“SmartTurn allowed us to rapidly grow our business through a flexible on-demand model. Because we can add additional fulfillment clients with a no-cost, web-based WMS, our clients love it. The system has not only streamlined efficiencies, but it’s also become a tremendous selling tool for us in rapidly signing up new clients”. 
- Brian Schoenbaechler, President SBC Fulfillment

Company Overview

Company Overview

SBC Fulfillment is a leading 3PL located in Atlanta that provides a wide variety of packaging and fulfillment services worldwide. These include, among others. warehousing and distribution, information technology, and e-commerce solutions.

The Challenge - Providing a Secure Web-Based Warehouse Management System

The Challenge - Providing a Secure Web-Based Warehouse Management System

SBC Fulfillment faced a daunting challenge: the need for a manageable multi-client, multi-facility warehouse management system (WMS) that was easy to administer combined with the ease-of-use and flexibility of a web-based system that its clients wanted. The 3PL’s previous WMS was rigid when it came to multi-client and costly in setting up fees and time spent. The company needed to find a viable inventory and warehouse management system that would gather, store and make available supply chain data that wouldn’t disrupt their current IT infrastructure. An increasing number of prospective customers were demanding a web-based application that offered the features to effectively manage their supply chain while also being accessible from anywhere and anytime without costly implementation and infrastructure investments.

Existing customers also requested a web-based WMS so that they could have 24/7 access to their inventory information and discard their current on-premise system that was only accessible by SBC Fulfillment. In order to have an up-to-date WMS that fits the needs of the company’s clients, a system was required to fulfill the following criteria:

• A real-time tracking system that provided a simple, intuitive interface accessible to clients
• Meet increasing demand from clients wanting the benefits of a web-based system
• A WMS that wouldn’t cost a fortune for licenses and upgrades
• Needed a system that created a competitive advantage in new business acquisition

According to Brian Schoenbaechler, President of SBC Fulfillment, “We were looking for a WMS that incorporated the SaaS model because we wanted to focus our resources on the core business rather than on the time-consuming set-up associated with traditional on-premise software".

Finding a Solution With SmartTurn

Finding a Solution With SmartTurn

After researching to find a solution that would fit their requirements, Brian discovered SmartTurn.Schoenbaechler was impressed by not only the features and intuitive interface but also by the knowledgeable SmartTurn team.“With a SaaS model, the people behind the company are even more important for a business critical application such as WMS. SmartTurn has provided all the support we could ever need from integration and implementation to daily communications on functionality. I can pick up the phone or email our CEM, and we can expect a timely response with no hassles". The company has streamlined operations with simplified order entry, allowing Schoenbaechler to focus on his core business.

SmartTurn’s WMS has also led to significant new business opportunities and provides a competitive advantage in what the company offers to prospective clients. As Schoenbaechler explains: “While our competitors have to charge additional fees for limited offerings, we’re able to provide a highly functional platform that they can access from anywhere in the world at a low cost without set-up charges. The added benefit which cannot be overstated is that the data is always available to me regardless of whether the system is disrupted or has other issues. As long as I have an Internet connection, I can securely access the system via another computer". This means when the sales teams are out on their calls out in the field, they can use their laptop and say instantly what SBC Fulfillment has on hand and what boxes are ready to be shipped. The sales team knows, in real-time, exactly what they have - saving critical time in a competitive market.

Expanding the System through Integration & Configuration

SmartTurn allows warehouses to instantly integrate at the data and process level by simply adjusting security and permission configurations. This unique ability creates a rapid deployment and adaptive supply chain for future pull or market-driven innovations like mass customization, or dynamic sourcing. “I needed an agile system that could scale with our current business and scale as we expand, and any other system would have limited our long-term options”, said Schoenbaechler, “People need to understand that with traditional on-premise software, the ongoing maintenance, and upgrades that can be painful if not debilitating. With SmartTurn, upgrades are automatically taken care of on their end, and we simply log in and use”. SBC Fulfillment has already started to expand the system using the API to pull data, integrating with Quickbooks, adding Pentaho for reporting and Magento for e-commerce, and tying into UPS, Endicia, and FedEx.

Results - Safe, Secure Employee & Client Access

Results - Safe, Secure Employee & Client Access

SBC Fulfillment and several of its clients use SmartTurn on a daily basis, and the company expects that to further expand over time. The company points out the following benefits of SmartTurn:

• Clients can only access and see their information, striking the balance between accessibility and security
• Multiple users and regular upgrades at each warehouse for a low-cost monthly fee
• The system can be configured and scaled according to the company’s growth
• Web-based, secure access with 24/7 access for employees and clients

Brian Schoenbaechler is delighted with the results so far: “Our former program was twice as expensive as SmartTurn and wouldn’t anything but configurable, so the limitations were obvious. SmartTurn gives us the flexibility to change and modify based on our needs, and we’ll look to SmartTurn in the future when dealing with higher volumes. SmartTurn makes it easy for us to track and provide real-time assessments for our customers. They can also see exactly how much product is in our warehouse and how much of that product is available for their use at any given time”, said Schoenbaechler, “It’s a simple practice allocating items and fulfilling shipments, and the entire process just works”.

To find out more about SBC Fulfillment, visit its website: www.sbcfulfillment.com