Print Distributor Strengthens Customer Ties with Flexible ERP Solution
Already one of the largest print distributors in the midwestern United States, Print Management Partners is rapidly growing its base of satisfied customers that trust the company to manage their print and digital-publishing workflows. Print Management Partners was founded in 1995 as an employee-owned firm with an emphasis on customer service. Since its founding, Print Management Partners had used two different enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems specifically designed for the print distribution industry. However, as the company grew in scope and scale, it found that its old system was unable to handle changing business requirements, especially in terms of collaborating with customers and suppliers. “We outgrew the capabilities of our old system,” explains James O’Brien, President of Print Management Partners. “And, we relied on the vendor to make changes-sometimes they could make those changes, and sometimes they could not. What was worse was that sometimes the changes didn’t meet our expectations, causing further delays. Because of this, it was extremely difficult to do things like change the look and feel of our e-commerce component, integrate with a customer’s ERP system, or even compile data into a single report.”
Searching for a solution with greater flexibility, Print Management Partners looked into general ERP solutions from Microsoft, NetSuite, Sage, and SAP and eventually narrowed the field down to Microsoft Dynamics NAV and SAP Business One. “After considering our options, we chose Microsoft Dynamics NAV over competing offerings for three reasons: superior technical flexibility, the partner ecosystem, and a long-term cost advantage,” says O’Brien. To customize and implement the solution, Print Management Partners teamed up with Solution Systems, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and member of the 2010 President’s Club for Microsoft Dynamics based just outside of Chicago.
By replacing its inflexible, niche ERP system with Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Print Management Partners gained a world-class solution that helps the company deliver superior service, eliminate inefficient financial management processes, and open up opportunities for international expansion. Print Management Partners uses Microsoft Dynamics NAV to respond quickly to customer requests, strengthening the company’s advantage over competitors. Compared to the previous systems, employees today spend 50 percent less time processing customer orders. With help from Solution Systems, Print Management Partners configured Microsoft Dynamics NAV so that it can make changes to the solution without the help of software programmers, which the company was required to do with its previous ERP system. Employees at Print Management Partners today can make more informed decisions based on information from Microsoft Dynamics NAV. “No doubt, implementing Microsoft Dynamics NAV was a significant investment for our company, but one that has proven absolutely worth every penny,” says O’Brien. “And, for us, the solution came at a long-term cost advantage over the competing product.”
