Ontario Building Supply Provides Fast Customer Service With Aquilon ERP
Distributor of decorative panels and related products based in Rochester, New York. Provider of repair and replacement services for cabinets, closets, and functional spaces.
Challenges and the journey
Founded in 1948, Rochester, NY-based Ontario Building Supply has gone through several business transitions over its six decades of operations. Once focused on roofing materials, the company survived bankruptcy and a change of ownership to thrive as a building supplier to cabinetmakers, store fixture manufacturers and remodelers.
Recently, Ontario Building Supplies has been acquired by Richelieu Hardware, but the case study still tells a story worth reading. Before the acquisition, the company supplied metal, plastic, and wood laminates to their customers. The company centered their operations in Rochester and had a satellite warehouse in Albany, NY.
They valued a quick and effective order entry system to serve walk-in customers professionally. When Thomas Donahower took over as president twenty years ago, they were using an older Data General system that couldn’t provide the level of efficiency required.
Thomas began looking at potential replacement systems, eventually choosing Aquilon’s precursor software application in the late nineties. It had the level of business distributors, with Finance and Inventory modules at the core.
Impressed by the app’s stability and reliability, they chose to use the enhanced Aquilon-branded version in 2010. Although they had looked at other packages, Thomas opted for Aquilon for its simplicity, low cost of ownership, and competitive pricing.
The company expanded the software’s usage to include Purchasing, Contact management, and improved reporting. Fast order entry was imperative to keeping things moving for counter sales, helping customers to get the materials they need and out the door quickly.
At a glance
Challenge:
- Providing fast and efficient customer service for walk-in customers
- They needed a fast and easy-to-use system
Outcome:
- A fast and easy system with the original software from the late 90s
- A system that stood the test of time with over 20 years of service from Aquilon
- Upgrading to Aquilon ERP in 2010, enhancing the experience and customer service
- Low cost of ownership
- Competitive pricing
- Ease of use
- Fast order system
- Software expansion:
- Purchasing
- Contact management
- Advanced Reporting