KROWNE
Krowne wanted transformation, and quickly. Reliance on manual input and “tribal knowledge” led to inefficiencies, and the rigid, inflexible processes of Dynamics GP weren’t conducive to growth. By working with teams from Admiral Consulting and Cavallo, Krowne overcame these obstacles and recognized transformative results.
Introduction
For more than 70 years and across three generations, Krowne has manufactured and distributed premium, US-made stainless steel underbar equipment, refrigeration accessories, faucets, gas hoses, hand sinks, and more.
The Challenge
Using Microsoft Dynamics GP as its primary order entry interface didn’t offer Krowne the flexibility it needed. “There were no fail-safes or checks and balances built in,” Krowne President Kyle Forman recalled. “We were operating under the hope that people would take the necessary steps. When I sat down to map our processes, I found out that often, many of those steps were getting skipped for the sake of convenience.”
Krowne realized that each step of the order-entry process took far too long and relied too heavily on manual input. Additionally, the company’s complex product line would have required expensive, time-consuming customizations to make GP an effective solution. After counting the exact number of clicks it took to enter an order in Dynamics GP, Forman knew it was time to transform the company’s efficiency.
Admiral Consulting Steps in to Offer a Trusted Distribution Solution
Nearly five years ago, technology partner Admiral Consulting came forward with several solutions to help Krowne realize its efficiency goals. After seeing demos of all three possibilities, Krowne was most impressed with SalesPad by Cavallo®, and decided to move forward.
Throughout the implementation, Admiral Consulting staff served as highly responsive project managers and provided excellent recommendations based on Krowne’s needs. Their partnership delivered the reliable, efficient results that Krowne needed.
Kyle Forman President of KrownePrior to SalesPad, the most orders ever entered in a day by 1 employee was 85. Since we started using SalesPad, one of our order entry guys entered 140 orders in one day. That’s a big increase in efficiency.
The Results
When asked about the changes Krowne has seen since implementing SalesPad, Forman jumped right in. “SalesPad takes out all the guesswork. It used to be very manual. We used to print out all our orders, and there was a time when we would alphabetize them in one building, then drive to one of our other buildings and distribute them. It was crazy. That’s all automated now, and it’s much more efficient than what we were doing.”
By leveraging the inherent efficiency, flexibility, and automation capabilities of SalesPad, Krowne saw dramatic increases in orders processed per day, employee adoption rates, and gross margin.
Efficiency made it possible to train new employees faster, provide better customer assistance, and enter more orders per day than ever before. The new workflows drove down customer service-call times from an average of 5 minutes down to just 2, and decreased the number of clicks to process an order by 60%.
Flexibility let Krowne build detailed, automated processes around a complex business structure — without huge customizations. Krowne didn’t have to change its processes to accommodate rigid rule sets. Instead, it was able to create completely new workflows that strengthened and optimized existing processes.
Automation added a new layer of accountability that didn’t formerly exist, and virtually eliminated paper trails that Krowne had previously relied on so heavily. Simple, manual tasks were automated, minimizing mistakes and enabling greater productivity.
Summary
Krowne wanted transformation, and quickly. Reliance on manual input and “tribal knowledge” led to inefficiencies, and the rigid, inflexible processes of Dynamics GP weren’t conducive to growth. By working with teams from Admiral Consulting and Cavallo, Krowne overcame these obstacles and recognized transformative results.