Turning Next-generation technology into HOJ Innovations’ Vision for the Future
Name any of the top retailers and e-tailers in any category, and they’ll likely share something in common: HOJ Innovations had a hand in designing, improving, or equipping their warehouse operations. From Overstock.com, 1-800-Contacts, and Backcountry.com, to Amazon fulfillment centers, HOJ Innovations is a recognized expert in optimizing warehouse design and equipment handling that keeps orders shipping on time, every time.
But it’s not just the household names that benefit. Indeed, HOJ Innovations has something of a soft spot for smaller startups, helping them grow into medium — and even large companies, just as it did. Founded in 1964, the company now has seven design and development facilities in Utah and Idaho, housing 200 employees and generating annual revenues in excess of $75 million.
EMBRACING NEXT-GENERATION TECHNOLOGY AT EVERY STEP
HOJ Innovations achieved this growth by embracing next-generation technologies in the development of its own products and services. So, when it came time to update its ERP application, management tackled the project just like any other. “We’d created a customized ERP built from SalesLogix CRM and an accounting system,” explains Chuck Archer, COO at HOJ. “Both applications were older and in transition, so it was time for a big move. We didn’t need to be convinced to invest in tech to improve our internal operations and workflows—we understand the value proposition.”
The company originally purchased Acumatica through another reseller. But fairly soon, the management team realized that the vendor simply wasn’t equipped to handle the project’s scope and complexity. “We’re a large, multifaceted organization, and what we wanted to accomplish is complex and requires an advanced skillset,” Chuck says. “We’re pretty tech savvy in-house, and we needed a partner that could extend that knowledge and help us make the project a success.”
Chuck learned of Net at Work through HOJ Innovations’ managed services provider. “They recommended we speak to the Net at Work team,” he says. “They have a reputation for being the best of the best. Once we met with them, we immediately recognized that Net at Work has the skillset, level of experience, and responsiveness we needed. They know what they’re doing.”
THEY HAVE TREMENDOUS SKILL AND DO A LOT OF HEAVY LIFTING
Together, Net at Work and HOJ Innovations developed a plan. They would continue the rollout of Acumatica to HOJ Innovations’ multiple corporate entities, and divide and conquer the various customizations designed to support the company’s unique workflows. As part of the project plan, Net at Work leveraged a project collaboration platform application that allows everyone to view, assign, and manage tasks, track project progress, and streamline communications.
Net at Work is an Acumatica Developer MVP, the designation awarded to firms (and individuals within those firms) who’ve made a substantial contribution to growing the developer community and ecosystem. “They have tremendous skill, and they do a lot of heavy lifting,” Chuck says.
The project proved to be a model in collaboration with development teams from both Net at Work and HOJ Innovations working on designing, executing, testing, and launching various customizations. “Net at Work served as our expert panel,” notes Chuck. “We’d explain what we were trying to do and they’d show us how to do it — or jump in and do it for us.”
ACUMATICA GIVES US A LOT TO WORK WITH
HOJ Innovations initially selected Acumatica for its robust, cloud-based platform, extensive core functionality, and ability to be customized to meet the company’s unique and varied requirements. Few ERP applications, for example, include functionality as diverse as customer relationship management (CRM), project management, and field services. “We knew we’d need to customize any ERP application, and Acumatica gives us a lot to work with,” Chuck says. “With Acumatica, we’re bringing the entire diverse operation under one roof.”
Chuck believes Acumatica is an ideal fit for HOJ Innovations. “We always look first for no-code or low-code solutions to our business needs. Because of Acumatica’s breadth of functionality, its flexibility, and its marketplace of ISV solutions, we can accomplish most of what we need without expending development resources. However, it’s great to have the ability to customize the application when and where we need it.”
IMPROVING ACCOUNTABILITY, VISIBILITY, AND EFFICIENCY
HOJ Innovations’ accounting team is taking advantage of the automated workflows, streamlined processing, and quick inquiry capabilities within Acumatica to free their time for more strategic tasks. As a result, Addison Webster, CFO at HOJ Innovations, predicts the company will enjoy a rapid return on investment in Acumatica. “We see it happening quickly. We will save on application licensing, development costs, and improved efficiencies.”
Even before all the individual entities move to the Acumatica platform, Addison sees measurable results. “Own month-end closing is twice as fast for the companies on Acumatica,” he says. “We see other efficiencies too. For example, we can continually bring in bank data and perform reconciliations throughout the month to give us a clear window into cash flow. And financial statements are complete and ready for sharing within a week of the close, giving management real-time data for decision making.”
Moving its field service management to Acumatica has dramatically sped up the company’s order-to-cash cycle. Previously, invoices were sent to customers two to three weeks following an appointment. Today, the invoices arrive in customers’ inboxes in just two to three days—or less. “Pretty much as soon as a technician marks the appointment as complete, we’re sending the invoice,” notes Addison.
Addison says Net at Work shares his organization’s approach to business transformation. “We always ask why we’re making a change, what results we expect, and how we’ll measure those results. The goal is to collect and use our business data to improve accountability, visibility, and efficiency. Net at Work operates with those same goals in mind.”
INNOVATION GOES BEYOND THE NAME
Tim Hoj, HOJ Innovation’s CEO — and chief visionary — says the company has more big initiatives in the works. “For example, we’re putting GPS trackers in our trucks that will integrate with the service module. We also plan to work with Net at Work to integrate our proprietary warehouse management system with Acumatica. Combining their development resources with our internal resources extends our capabilities and speeds our timeline to unleash new innovations.”
He concludes, “Net at Work is a good partner for HOJ Innovations because we have sophisticated business requirements and need a partner with the experience, expertise, and resources to address those requirements. We appreciate that we can shoulder up with our Net at Work team, bounce ideas around, and know we will reach a solution together.”
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