An ERP Success Story

Overview

British Canadian Importers (BCI) provides ingredients, packaging, and distribution to the food service and processing industry throughout Canada. Started in the 1930's, the company has been in business for over 80 years. As their business grew, they expanded from importing and distributing food ingredients to include packaging and equipment categories as well. 

Key Outcomes

• Implementation of Sage 300 ERP and Sage CRM
• New operating efficiencies and competitive advantages for BCI 
• Process improvements in bedrock activities (billing, customer engagement, reporting)

Challenge

BCI needed to replace its aging accounting legacy software. They ultimately chose BAASS Business Solutions and Sage. Prior to choosing any specific software or technology, BCI engaged BAASS in their Confidence Boost analysis. 

"Our old ERP system wasn't keeping pace with company growth. Too many tasks were being done manually or outside the system and operating costs were growing." - Marilyn Bergen, Operations Manager

Solution

With the Confidence Boost analysis, BAASS was able to learn BCI's operations inside and out, as well as quantify the potential impact of business process improvement. BAASS identified Sage 300 ERP as the best fit for BCI, and proceeded with the implementation. 

Outcome

Marilyn says the benefits of their new technology have just begun, starting with process improvement and efficiencies in bedrock activities like billing, customer engagement, and reporting. 

"With Sage 300 ERP, critical information is available to us much more quickly and reporting is far more accurate. It seems that every week we learn new ways to harness the system's power. It's like a whole new world." - Marilyn Bergen, Operations Manager

Marilyn asserts that BCI found that the real reward comes from a combination of the technology and implementation partner: "Many companies would be happy just to implement a new ERP system within a reasonable time and budget. IT's something else entirely to have a technology partner that's focused on your business and with you every step of the way like BAASS was. You don't get that in your typical vendor-client relationship".