Sage 100 ERP with Sage Mobile Sales is the total package

“In the year since we implemented Sage Mobile Sales, our sales are up by 16 percent.”

John Giczewski, purchasing manager

St. Joseph Paper and Packaging has been distributing paper products, bubble wrap, and pallet strapping supplies to companies in South Bend, Indiana, and the surrounding area for more than 25 years. The company prides itself on providing customers with the total package—quality products backed by the best service, experience, and dependability in the industry. St. Joseph Paper and packaging expects that same package deal from its enterprise resource planning software—and found it in Sage 100 ERP*.

Take charge of inventory—and profitability

The company implemented Sage 100 ERP nearly a decade ago, selecting the solution primarily for its strong inventory management and warehousing functionality. The company’s 35,000 square-foot warehouse houses more than 8,500 different items. “We need software that helps us effectively manage all that stock,” says John Giczewski, purchasing manager for St. Joseph Paper and Packaging. “Keeping the right mix of products on hand without costly overstocking is key, and Sage 100 ERP helps us do that. It’s quick and responsive software that provides us with a great deal of insight and control over our inventory.”

As an example of that insight, Giczewski notes that not only can the company easily query current product costs, it can perform strategic long-term analyses. “We can follow our margins over time, spotting trends and taking proactive action to maintain and grow our profitability.”

Custom queries and reports are easily prepared and distributed to the staff members that need them. “We created a customized commission report for our reps that includes detailed profit margin information,” explains Giczewski. “Our reps have lots of flexibility in setting pricing, so they need access to this kind of information.”

Other reports help the company make accurate sales forecasts and more informed and strategic purchasing decisions by bringing together metrics including historical sales, vendor lead times, current stock on hand and on order, and seasonal sales trends.

Expand opportunities with mobile sales tools

Sage 100 ERP had been hard at work at St. Joseph Paper and Packaging for several years when the company’s Sage business partner proposed a review of the company’s existing processes and workflows to see if improvements could be made. “We are always looking to move forward and gain efficiencies,” explains Giczewski. “We were reviewing our sales processes, and our business partners suggested Sage Mobile Sales as a way to streamline the processes and empower our sales reps with better access to customer and product information.”

Sage Mobile Sales is an intuitive, cloud-based app for touchscreen tablets and laptops** that delivers customer, inventory, and order-related data to sales representatives wherever they are working, helping companies improve efficiency, lower costs, and close more sales. “We tested Sage Mobile Sales with one rep,” recalls Giczewski. “It worked just as promised, and now all of our reps are adopting it. In fact, currently more than 50 percent of our orders are initiated in Sage Mobile Sales.”

Giczewski says the advantages of Sage Mobile Sales are many. “There’s no paper involved. Before our reps were writing down orders on paper and then bringing them to the office or phoning them in from our customers’ sites. By eliminating paper, order accuracy is improved, as is the speed of our order processing.”

Sales representatives have access to the company’s entire catalog of items in a searchable, relevant fashion. “While viewing one item, they can see related or companion items and introduce customers to those items,” explains Giczewski. “They can also see available quantities, special pricing, and prior purchase history, which previously would have required a phone call.”

In short, Sage Mobile Sales is boosting the company’s sales volume. “It makes it easier for our reps to sell more to existing customers and have more time to win new customers,” says Giczewski. “In the year since we implemented Sage Mobile Sales, our sales are up by 16 percent.”

Drive efficiency at all levels

As part of the company’s continuing efforts to reduce paper and increase overall efficiency, it began paying the majority of its vendors using electronic payment processing, a feature built into the Sage 100 ERP Accounts Payable module. Now, more than 95 percent of the company’s vendors are paid in this way, dramatically reducing the time and expense involved in printing and mailing paper checks.

“We are utilizing technology in ways that reduce the labor required to complete routine yet vital tasks,” says Giczewski. “Our staff can now spend more time on value-adding activities, and we are able to grow the business without adding additional staff.”

St. Joseph Paper and Packaging also utilizes Sage Fixed Assets to accurately track and manage its many assets throughout their lifecycle. Integration with Sage 100 ERP further streamlines and simplifies asset management.

“Sage 100 ERP continues to prove itself as an excellent enterprise resource planning solution for St. Joseph Paper and Packaging,” Giczewski concludes. “We appreciate that Sage continually invests in the product, improving it and adapting it to changing times. We plan to remain with Sage 100 ERP for many years to come.”

*Sage 100 ERP was named Sage ERP MAS when St. Joseph Paper and Packaging initially implemented this solution. The product names have been updated in this case study to reflect current naming.
**Compatible with iPad 2 and up, Windows Surface Pro tablets, and Windows 8.1 Pro touchscreen laptop.

Challenge

St. Joseph Paper and Packaging is a busy distributor with a large and well-stocked warehouse. The company requires tools to effectively and efficiently manage its inventory as well as modern sales tools to enable its sales representatives to close more—and more profitable sales.

Solution

Sage 100 ERP has served as the company’s financial, inventory management, and warehousing solution for many years. More recently the company implemented Sage Mobile Sales to further empower its field sales staff.

Results

Sales are up by 16 percent in the first year, with 50 percent of orders initiated through Sage Mobile Sales. Ninety-five percent of the company’s vendors are paid through electronic payment processing, greatly streamlining the payable process.