Small manufacturer finds QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions a better fit than ERP

SVP Manufacturing , a Phoenix-based automotive accessories supplier, is a small enterprise. It has 25 employees in two locations, but recent growth prompted the company to move from a DOS-based accounting package to a full-blown ERP system.

The original accounting package “didn’t give us the flexibility to extract information the way we wanted to,” says Rick Hirsch, co-owner of SVP Manufacturing “As we started to grow, [we saw] limitations in our ability to extract information and analyze our customers, and our own performance.”

As it turned out, the switch to ERP wasn’t much of an improvement. “It was too complicated, and we never implemented it,” Hirsch says.

Instead, SVP became one of what Inuit says is a growing number of small and medium-size enterprises that are dumping traditional ERP packages in favor of Intuit’s QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions (QBES).

In addition to basic accounting functionality, QBES delivers the capabilities to:

Manage fix assets;

Forecast customer demand;

Track inventory;

Oversee employee activities; and

Manage customer and supplier relationships.

In January 2006, SVP Manufacturing deployed the full functionality of QBES, except the payroll feature. An Intuit Certified Pro advisor helped with the conversion, but didn’t train users—Hirsch says the interface was easy to learn—rather he helped SVP Manufacturing set QuickBooks up in a way that met SVP’s needs.

Now SVP Manufacturing manages inventory and forecasts using QBES; and is able to focus on its customers and deliver products faster than ever before.

Additionally, SVP customized QuickBooks using third-party software. Hirsch explains, “We run software from V Technologies that allows us to process the box, take the UPS/FedEx shipping information and put a label on it, and then put the information back into QuickBooks so that we have tracking information of what was shipped.”

SVP Manufacturing isn’t atypical. Intuit claims small and midsize manufacturers want ease-of-use that typical ERP systems don’t always provide, as well as customized systems based around their needs.

Intuit基于o部分中提供了这些功能n its sales model.

“We call it a hybrid model,” says Jennifer Lewis, director of marketing for Intuit Mid Market Group. “We have taken the best of the VAR model and morphed it so the customer chooses how they want to purchase it. They can customize it themselves, or have someone come out. They can build the sales force they want.”

Intuit also offers more than 450 add-ons that a third party can integrate with QuickBooks. The add-ons are available to customers through a solution provider channel. With the add-ons and an open application interface, Intuit believes it has all the functionality needed by a small manufacturer.

And SVP Manufacturing agrees. “We didn’t expect the level of customer support we’ve received,” Hirsch claims. “You can’t afford to be down. You have to keep your business going. You can’t beat the price, quality, value, and support you get.”

PROFILE

Company : SVP Manufacturing

Challenges : Growing auto accessories maker was struggling to collect information necessary to manage inventory, analyze customer relationships, and monitor corporate performance.

Solution : Intuit’s QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions

Benefits : Better demand forecasting and inventory tracking; improved reporting on customer service performance.

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