Emma: Welcome to the deep dive. Today we’re tackling a really common scenario, I think, in the business world. The need to upgrade systems. Yeah, we’ve got some interesting information here. Looking at how one company, TDL Canada, they’re a national distributor electronics networking gear.
Ryan: Right.
Emma: How they decided to modernize a really core part of their business.
Ryan: Exactly. And TDL Canada, they found themselves, you know, relying on an older ERP system.
Emma: Okay, so let’s set the scene. TDL Canada, they’re established, Right. Been around distributing consumer electronics networking gear. But the case study mentions that by early 2023, things were getting, let’s say, challenging operationally.
Ryan: Okay, yeah. The starting point. The study points to this older system, Adagio and, well, a lot of manual work. You can almost picture the stacks of paper. Right. Lots of inefficiencies baked in.
Emma: That’s exactly it. Relying on older tech and, you know, manual processes, it created bottlenecks. Order processing wasn’t as smooth as it could be. Warehouse management was tricky. Even just getting a clear view of their own data was tough.
Ryan: Yeah, a classic situation for businesses that have grown over time.
Emma: It really is. It sets up why they needed to change. It’s a situation many listening recognize dealing with legacy systems.
Ryan: What was the fix? It wasn’t just a simple software update, was it?
Emma: No, not at all. They brought in LIDD, a consulting firm that knows supply chains. And the core of the solution was Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Cloud. That’s their main ERP system. Handles the big business function.
Ryan: Right. The central nervous system, so to speak. But it wasn’t just business central. That’s what’s interesting here.
Emma: Exactly. They layered on other specific tools and Insight Works Warehouse insights, their dynamic ship application too, and also TrueCommerce EDI. So it wasn’t one single fix. It was more like building an integrated ecosystem.
Ryan: An ecosystem. I like that. Building connections rather than just replacing parts.
Emma: And the fact that these pieces, especially the Insight Works apps, integrate well within the Microsoft environment, that’s a big plus. It means things should work together more smoothly. Share data better. Less need for clunky custom connectors.
Ryan: Okay, makes sense. Now the case study throws in a curveball. TDL acquired another company, Gentech, right in the middle of this project. That must have complicated things.
Emma: Oh, absolutely. Acquisitions always add complexity. But LIDD, the consultants, they adapted. They went with a phased approach. Smart move.
Ryan: Phased approach. Meaning?
Emma: Meaning they focused first on getting TDL’s own core operations up and running smoothly on the new system. Get that solid foundation built. Then they plan to integrate Gentech in a second phase.
Ryan: Okay. Prioritize and sequence. Don’t try to boil the ocean all at once, especially when something big like an acquisition happens. Practical, Very practical.
Emma: It manages risk and lets you get some wins on the board early on. Builds momentum.
Ryan: Right. So speaking of challenges, the case study talks about the difficulty of shifting the team from those ingrained manual processes to this new automated ERP world. I mean, that’s a huge cultural shift too, isn’t it?
Emma: It really is. Think about years, maybe decades, of doing things a certain way. Handling orders, tracking stock, dealing with backorders. Probably lots of spreadsheets and manual checks.
Ryan: Yeah, changing habits is tough. It’s not just learning buttons and new software.
Emma: Precisely. And that’s why the change management piece was so important. LIDD ran dEDIcated training sessions for the TDL staff. The goal wasn’t just to install tech, but to make sure people could actually use it confidently and see the benefits themselves. People are key.
Ryan: Absolutely. Okay, let’s drill down into the tech itself. Microsoft Dynamics 365. Business Central. Its main role.
Emma: It was the central hub. Pulled all the critical data together. Automated workflows that used to be manual. It essentially broke down those data silos you get with older separate systems like adagi.
Ryan: Information trapped in different departments, basically.
Emma: Exactly. And it gave them clear visibility end to end on things like order to cash, procure to pay. That directly translates to better order accuracy and crucially, faster fulfillment.
Ryan: Okay, then there’s warehouse insights from Insight Works. Sounds like that tackled the physical warehouse side directly.
Emma: It did. It’s designed specifically for warehouse efficiency. And the key was its integration with mobile devices. Handheld scanners.
Ryan: Ah, the scanner. So real time tracking.
Emma: Yes. The team could scan items as they moved, received, picked them. They used some existing Honeywell devices and got some new datalogic ones, too. About 20 rugged scanners in total.
Ryan: And the impact?
Emma: The VP of Operations, Lance Tenier, is quoted calling it a game changer. He said accuracy and efficiency went up immEDIately. You eliminate the lag and the errors from manual data entry. It’s live inventory data that makes a.
Ryan: Huge difference on the floor, I imagine. Fewer mistakes, faster finding things.
Emma: Definitely. Barcode scanning for picking and receiving just streamlines everything. Less manual work, fewer labor hours needed, especially when things get busy. And apparently the interface was user friendly, so the team got up to speed pretty quickly. Less disruption.
Ryan: Okay, so that’s the warehouse sorted. What about dynamic ship Also from Insight Works.
Emma: Right. Dynamic Ship bolted logistics features directly into Business Central. So shipping operations became integrated, too.
Ryan: Like what, specifically?
Emma: Well, a big one was rate shopping. They could instantly compare rates from different carriers right there in the system. Find the cheapest option for each shipment. That helps control costs.
Ryan: Okay, smart cost savings right there.
Emma: And it also handled printing, shipping labels and tracking shipments, all within that single system. No jumping between different carrier websites or software.
Ryan: Much more efficient. And you mentioned it tied in with TrueCommerce EDI for notifications.
Emma: Yeah. The combination meant they could automatically send shipping updates to customers. So as soon as something shipped from the warehouse, the customer got notified. Better communication, fewer where’s my order calls.
Ryan: Right. Let’s talk about TrueCommerce EDI, then. EDI. Electronic Data Interchange. Yeah, basically systems talking to systems. Right. Orders, invoices.
Emma: Exactly. Automating that flow between TDL and their trading partners, they switched to TrueCommerce from a previous provider.
Ryan: Why a switch?
Emma: The case study highlights responsiveness and commitment to a tight deadline. TDL needed this running before the holiday rush. TrueCommerce apparently stepped up and managed to migrate all their trading partners in just two months. Pretty aggressive timeline.
Ryan: Wow. Two months for all trading partners. That’s fast.
Emma: Very fast. And the benefit of using a solution like TrueCommerce rather than building something custom is better compatibility. Especially within that Microsoft ecosystem. Updates tend to be smoother, too. Less risk of things breaking down the line.
Ryan: Okay, so we’ve got the old problems. The new integrated tech stack, the implementation approach, now the results. What did this all actually achieve?
Emma: The headline is massive scalability gains. The old system, the manual processes, they were a bottleneck. They literally couldn’t handle much more business volume.
Ryan: They were capped by their own internal processes.
Emma: Pretty much. But get this. December 2022, on the old system, they shipped about 6,100 orders. Fast forward to December 2024, with the new system fully running, they shipped 19,000 orders.
Ryan: 19,000 from 6,000. That’s more than triple. A 209% increase.
Emma: Exactly as Lance Tenier put it. Again, they more than tripled our order throughput. And it completely redefined what we’re capable of. It shows the ROI wasn’t just theoretical. It was huge.
Ryan: IncrEDIble. That level of growth just wasn’t possible before.
Emma: Nope, impossible. Beyond the sheer volume, other key improvements popped up too. Well, operationally, much less reliance on manual stuff, obviously. Faster data processing, more accuracy, which means faster fulfillment, fewer shipping errors and better visibility. Huge improvement there. Real time data on sales, inventory, order status accessible across the company. That allows for much smarter, faster decision making. Sales teams know what’s actually available, for instance.
Ryan: And how did customers feel the difference?
Emma: Faster orders, definitely. Better handling of backorders if they happened. Quicker answers to questions because the info is easier to find. More accurate shipping info, just a better overall experience.
Ryan: Sounds like it hit all the right notes and positioned them for the future too.
Emma: Absolutely. That whole Microsoft ecosystem plus the Insight Works apps that get regular updates. It’s built for growth. Integrating future acquisitions like Gentech eventually should be smoother now. And the EDI side that became much more automated. Fewer manual touch points and processing orders from partners. Better accuracy, faster fulfillment cycles there too. And the seamless ASN integration. The advanced ship notices with warehouse insights means partners get accurate shipping details in real time. Smooths out the whole supply chain communication.
Ryan: Okay, so looking back at the whole story, what are the main takeaways for listeners?
Emma: I think one big one is the value of that structured phased approach. Especially when something unexpected like an acquisition happens. Don’t bite off more than you can chew, right?
Ryan: LIDD’s strategy of tackling TDL first, then planning GenTech later seems key. And Lance’s quote about them really understanding the business first. That partnership aspect sounds crucial.
Emma: Definitely. It wasn’t just about the tech. It was about applying it strategically to solve their specific problems. LIDD’s expertise in managing that process, minimizing disruption while maximizing the results, comes through strongly.
Ryan: So TDL’s overhaul really shows how getting the right technology aligned, consolidating tools, streamlining workflows, can unlock massive efficiency and growth potential.
Emma: They’ve set themselves up not just to compete, but potentially to lead by embracing this kind of innovation. And for anyone interested, the provided links have more specifics on the companies and the tech we’ve discussed.
Ryan: Okay, so wrapping up this deep Dive TDL Canada’s success wasn’t just about buying new software. It was that strategic phased rollout, tackling specific pain points with an integrated set of tools.
Emma: And the results speak for themselves, especially that dramatic jump in order fulfillment. Really tangible benefits.
Ryan: So here’s something to think about for you listening what are the operational hurdles in your world? Are there outdated processes holding back growth? And could a strategic integration of the right technologies unlock similar kinds of breakthroughs? Think about that phased approach and picking tools that work together well.
Emma: Thanks for joining us for this deep dive.
