobile device will bring up the
best price for that item on any given week, allowing them to make the best purchasing decisions.
Receiving Time Cut in Half: Ithaca Agway and True Value now uses mobile devices to scan items as they come in. With this functionality, they can complete receiving in about half the time it used to take. Not only is it faster,
it’s much more accurate and they’re not bogged down with paperwork since everything is electronic based. By scanning the items, their POS is automatically updated in the store. Andy Boerman says, “Our productivity efficiencies in receiving have increased by
about 20-25%, which is amazing for our bottom line.”
Streamlined Check-Out Process: Microsoft Dynamics RMS is very easy to teach and has reduced the time needed to train new staff at Ithaca Agway and True Value. This enhanced understanding of the POS has also reduced errors on credit card
transactions and checks which has saved a lot of time in accounting. It has also improved the customer’s check out experience, keeping it smooth and streamlined.
Room for Growth: The plans for a new store in Lansing are now much more plausible for Ithaca Agway and True Value. This was a large factor in why they chose Microsoft Dynamics RMS in that they knew the system could grow
and scale with their needs and be expandable to multiple locations.
Any-Time Support: Ithaca Agway and True Value needs a partner they can rely on day or night. With System Solutions LLC, support has been prompt and knowledgeable. Andy Boerman says, “System Solutions LLC
has responded quickly to our “emergency” issues and work very hard to answer or fix our issues on the spot.”
