Exact Software: Web-based system improves communication and increases productivity for distributor

THE COMPANY: Davis Controls, based in Oakville, Ont., is a distributor, representative and licensed assembler for international manufacturers of instrumentation and control products, offering a range of products for the industrial market. Founded in 1933, Davis employs 50 people in seven offices, working with more than 30 suppliers to serve thousands of customers across Canada and the United States through local sub-distributors and representatives.

THE CHALLENGE: In an organization such as Davis Controls, seamless communication and information exchange with the entire value chain is crucial. When the company’s sales and distribution began to excel, the organization started to take another look at their internal business processes to insure they could meet competitive pressures, one of which was customer service expectations.

Davis Controls was having difficulties wrapping their arms around their growth and accelerated internal processes, putting a real strain on their relationships with customers, partners, suppliers and distributors. The company kept their information in separate silos, and frequently did not have instant access to their own workplace information, leading to timely delays and poor communication.

THE STRATEGY: Davis Controls immediately recognized the need to streamline its business processes and consolidate its workplace information for real-time review and analysis across the entire value chain, aiding in customer support. "Integration of both disparate solutions and multiple processes was critical to us, not only between departmental information and function, but between employees, customers and suppliers," states Neil Montgomery, president and CEO of Davis Controls.

THE RESULTS: Davis Controls was already using Exact Macola ES for its back-office ERP needs, so the integration with Exact Synergy was an easy transition for the company because it provided what other solutions did not – one holistic view of the company’s business operations, and the ability to enhance its existing ERP investment.

Exact Synergy’s web-based collaboration platform brought together the essential people, processes and knowledge by allowing real-time collaboration between departments, offices, countries and, just as importantly, Davis Controls’ outside partners, so that everyone was working with the same, accurate information.

"Synergy, by default, breaks down functional silos through its integration of workplace data, while its workflow facilitates function through communication," explains Montgomery. "We have complete management of value chain, financial, workflow, document and project information through an online browser. You can’t get more powerful than that."

Davis Controls continued to invest in the Exact Software e-business suite, with the purchase of Exact Event Manager, which enables organizations to define the events important to their business and the actions they would like to take in response to these events. This application, along with Synergy workflow, truly provides a complete business operations system for Davis Controls, helping to streamline processes across the entire organization. With Exact Synergy and Exact Event Manager, Montgomery believes the possibilities are endless.

"Synergy grows as Davis Controls grows, and has improved our bottom line and increased productivity," says Montgomery. "Bringing the value chain into our organization has resulted in faster customer feedback, true collaboration and greater efficiencies. We can’t imagine our corporate life without Synergy."

For more information about Exact Software, visit www.exactamerica.com.