Ryan: All right, so today, let’s dive into something that I think a lot of people can relate to.
Emma: Yeah.
Ryan: Have you ever felt like you’re kind of outgrowing your tools?
Emma: Yeah, definitely.
Ryan: And I don’t mean literally, but like when the software you’re using just can’t keep up with what you need it to do.
Ryan: That’s the problem Horizon Stone was facing. They create these really beautiful stone veneers, but their accounting software, QuickBooks, was really starting to hold them back.
Emma: Yeah, that makes sense.
Ryan: So think of this deep dive as a lesson in knowing when it’s time to level up your tech game.
Emma: Yeah, you hit the nail on the head. QuickBooks is great for a lot of things, but once you get into the intricacies of manufacturing, it starts to show its limits.
Ryan: Yeah, I can imagine. It’s one thing to track invoices for freelance work, but managing the entire life cycle of a physical product is a whole other level.
Emma: Absolutely. Horizon Stone was dealing with raw materials, complex production processes, and each finished piece needed its own unique serial number for tracking.
Emma: QuickBooks just wasn’t built for that level of detail.
Ryan: Okay, so picture this: you’re trying to bake a cake, but instead of measuring cups and spoons, you’re just eyeballing everything. Things could get pretty messy pretty fast.
Emma: Yeah, a recipe for disaster.
Ryan: Exactly. And that’s basically what Horizon Stone was dealing with.
Emma: And that’s why they decided to call in some experts. They partnered with a company called Ace Micro.
Ryan: Okay.
Emma: Ace Micro is a Microsoft partner that specializes in helping businesses find the right technology solutions.
Ryan: That’s a smart move because, you know, it’s like renovating your house yourself versus hiring a contractor who really knows what they’re doing.
Emma: Precisely. And in Horizon Stone’s case, Ace Micro recommended they make the leap to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Ryan: Okay, so Business Central. Is that like the magic bullet that solved all their problems?
Emma: Well, let’s not call it magic. But it was definitely a huge step in the right direction.
Ryan: Okay.
Emma: Business Central is an ERP system, which stands for Enterprise Resource Planning. Think of it as the central nervous system of a business. It connects different functions like inventory, production, sales, and finance.
Ryan: So instead of having separate systems that don’t talk to each other, everything is integrated and streamlined.
Emma: Exactly.
Ryan: I’m starting to see why Ace Micro recommended this.
Emma: Yeah. Specifically for Horizon Stone, Business Central offered a bunch of features that QuickBooks couldn’t handle.
Ryan: Like what?
Emma: For example, advanced inventory management, including tracking those all-important serial numbers on each finished piece.
Ryan: Oh, so no more losing track of which stone veneer went where?
Emma: Exactly.
Ryan: That’s huge for a company like Horizon Stone.
Emma: Absolutely. And Business Central also brought tools for production planning and forecasting, so they could anticipate demand and manage their resources more efficiently. Plus, the reporting capabilities were much more robust.
Ryan: So, basically, Business Central was like, “Hold my beer, QuickBooks, I got this.”
Emma: I like that.
Ryan: But I’m guessing there’s more to the story, right? Even with this fancy new system, were there still areas where Horizon Stone needed more help?
Emma: Yeah, you’re right. It wasn’t a complete fix right out of the box.
Emma: While Business Central was great for the big picture, managing their warehouse operations was still a bit of a challenge.
Ryan: Oh, interesting. You’d think with all this fancy software, keeping track of what’s in the warehouse would be a breeze.
Emma: Right.
Ryan: What was the issue there?
Emma: Think back to those serial numbers. Each stone veneer is unique, and Horizon Stone needed a system to track those seamlessly in real time on the warehouse floor.
Ryan: Gotcha.
Emma: Business Central laid the groundwork, but they needed something to bring it to life in the warehouse itself.
Ryan: So they needed a way to connect those big-picture insights from Business Central to the hands-on reality of what was happening in the warehouse.
Emma: Exactly. And that’s where Ace Micro came in again with another recommendation: an app called Warehouse Insight, which integrates directly with Business Central.
Ryan: Okay, so if Business Central is like the brain, this Warehouse Insight app is kind of like the hands, getting things done on the ground.
Emma: I like that.
Ryan: Yeah, I’m picturing workers with tablets or scanners zipping around the warehouse like a well-choreographed dance.
Emma: That’s a great way to visualize it. With Warehouse Insight and some mobile devices, they were able to streamline picking, shipping, and most importantly, serial number tracking became incredibly accurate.
Ryan: So no more digging through piles of paperwork to figure out where a specific batch of stone went.
Emma: Exactly.
Ryan: I bet that saved them so much time and headaches.
Emma: It did. And it wasn’t just about efficiency. It also had a huge impact on data accuracy.
Ryan: Right, because before with QuickBooks, it was all manual, prone to human error.
Emma: Exactly, especially with those serial numbers.
Ryan: I can see how that’d be a nightmare. One wrong digit, and suddenly you’re sending the wrong product to a customer.
Emma: Yeah, not good at all. But with Warehouse Insight, that risk was really minimized. Workers could scan items as they picked them, updating the system in real time.
Ryan: Whoa. It’s like having a GPS tracker on each individual stone veneer.
Emma: Yeah, and this accuracy had a ripple effect on other parts of their business.
Ryan: Like quality control?
Emma: With this accurate tracking, they could instantly pinpoint any issues and trace them back to the source.
Ryan: So if a customer had a problem with a specific stone, they could figure out exactly what, when, and where it was made, what materials were used, even who worked on it.
Emma: Exactly. It made their quality control process much tighter and helped them build trust with their customers.
Ryan: Yeah, that makes sense.
Emma: And speaking of customers, this system upgrade also made their order fulfillment process smoother.
Ryan: Yeah, because I remember you mentioning that their old system was chaotic, relying on lots of paperwork and double-checking things.
Emma: Right.
Ryan: Did Warehouse Insight help with that?
Emma: Oh, absolutely. They were able to ditch a lot of those manual processes and streamline everything. Workers could use mobile devices to access pick lists, scan products, and even generate shipping labels in the warehouse.
Ryan: So it’s like having a digital assistant guiding them through every step.
Emma: Exactly.
Ryan: No more running back and forth to the office for updates or deciphering someone’s messy handwriting.
Emma: Yes, and because everything was integrated with Business Central, inventory levels were updated in real time.
Ryan: Oh, wow.
Emma: This meant that Horizon Stone always had an accurate picture of their stock, allowing them to make better decisions about reordering and production.
Ryan: So no more last-minute scrambles to find missing products or disappointing customers with delays.
Emma: Right.
Ryan: I bet their customers were thrilled.
Emma: They were. And it wasn’t just about keeping customers happy. This system upgrade helped Horizon Stone be more strategic with business decisions too.
Ryan: Okay, so that’s what I’m really interested in. How did this translate to better decision-making?
Emma: For one thing, they finally had a clear understanding of their true production costs.
Ryan: Okay.
Emma: With QuickBooks, it was a lot of guesswork. But Business Central allowed them to track everything—raw materials, labor, overhead—with precision.
Ryan: So they knew exactly how much it cost to make each stone veneer.
Emma: Exactly, which made pricing a lot easier. They could set competitive prices and ensure a healthy profit margin.
Ryan: Huge.
Emma: And having real-time data allowed them to make smarter decisions about production planning and inventory management.
Ryan: So they could see which products were selling well, anticipate demand, and make sure they had enough inventory on hand without overstocking.
Emma: Exactly. They went from being reactive to proactive.
Emma: That had a domino effect on overall efficiency—less waste, lower storage costs, faster lead times.
Ryan: It’s amazing how the right information can transform a business. What about the people involved? Did Horizon Stone’s employees embrace these new systems?
Emma: Great question. It’s something we can’t overlook. You can have the best technology, but if employees aren’t on board, it won’t be effective.
Ryan: Right. So how did Horizon Stone’s employees react?
Emma: I wouldn’t say there was pushback, but there were some initial hesitations, which is understandable.
Ryan: Change can be challenging, especially when you’re used to doing things a certain way.
Emma: Exactly. Ace Micro provided comprehensive training and ongoing support to ensure everyone felt comfortable with the new systems. But Horizon Stone’s leadership did a great job of communicating the benefits of this change, emphasizing these new tools were designed to empower employees, not replace them.
Ryan: So instead of feeling threatened by the technology, they saw it as a partner to help them do their jobs better.
Emma: Exactly. For example, the warehouse workers initially hesitant about mobile devices quickly realized how much easier it made their jobs.
Ryan: No more deciphering handwritten notes or running back and forth to check inventory.
Emma: They had all the information they needed at their fingertips.
Ryan: I can see how that would be a game-changer. And I bet that empowerment extended to the office staff too.
Emma: You bet. No more hours spent manually entering data or reconciling spreadsheets. Business Central and Warehouse Insight took care of that, freeing them up for more strategic tasks.
Ryan: So instead of being bogged down with admin work, they could use their skills to help the business grow.
Emma: Precisely. It had a positive impact on morale and job satisfaction across the board.
Ryan: People felt more valued, engaged, and invested in the company’s success.
Emma: And it’s a great example of how the right tools can make a business more efficient and create a more positive work environment.
Ryan: This has been such an insightful deep dive. What can listeners take away from Horizon Stone’s experience, even if they’re not in manufacturing?
Emma: The biggest takeaway is you don’t have to be a massive corporation to benefit from enterprise-level software.
Ryan: Right. We tend to think these systems are for Fortune 500 companies.
Emma: Exactly. Horizon Stone shows that even smaller businesses can leverage these tools. And it’s not just about the software; it’s about finding the right partner to guide you.
Ryan: Ace Micro played a crucial role in helping Horizon Stone assess their needs, choose the right solution, and implement it effectively.
Emma: Digital transformation isn’t a one-time event; it’s an ongoing journey.
Ryan: So it’s not like you just flip a switch and suddenly you’re a tech-savvy company.
Emma: Not at all. Technology is constantly evolving, and businesses need to be adaptable, willing to embrace new solutions as they emerge.
Ryan: It’s like you don’t just learn to ride a bike and then never adjust to new terrain. You keep learning and adapting as you go.
Emma: Exactly. Horizon Stone’s story is proof that companies with that mindset can achieve remarkable results.
Ryan: It’s inspiring to see how they went from feeling limited by their old systems to thriving with a solution that supports their growth.
Emma: And they used technology to build something better—a more efficient, more connected, and ultimately, more human-centered business.
Ryan: Well said. This has been such an insightful deep dive, and I’m sure our listeners have gained valuable lessons from Horizon Stone’s journey.
Emma: It’s been a pleasure exploring this story with you.
Ryan: And with you, dear listener. Remember, just like Horizon Stone, you too can leverage technology to unlock new levels of success. Until next time, keep exploring, keep learning, and keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in your business.
