Technology @ a Crossroads? Motherships and etc.

Interesting post. I’m pretty sure we have one of those software systems from Activant that prints our invoices. Doesn’t do SPA’s very well.
Seems like every time we want to use more pf our system, they say we need more hardware.
Is there any package you would recommend?

I think you need to either offer a paper or service that helps us clean up our C&D items. If we gave you a load of data could you give us a price?

Also, What brand of tablet works with a Infor SXe and a Facts system? We have both systems right now.

We need a new system. But we haven’t heard a plan about how we would go about installing without so much disruption. I am pretty sure that is what makes us so Leary. All they want to talk is price and contract.
As to the data issues, can you share with us an approximate time it takes to clean up at least our C& D items? We think our A&B are fairly clean

Well our company is suffering the lack of support blues. Sign a contract, they come in install, stay with us for a couple of weeks…take good care of us.
9 months later they barely answer the phone. I can’t find the sales person as he has moved on. When we finally do reach support, I get the feeling that I probably should have spent time in my early youth going to law school. They seem to find more reasons for not doing something or “it isn’t covered”.
They are real eager to talk about adding additional modules and financing additional hardware.
Personally they should give us the software, charge us for the hardware and then we’ll pay them at the end of the year for how well they handled our support needs in the past year. Probably never happen in my life time.

The lesson I learned is that my fellow distributors are not the best reference point….especially when the software maker is recommending them.’Vapor ware’ is a term that you guys should write an article about.

Regarding a Game Changer – there is a new player in town. As we all know, the distribution business applications market has been dominated by proprietary software vendors that offer complex, inflexible and expensive products. Most are also built on decades old technology. These companies spend between 50-70% of revenues convincing customers to buy their product (sales and marketing) and less than 10% of revenues actually making better products (R&D).

DTG believes there is now a better way. An open source software product that offers a free version for evaluation and can be licensed for less than the monthly cost of most legacy systems.

Distributors are now free to evaluate/use the product and engage with the provider when THEY are ready for a commercial relationship. This l shortens the costly and time-consuming enterprise sales cycle while allocating more resources toward R&D. By the way, the product – PostBooks – has now been downloaded over 100,000 times!

Open Source provides distributors a modern, adaptable and low cost ERP solution that offers a choice between several product editions – on-site perpetual, SaaS or Cloud-based. The distributor also has the ability to switch from one option to the other.

There is a fixed fee option for training and implementation. Unfortunately, business interruption is a given with a software change. However, there should not be a need to ever make a change again.

Just a thought:
Many thought Linux was going to take over the world when they released it. But, People found out FREE unsupported buggy code might not be the best path.

Cloud ERP’s could be an answer for many distributors, provided they are built, supported and offered by experienced software Mothership companies.
This would require the distributor to adopt certain process standards that many are not accustomed to following.

Allen,

Who said anything about unsupported? Companies like xTuple (http://www.xtuple.com) provide rock solid professional support for open source ERP that works great for distributors.

There are also commercially-licensed options for larger companies that are built on the same open source core (and benefit from the rapid pace of improvement and quality).

Stacey’s point above was that businesses can experiment with the free download all they like – and many do in fact go live with the software without any help from the vendor. But when you’re ready to engage with the vendor on a more level playing field (compared to a traditional software sales process), then you can do so at any time.

And by the way, xTuple can run on premise, or in any number of cloud environments. We see the location of the server as just another option that the customer can choose to suit their business needs – just like the license (free, monthly or annual subscription, or perpetual license), and platform (Windows, Mac, Linux, mobile, any mix of the above).

Allen, your question motivated me to do some research on Linux. Below is some of what Wikipedia stated about Linux. It is also interesting to note that both Facebook and Twitter use Linux.

Here is the Wikipedia definition:

Linux can be installed on a wide variety of computer hardware, ranging from mobile phones, tablet computers, routers and video game consoles, to desktop computers, mainframes and supercomputers.

Linux is a leading server operating system, and runs the 10 fastest supercomputers in the world.

The development of Linux is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software collaboration; typically all the underlying source code can be used, freely modified, and redistributed, both commercially and non-commercially by anyone!

Game Changer Technology:
“Click on a distributor/manufacturer catalog (PDF), populate an order and send it you the distributor”. Is this available to use with a any tablet?

I haven’t seen it on a iPad to date.

The “game changer technology” for tablets is that it allows access for quoting/purchasing by a distributor’s customer. The price for tablets should head down to where notebooks will be left at the office because of a number of reasons such as weight, battery life and boot up time.
The tablet allows you a bigger workspace( than a phone), speed, high resolution and light weight.
Some distributors will figure this out real quickly. This could be a way that distributors convert other distributor customers.

Did you see the Guys at NFL Today with their tablets? Game Changer Technology, what is the name of the firm?

Yes and that is not the only place you will see tablets popping up.
Some think that Tablets make a good tool for product demos with the great high resolution. Others think tablets make the perfect ‘in field/in plant quote/purchasing connection’.
And still others think that MRO purchasing from custom catalogs to separate manufacturer catalogs will be a major use.
One thing is sure and that is tablets are a good platform for all the above applications.
The connectivity possibilities are good for distribution.

I have been involved with the electrical distribution software business for over 25 years, both selling software to distributors and as an IT Manager at the largest independent electrical distributor in California. The best software is the package that has features and functionality designed for your business, regardless of the hardware or operating system platform it is built on. Most people already knew this, but occasionally I have encoutered people that insisted software run on Windows or Linux, or be written using certain tools, this drastically limits your software package choices. Ten years ago there were many providers of software that all had loyal customers in the electrical industry, but becasue of consolidation in the software industry many of these formerly very good solutons have been put out to pasture and there is now very limited support and no enhancements being offered. Today, I recommend that to achieve good value for your technology investment you will need to look a little further and beyond the traditional Activant (Epicor) and Infor offerings, there are other comapnies that have already established a beachhead with electrical distributors as customers and offer all the functionality, in both a traditional in-house hardware software version as well as a hosted “cloud” version. I recommend anyone considering a new system look at Ximple Solutions software, (www.cap400.com) it operates in a true browser window with no client application required, so you can connect to the software from any device – mobile, tablet, laptop that has an internet connection and a browser. Very modern, very feature rich, very affordable. It is one of the best of the new breed of solutions for Electrical Distributors.

Bob,
As we have recalled a number of times, you sold us ARRAY and we still respect your opinions.
But…when ARRAY was sold several times and development and support was stopped, we suffered.
ARRAY was a some what sturdy package, as is Eclipse. Both did one thing well….increased our fixed overhead cost. We had portions of both packages that we tried to take advantage of and just couldn’t get from point A to point B. Support and training were the some of the issues. Business disruption was the really big overriding issue.

But my overall point is, when software companies are bought and sold, financial priorities change for the acquiring companies(probably the venture capitalists have some say in that).

If I recall correctly, Allen pointed out that new packages may or may not be the best business solution for a distributor. The real solution for a distribution business is to look at ERP packages a number of different ways based on a total company solution. Meaning that instead of my making the sole decision, I need and want all my managers to express objectively what a package will and won’t do currently and in the future (if that is possible).
After two ERP purchases, I know what to put in the contract to actually get them up and running with a minimum of business disruption.

From an up East Distributor that learned the hard way.

It is always nice to hear that systems I sold in the 1990’s are still in operation today and delivering value for the business. Many distributors regard ERP software as a necessary evil and not a strategic asset. We all agree the industry reached a point long ago that requires some form of automation to stay in sync with customers and vendors and manage the myriad of transactions that occur daily. One mistake that I’ve seen too often when a distributor buys new software is not taking ownership of the implementation process. The owner of the business needs to emphasize how critical the investment is to the success of the firm and make sure there is total involvement by each department to maximize the capabilities offered by the new package. Too often the thinking seems to be let’s get the new system to work the same way the old system did, and there is a reluctance to embrace new and different methods. Just about every package today performs the basic functions – Sales, Purchasing, Accounting in a very similar fashion from a process standpoint. But the added functionality of modern systems to make these processes more paperless and seamless by connecting them to customers, data content and vendors electronically, in real time is a game changer and is sometimes a bit of a leap of faith for some. Your point about getting your managers more involved should extend to before during and after the decision to buy new software is made is exactly what I feel is necessary to effect a solid transition to a new system, with at a minimum, an annual operational review by someone with advanced knowledge of the solution. It is unfortunate that once the VC people got involved with ARRAY, many talented and knowledgable employees became former employees and moved into other fields. Picking a software package should be as much about the selection of a trusted business partner as it is about the features and functionality. Ximple Solutions ownership has daily, hands-on involvement with all aspects of the business and develops long-term relationships with their customers, helping to ensure mutual success for all concerned.

The VC people have a way of causing companies to focus on money and their return.

Well we tried Ximple for awhile.Not our cup of tea.
We have more immediate needs.

Just got back from the Epicor Exec. meeting.
It is my opinion that Epicor is headed down the same path a P-21 and Eclipse with their users.

To Anonymous posting October 19, 2011 12:22 PM

I am in charge of installing licenses at customers and prospects for Ximple. There is no history of ANY installation done in a “TRIAL” basis. Are you sure you got the software name correctly? If so, can you sustain how the “tried Ximple for awhile” happened?

Will love to hear that.

There is a ERP survey that is active in the market place, does any one know who is performing it and what the results are?
It appeared to be un-sponsored, so maybe one of the magazines like TED will publish the results.