Supply Chain Systems Provider Expands Customer Base with Microsoft Dynamics GP

Accellos, Inc. is a global provider of warehouse management, logistics, transportation and mobile fleet management solutions based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Recognizing the important position Microsoft Dynamics GP holds in the mid-market business accounting software space, Accellos expanded its offerings for the GP market by acquiring Toronto, Ontario based Radio Beacon, Inc, a Microsoft Gold Certified partner specializing in warehouse management systems (WMS). By combining its supply chain expertise with Microsoft Dynamics GP, Accellos is able to offer a valuable solution to distributors and manufacturers looking to better control their operations.

Company Overview

Businesses of all types and sizes strive to closely manage all aspects of their supply chain – from receiving and order selection to loading and shipping. Accellos, Inc. has built its business on helping customers meet this challenge. In 2006, the Colorado Springs, Colorado-based company made a decision to build a suite of mid-market focused supply chain execution (SCE) solutions.

Business Challenge

“We believed that the small and medium marketplace was under-served from a supply chain standpoint,” says Ross Elliott, Executive Vice President, Accellos, Inc. “While mid-sized businesses often have the same supply chain needs as large enterprises, they generally don’t have the IT expertise to be able to effectively implement these solutions.”

To begin the process of realizing this vision, Accellos extended its product offerings through the acquisition of Radio Beacon Inc., a provider of mid-market solutions seamlessly integrated to the Microsoft® Dynamics™ software. The RADIO BEACON WMS product provides the customer with a rich Web-based warehouse management solution that incorporates Radio Frequency (RF) and barcode technology to automate warehouse processes.

The company positioned RADIO BEACON WMS as the cornerstone of its Accellos One Warehouse product line and began the process of integrating it with other components of the Accellos One supply chain execution solution suite. Not only would this enhance Accellos’ supply chain product offerings, it would enable Accellos to increase market share within the lucrative mid-size customer segment.

Solution

Accellos worked closely with the Microsoft Emerging Business Team early in this process to validate its market assumptions and better understand how its solutions would complement the existing Microsoft Dynamics GP products. After this review, the company felt even more convinced that an opportunity existed to create a new category of solutions by working in partnership with the Microsoft Dynamics GP global team.

“Radio Beacon’s expertise with Microsoft Dynamics GP was a key factor in the decision to acquire the company,” says Elliott. “Our applications extend the supply chain execution capabilities of leading ERP systems in the mid-size business space. While we remain committed to our current supply chain product portfolio, Microsoft software gives us a broader and deeper solution portfolio to appeal to a wider range of businesses.”

Accellos One Warehouse seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Dynamics GP, providing mid-market customers with cost-effective complete warehouse management capabilities streamlining warehouse processes while improving accuracy, efficiency and customer service levels. Known as Accellos One Warehouse for Microsoft Dynamics GP, the integrated Web-based warehouse management system provides enhanced supply chain, RF and barcode technology capabilities, including container receiving and back order processing to support automated warehouse environments. Accellos now offers greater appeal to mid-market companies looking to optimize resources, manage orders and coordinate the physical handling of warehouse goods more accurately and efficiently.

Accellos is also looking at Microsoft BizTalk® Server 2006 as another key component of its technology platform. BizTalk will help Accellos customers use their enterprise solutions in a more collaborative fashion, driving additional value from the Accellos platform.

“Converging with BizTalk will help us build a series of adapters that integrate our Dynamics solutions including GP, AX, NAV and SL,” states Elliott. “The built-in functionality of BizTalk will also help accelerate our use of RFID and bring the overall costs of the solutions down so that our mid-market customers can more easily afford them.”

Business Benefits

Through its Microsoft Gold Certified partner relationship and through the integration of Microsoft Dynamics GP with its Accellos One suite of products, the company offers a total solution to a mid-market company’s supply chain issues where traditionally only point solutions existed. As a result, Accellos sees the opportunity for significant growth in the coming years.

Increased Marketing and Sales Support

By expanding its mid-sized business strategy to leverage Microsoft-based technologies, Accellos has been able to boost its marketing and sales opportunities within the mid-market space. As a member of the Microsoft Partner Program, Accellos has access to training workshops, which educate consultants on how to implement Microsoft technology solutions, and includes product and solution-based sales training.

“We receive fantastic support from Microsoft and we know how to use it to our best advantage. Working with Microsoft has provided us with a significant growth opportunity, enhancing our ability to uncover leads and offer training, consulting and even strategic guidance to mid-sized customers,” says Elliott.

The Gold Certified Partner designation gives Accellos access to a wide range of marketing tools and support, helping the company reach the mid-sized business market and fill its sales pipeline. The sales teams regularly collaborate with Microsoft on various marketing initiatives, from events to telemarketing campaigns to sales pitches.

“Becoming a Gold Certified Partner to secure additional sales in this space was a natural step. We can now help accelerate supply chain success for our sales channel through the use of the Accellos One Warehouse for Microsoft Dynamics GP solution”, adds Elliott

Enhanced Product Portfolio

Accellos leverages the insight and support provided by Microsoft to help develop a holistic supply chain and accounting platform geared toward the mid-size business segment. Accellos One Warehouse for Microsoft Dynamics GP empowers customers to enhance productivity, reduce costs, shorten order fulfillment times and increase customer satisfaction.

“The positioning of the Accellos One Warehouse for Microsoft Dynamics GP solution in the mid-market has significantly strengthened our product portfolio,” says Elliott. “For that reason, we see the relationship with Microsoft as critical. Not only does it give us a competitive advantage, we now have a platform on which to provide viable enterprise-class solutions to the mid-size market.”

Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics is a line of integrated, adaptable business management solutions that enables you and your people to make business decisions with greater confidence. Microsoft Dynamics works like familiar Microsoft software such as Microsoft Office, which means less of a learning curve for your people, so they can get up and running quickly and focus on what’s most important. And because it is from Microsoft, it easily works with the systems that your company already has implemented. By automating and streamlining financial, customer relationship, and supply chain processes, Microsoft Dynamics brings together people, processes, and technologies, increasing the productivity and effectiveness of your business, and helping you drive business success.