Context
Founded in 1980, S. Boudrias is a company specializing in horticultural products, supplying major retailers. With a significant portion of its revenue generated during the peak gardening season, S. Boudrias heavily depends on a few major clients representing the bulk of its business. Faced with growth and increasing client demands, the company needed to modernize its systems to ensure quality service and optimal order management.
Objectives
S. Boudrias’ primary goal was to enhance customer satisfaction and retention among its key clients. With these major clients, it was crucial to meet their growing demands, particularly in inventory and order management. S. Boudrias also sought to improve customer service efficiency, automate daily tasks, and implement an ERP system to support its growth.
Challenges
Before implementing Fidelio, S. Boudrias used a custom-built system developed internally in the 1980s, supplemented by manual processes in Excel. This outdated system presented several challenges:
- Inventory management issues: frequent stock shortages, poorly managed orders, and difficulty prioritizing orders.
- Administrative overload: teams had to manually check orders, prices, and delivery tracking, consuming significant time.
- Lack of reliable data: limited historical data and reports, making analysis and decision-making difficult.
- Rapid growth: new clients, particularly in Ontario, required improved transport and inventory management.
Solution
After a thorough search, Jean-Laurence Beauchemin, Vice President of Operations at S. Boudrias, and his team shortlisted two ERP systems. They quickly chose Fidelio for several reasons:
- Intuitive interface: the team was impressed by the visuals and ease of navigation between departments.
- Adaptability: Fidelio was able to meet S. Boudrias’ specific needs, particularly in managing transportation (internal and external fleets).
- Personalized support: As a local company, Fidelio reassured S. Boudrias of the importance given to its clients, unlike some international ERPs.
- Cloud-based solution: flexibility and data security, with a fast implementation timeline.
The implementation of Fidelio took 6 to 7 months, with a smooth deployment that allowed S. Boudrias to quickly benefit from the system’s advantages.
“Thanks to Fidelio, we’ve modernized our operations, strengthened key customer loyalty and optimized inventory management, while harnessing data for more strategic decision-making”.
Jean-Laurence Beauchemin, Vice President of Operations, S. Boudrias
Results
Since implementing Fidelio, S. Boudrias has experienced several significant improvements:
- Improved customer service: order tracking is now faster and more accurate, strengthening customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Task automation: many manual processes have been automated. For instance, EDI order integration no longer requires manual price verification, saving valuable time. The system automatically alerts for errors, reducing human intervention.
- Productivity gains: order entry, previously a full-time task, is now much faster. The person responsible can now focus on tracking, saving three days of work per week.
- Optimized inventory management: Fidelio provides a clear view of stocks across multiple warehouses (Calgary, Montreal, Ontario, Laval), enabling better order management and easier decision-making.
- Resource reallocation: low-value tasks have been automated, allowing human resources to focus on more strategic roles.
Conclusion
The adoption of Fidelio has enabled S. Boudrias to modernize its processes and better meet the expectations of its key clients. By optimizing inventory management and automating administrative tasks, the company has strengthened its customer loyalty while improving efficiency. Fidelio is not just a technological tool for S. Boudrias; it is a st rategic lever supporting the company’s future growth.