Kitchen equipment reseller avoids major issues with “out of the box” implementation services

OVERVIEW

When a kitchen equipment reseller’s ERP implementation failed to address their complex item configurations and operational needs, Vindasius Advisory stepped in to identify gaps, provide solutions, and ensure they got it right the first time. This case study details how we turned a challenging implementation into a streamlined success.

CLIENT DESCRIPTION

The client is a reseller of kitchen equipment and related accessories, selling through a variety of online channels, including Amazon, as well as to direct storefront businesses throughout the United States.  The client engaged an ERP vendor for “out of the box” configuration services to assist with their conversion from Sage to NetSuite.

PROBLEM

The client reached for Vindasius Advisory help when their internal implementation team struggled to understand, or get effective answers to, why the unit of measure (UOM) setup was being recommended.  The client’s operations involve different purchasing and inventory UOM, as well as diverse packaging configurations which require more training and configuration assistance than the “out of the box” engagement provided. Additionally, the client was implementing demand forecasting for the first time and knew that incorrect item setup would undermine the new forecasting functionality.

SOLUTION

Vindasius Advisory was hired for a limited engagement to review their project specifics and identify where more set up complexity existed or where the outlined services  would result in loss of functionality compared to the client’s existing Sage environment.  

During our initial discussion, it was clear that the client needed more support than the “out of the box” services could provide.  The implementer’s approach would have migrated all of the items into the new environment, but would not have configured the unique purchasing UOM and packaging configurations the client required. This would have caused many process workarounds likely resulting in errors downstream.

We explained the issue from both operational and system perspectives, helping the client understand why the recommended setup was inadequate. After reviewing their contract and its scope, we identified the need for additional expertise and connected the client directly to NetSuite inventory setup specialists. These resources bridged the knowledge gap and assisted in updating item setup templates with the correct equivalents the client needed.

The “out of the box” services were found to be lacking in several areas:

• The Chart of Accounts had been oversimplified and would have resulted in a loss of margin reporting post cutover. 
• The recommended entity set up structure would have caused duplicate accounts and items not used in other entities.
• There was no assistance provided for creating essential forms or templates.
• There was no assistance for testing (or time in the implementation calendar) 
• There was no historical data conversion plan and the client was implementing mid-year. 

We highlighted these gaps and made recommendations or provided support to address them.  We were able to get the client back on track and confident in their project plan, with much less time, cost and pain than the original implementation would have caused them.

KEY TAKEAWAY

If your implementation does not make sense or you are concerned about doing things the wrong way, GET HELP!  Fixing a bad configuration always costs more than taking the time to understand your options upfront.  These are the projects we love to assist with!   We review your project and key concerns and provide a list of issues and along with recommendations on how to mitigate them. We highlight where inefficiencies or bad practices exist and what to anticipate all while aligning with realistic expectations.  We get your project back on track using the Vindasius Way

TESTIMONIAL

"When we realized our ERP implementation was heading in the wrong direction, we went looking for someone to help “bridge the gap,” to provide understanding, validation, advice, and direction when we felt “misunderstood” by our solution provider. We contacted Vindasius Advisory—and it was the best decision we could have made.

Vindasius didn’t just identify the gaps in our project; they explained the issues in terms we could easily understand, offering actionable solutions, as well as providing well-defined templates and support tools that aligned perfectly with our operations. Their expertise and trusted partnership gave us confidence and peace of mind at every step. They not only helped us fix critical setup issues but also prevented the downstream headaches we would have faced without their intervention. Thanks to Vindasius, we were able to turn a complex and frustrating project into a streamlined success. I can’t recommend them highly enough!"

- Jim, President of HKF, Inc.