Case Study: Distribution and e-commerce

Problem

Our client, a national distributor of consumable products and an established Microsoft Dynamics NAV site sought to extend their current business model to incorporate an e-business strategy which in turn would streamline their distribution process. Importance was placed on the need for the business to operate using the one system which the client hoped would automate the chain of events that occurred when an order was processed. The ultimate goal of this was to increase efficiency whilst decreasing the cost of distribution. 
 
Challenges

1. Deploy multiple websites; the management of a wholesale and retail website from the one system was required of the solution. The challenge in this was that even though the products were identical, the pricing and category structure as well as order and payment procedures were difference for the customers of each website.

2. Identifying new customers; in launching an e-business strategy new customers or existing anonymous customers through the website needed to be identified in or to be included in future marketing activities.

3. Direct sales to website; a key objective of the solution was convert the high volume of phone based orders to the website.  This meant establishing a simple and reliable ordering and payment process to ensure that existing as well as new customers felt comfortable placing orders online.

Solution

A turnkey shopping cart content management system that was suitable to be integrated with Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Liveware integrated the two systems which meant the client could perform all of the website’s content management through the one Microsoft Dynamics NAV database.  This included all product images, descriptions, category set up and pricing.

Outcomes

“Being able to run multiple web sites through the one Microsoft Dynamics NAV database, takes time saving to the next level and allows our company to grow and enter into new markets” -Business Owner

The integration of the registration centre to the CRM (client relationship management) within the Microsoft Dynamics NAV database allows specific information about each online customer to be managed. For example; the products displayed to individual customers can be personalised according to their details. This information also allows for an efficient payment process benefiting both the distributor and the customer. 

“Our customers like the fact that our website is personalised, our sale reps or accounts department can load product offers such as volume discounts immediately onto the site to be displayed to individual customers when they log in to place an order” - Business Owner

An order placed through the website is automatically placed through the Microsoft Dynamics NAV ordering system. This outcome is beneficial to both the distributor and customer as orders can be processed in a timelier manner and decrease the delivery time for the customer. 

 “Within six months of inception, 30% of our orders were being placed through the websites and a further 30% of our customers were using the websites as our catalogue” - Business Owner