Builders' merchant
How it was
Location: EU
Timeline: Sep, 2020 – May, 2021
BM Emporium* (NDA) Construction Supply E-Commerce Solution
The project is under a strong NDA. "Emporium" is the alias.
Emporium provides construction products and supplies to contractors, experts, and DIYers.
They stock lumber, insulation, plumbing fittings, and electrical wire. By all means, the company aims to meet all your construction requirements with excellent customer service. They are a skilled team that can assist contractors and homeowners in discovering the right materials at the right price.
Another key point is their dependable delivery and extensive inventory. In the construction sector, time equals money, so their goal is to provide swift and hassle-free deliveries.
Company motto: “You can concentrate on work. Our staff works hard to fulfill your purchase on time and to meet your expectations.”
Market leader issues
CHALLENGE
Since the Company’s founding, its owners have pursued an ambitious expansion plan. In effect, this strategy contributed to the company’s early success. Specifically, long-standing competitors responded swiftly to the company’s success, even imitating some of its commercial initiatives.
The company’s management opted for continuous innovation as their new strategic direction. The decision was made to build a construction supply e-commerce site for business customers. iAM-trade was selected as the core platform.
Goals
The implementing purpose
The overarching growth plan was fragmented into several practical measures designed to achieve this purpose. Most of these changes pertained to the Company’s information system, mainly its B2B E-Commerce.
- Staying competitive
- Expanding the customer base
- Increasing demand for online ordering
- Streamlining the ordering and delivering process
- Improving inventory management
- Increasing customer satisfaction
- Reducing costs
Five developers, logistics specialists, and project managers worked for nine months to bring the project online. The project’s scope was expansive due to the requirement to meet many difficult objectives.
This has been achieved
PROJECT DETAILS
We have equipped the iAM-Trade construction supply e-commerce platform with B2C (DIY-consumers) and B2B features in order to improve online retail sales and manage connections with manufacturers, contractors, and consumers.
Customers groups
After one year of implementing iAM-trade, the customer base has grown to include an even wider range of groups. In addition to serving contractors, homeowners, and developers, the Company has expanded its reach to include a variety of other professionals and organizations:
- Architects
- Landscapers
- Electricians
- Plumbers
- Masons
- Painters
- Government and communal agencies
Storing and shipping
The inventory planning procedure considers the requirements of Customers (Construction project planning and Project scheduling) and the manufacturing capacity of Suppliers (Stock availability and Production plans).
This integration boosted Company’s efficiency by:
- Reducing logistics costs by shipping more orders directly from manufacturer warehouses to construction sites.
- Reducing warehouse purchases and implementing direct distribution to customers has led to a substantial release of cash.
- Thanks to the Just-in-Time logistics approach, clients perceive the company as a reliable partner and accord it top priority.
Order Management
Through the site, users may receive the data online. The B2B construction supply e-commerce portal allows consumers to engage with the order management system:
- Inventory levels in real-time: reservation and pre-order
- Order and shipping tracking
- Invoicing
- Statements
- Complaints and returns management
- Automation of supplier orders
- Mobile access
- Notifications: e-mails, and push for order changes
Pricing
The company’s quick expansion led to a large rise in the number of stock-keeping units (SKUs) and buyer groups.
Dealing with top-tier developers and state-owned businesses needs “Contract or personal pricing” features.
- Multiple pricing levels
- Customizable pricing rules
- Real-time pricing updates
- Support for discounts and promotions
- Package offers
- Multi-currency support
- Contract pricing
- User access controls
Accounting
Integration with the existing general management system (GMS) was a challenge. The system does not have an API for third-party application integration.
GMS has been in use for many years, and it has been impossible to move quickly to another, more functional system.
The developers discovered a solution and finished this crucial project phase.
Integrations
The construction supply e-commerce portal built on the iAM-trade platform, was seamlessly integrated with the ERP, POS (Point of Sale), WMS, and GMS systems.
In addition to integrating with GMS, we have developed modules to integrate with Customers and Suppliers. Most of the client’s systems currently reside in the hybrid cloud.
