Background:
Screens R Us specialise in custom-made insect and security screen doors, pet doors, blinds, and wardrobe systems. In 2021, John Cole became the new owner of the business. At that time, Screens R Us relied on paper-based processes, Excel spreadsheets, email, and MYOB for basic invoice creation.
Bookings would be taken by phone, written in a diary, and entered into a spreadsheet. The field reps had clipboards with sheets of paper to fill in. Physical job sheets allowed field reps to collect job measurements, materials, drawings, location and countless more details that are required for the custom nature of their manufacturing and installation business.
Quotes were handwritten, scanned, and emailed off to the client for approval. Moving jobs into manufacturing was a combination of manual entry into spreadsheets and paper-based job sheets travelling through production.
The Problem:
John recognised the limitations of manual and paper-based processes, which often led to errors, delays, and information loss. Inventory management was challenging due to a lack of visibility, resulting in unnecessary stock orders. To address these issues and improve productivity, efficiency, and visibility across departments, John sought a comprehensive business management software solution. An important success factor of the new system would be a user-friendly interface to ensure that all 7 users could promptly learn and use the software to assist in their day-to-day tasks.
Through his network, John was already aware of many software solutions that handled specific business functions. Simpro and Fergus for example, were able to address challenges in job management, bookings and invoicing for his industry. However, neither of these were complete solutions that could alleviate paper-based processes in manufacturing and inventory management. And where suitable manufacturing or inventory management software solutions were available, these didn’t handle the requirements in bookings and invoicing. John sought a more complete business management software that could handle all aspects of the business, including bookings, inventory, CRM, website and finance.
The Solution:
After an extensive search, John discovered Odoo, and selected Wedoo as his implementation partner. While there was a lot that Odoo could do for Screens R Us right ‘out-of-the-box’, Wedoo needed to build customisations and add functionality to satisfy the more unique processes that come with the custom manufacturing nature of the business.
Wedoo developed significant customisations at Screens R Us, focusing on streamlining their quoting process, ordering, and manufacturing processes. The quoting screen underwent the most significant change, where added functionality was developed, allowing for the capture of various products the customer is interested in.
"We don't just have x item that costs $x. We have x item, in a specific colour, of a specific material, and in varying lengths...it can be quite complex." - John Cole
Further functionality was added to allow the order to be automatically scheduled for a visit by a rep. In addition, Google Maps Street validation was built in to improve the accuracy of bookings.
“Location is significant for us. Where possible, we optimise the reps schedule so that bookings in particular suburbs are grouped. This speeds up our service to customers”. - John Cole.
Once onsite, the rep uses Odoo to capture size and measurement for the required product. Reps can take photos and even markup drawings of the work with the added functionality of a drawing box within Odoo. This functionality is vital in capturing a wide range of details required for custom manufacturing orders.
We then modified Odoo to present various quoted options to the customer in the Odoo portal. This allows the customer to select and approve only the products they want from a single quote, rather than receiving multiple quotes for multiple scenarios. The customer uses the portal to select from the quote which items they wish to order and confirm by clicking the shopping basket on that item line. This then creates an order for the selected components which then flows into the manufacturing process. All the photos, measurements and drawings follow the order into the manufacturing order.
A Better Business
The implementation of Odoo brought about a significant transformation for Screens R Us. The business benefits from a centralised system that provides real-time insights into inventory, sales, purchasing, field service, manufacturing, and other key areas of their operations. With seven Odoo users, the staff at Screens R Us have found the system to be user-friendly and efficient, streamlining their administrative tasks and improving overall productivity.
"Man I love using this system!" Administrator Tash joined Screens R Us right when the system had been implemented. Tash has been blown away by how easy Odoo has been to learn and use.
Screens R Us is proud to offer a superior customer experience today with automated appointment notification and reminders, and a customer portal for approving quotes and confirming orders.
Field reps are more efficient in their delivery of services. Grouping jobs in the same suburb to optimise their schedules also means faster turnaround times for many of their customers. By transitioning from paper-based processes, Screens R Us has significantly reduced, and in some areas eliminated the need for materials such as paper, diaries, quote books, and job sheets.
Screens R Us is poised for the future, with plans to expand the functionality of the Odoo solution as the business evolves. John's commitment to continuous improvement and innovation ensures that Screens R Us remains at the forefront of their industry, supported by Wedoo's expertise. The company's success with Odoo has led John to recommend the system to his network, as he couldn't be happier with the positive impact it has made on his business.
Screens R Us' journey with Odoo, driven by the partnership with Wedoo, serves as a testament to the transformative power of a comprehensive business management system. The company has achieved better service to customers, improved efficiency, and a streamlined workflow, positioning them for continued success and innovation in their industry.
If you would like to see a demo of Odoo for manufacturing, reach out to our knowledgeable team today for a no obligation chat.