[Published on IT Web 11 March 2010] -
Having used the Accpac DOS system for many years, stationery manufacturer and distributor Trefoil is no stranger to Accpac's software. The system's age, however, was preventing the company from implementing improvements in its supply chain, and was nearing the end of its life.
“Trefoil's long attachment to the Accpac DOS system was the result of its flexibility: Trefoil was able to independently adjust the system as and when it became necessary to match its exact needs,” explains Ashley Regenass, CEO of Synergy Group. “The appreciation of this flexibility and independence resulted in a reluctance to change the system, with Trefoil achieving almost 100% stability and performance from its Accpac DOS.”
Trefoil's CEO, Alan Robertson, explains that the system was completely stable and configured exactly to what was needed; there was no need to change what was working perfectly. However, as the company started to seek improvements in its business processes, it realised that the Accpac DOS system was limiting what it could do. The company, therefore, decided to move onto the Windows platform, but waited as long as possible to ensure it would be stable. “This decision, and the move, were complicated by the fact that we had very specific ideas of what we wanted and what we needed, and we were battling to find a company that could provide it for us,” says Robertson. “We were frustrated by the fact that we wanted to own the intellectual property, but everyone we had spoken to wanted to sell us an ongoing consulting package.”
“Trefoil was reluctant to move away from its longstanding relationship with Accpac, and was struggling to find the right partner with the right understanding of its needs. We proved to be that right partner,” Regenass adds.
Together with Synergy Group, Trefoil achieved a successful Accpac ERP 500 implementation that offered a shared vision and understanding of the new technology and how the system works. Trefoil's team participated in every aspect of the planning, deployment and implementation of the system, partnering with Synergy Group to customise and integrate the solution.
“We approached this on a different level,” says Robertson. “We knew what Accpac could do for us because we had been using the DOS version for so long, but we wanted to be hands-on and own the project. With Synergy Group, we were able to achieve this.” In fact, Trefoil went as far as sending two people on the Accpac Certified Consultancy training course in order for the Trefoil team to be able to interact with the Synergy Group team on a higher, more advanced level.
Trefoil and Synergy Group used the Accpac 500 ERP system as the basis of the solution. This comprehensive, multi-tiered business management system provides access to all of Trefoil's locations across southern Africa, offering the company powerful analysis and reporting tools. The system is able to work with multiple currencies as well as focus on national accounts, ensuring a comprehensive, in-depth view of all of the company's operations.
“Accpac ERP 500 5.5 is ideal for companies requiring a functionally-rich, highly scalable system that supports international business infrastructures,” says Keith Fenner, Sales Director of Softline Accpac. “Delivering an unprecedented degree of flexibility, the system offers a robust suite of modules and provides seamless integration to a full set of end-to-end business management applications.”
“Working in partnership with us, Trefoil provided hands-on direction of their exact needs. The shared vision of what the system could do was only successful because Trefoil took ownership of the project and participated in all aspects of the solution. They now have far greater control of financials and inventory, enabling the means to accurately forecast and analyse sales and buying patterns. This has resulted in streamlined processes and in-depth views of all aspects of the business,” Regenass concludes.
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