Case Studies Selector


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Summary
Name :
Rudducks
Business :
Petware Supplies
Reps :
10 Sales Reps
Comms :
XXXXXXX
Financials :
Attache
Device
10 Palm Treo 650 smart-phones utilising wireless 3G Network, processing sales orders to Head Office.
Business Situation
Rudducks employed ten sales reps throughout Australia. All orders were taken manually, with some of them having to be re-written later that evening and then faxed through to headd office .With a product catalogue of 6,000 items the process of capturing sales orders was long winded and laborious.
Solution
In 2003 Rudducks implemented SalesLink Mobile utilising barcode scanning devices. Orders are now sent wirelessly to the Melbourne head office and auto transfer directly into Ruddocks' Attache accounting software.
Return on Investment
Since 2003 Rudducks have captured over 30,000 orders using SalesLink Mobile.
With over 10,000 orders being processed each year, Mike Cusack is achieving the improvements and efficiencies he sought.
Introduction
Rudducks were established over 100 years ago in Melbourne.
Specialising in petware supplies they currently import and distribute products as well as manufacturing healthcare pet products that are exported to the USA and Europe. In the Australian marketplace, Rudducks is a market leader in the petware supplies industry.

Company Background
Rudducks have sales reps covering all states. Their reps operated in the traditional role of calling on customers and taking hand written orders. To speed up the time taken at each sales call, the reps would often spend 1-2 hours at home each night writing their orders out in full, before then faxing them through to head office.

Even then, errors would occur and customers could get delivery of products they hadn't ordered.

Business Operation

Ten reps use SalesLink Mobile running on Treo 650's. Originally Rudducks utilised Symbol 1550 devices when they first implemented SalesLink Mobile in 2003. At that point, CEO Mike Cusack knew that the paper based system was cumbersome, slow and also caused errors.

Mike was after a mobile sales solution that would drive improvements and efficiency. In 2005 Rudducks replaced their devices to a converged device - the Treo 650 smartphone. By utilising the smartphones, Rudducks' sales reps could take orders and send these back to head office all on one device.

The Treo's are running well. "The reps think they're wonderful" said Rudducks Financial Controller Simon Airey. However there were initial problems. When the reps first got the smartphones they utilised the photos features to the extent that the phone's available memory was soaked up.

Some good housekeeping rules were applied and today the whole operation runs smoothly. The reps utilise their Treos with an SDIO Socket bar code scanner, scan their catalogue and enter the order quantity.

"The reps hardly even look at the order as they know the bar code scanner will identify the correct stock code" Simon Airey noted.

Once the orders are completed, the reps send their orders back to head office utilising the wireless network and the orders auto import directly into Rudducks' Attache Accounting Software.

Benefits with utilising SalesLink have been that reps have become more productive - they're no longer having to write out orders at night; errors are minimal - bar code scanning ensures that the correct stock item is selected and Rudducks' customers are happier - they're receiving the correct goods, priced accurately and despatched to them sooner.

Which all adds up to Rudducks trading successfully into their second hundred years in Australia.

 

Testimonial
"The reps think it's wonderful."
Simon Airey, Financial Controller.