NET LED
Business objective
NET LED needed a flexible and customisable electronic ordering platform that would automatically process sales orders within their ERP system, and that could adapt to different wholesalers and order quantities.
Business benefits
Since the integration, NET LED has seen up to 80% time saved over manual processing of purchase orders.
B2BE solutions
NET LED saves over 80% of time by automating processing of purchase orders
NET LED Lighting is an ISO-accredited distributor of top quality commercial lighting solutions to wholesalers all over the UK and Ireland. The company is an approved member of the Lighting Industry Association, and manages a wide range of products from its offices in Cambridge.
The project
NET LED had already been using a basic e-commerce platform to provide wholesalers with a better procurement alternative to paper catalogues and telephone ordering. However, the platform’s basic functionalities weren’t enough to meet NET LED’s evolving needs; and, having a diverse range of wholesalers, NET LED needed a solution that could be adapted to very specific requirements.
As NET LED sells its products to different types of wholesalers in varying quantities, they wanted an ordering platform that could display different pricing information to different wholesalers based on the varying quantities and other variables. Flexibility and customisability were of utmost importance.
Additionally, NET LED wanted to integrate the ordering mechanism directly into their ERP system so they could do away with manual data entry, which was making the processing of sales orders inefficient and error-prone.
The solution
B2BE designed an e-Catalogue to replace NET LED’s existing e-commerce platform. The transition was executed with the goal of retaining the major user interface components, such as look and feel, so that their wholesalers would enjoy seamless continuity.
The e-Catalogue was configured to offer up to three pricing ranges. NET LED can now decide what each wholesaler sees, in terms of bulk pricing, product information, as well as discount offerings.
On top of that, each order raised is fully integrated into NET LED’s ERP system. Purchase orders are automatically received, translated, and uploaded into NET LED’s ERP. This integration, which has been tried and tested multiple times for B2BE’s clientele, consolidates NET LED’s purchase-to-pay ecosystem to optimise efficiency, speed and accuracy.
The result
Since the e-Catalogue went live, NET LED have seen a significant reduction in the time, and therefore cost, of processing inbound orders. NET LED estimates this to equate to a 70-80% time saving over manual purchase order handling. The implementation had been smooth and effective, reflecting B2BE’s deeply-held value of providing the best service possible in meeting the client’s needs.
“Throughout our engagement process with NET LED, B2BE were committed to fully understanding the requirements and goals that NET LED were looking to achieve from a new e-Catalogue solution,” said Andrew Ziff, Business Development Manager at B2BE. “We are delighted that NET LED have been able to realise such significant benefits from the new e-Catalogue.”
“ We are so pleased with the efficiencies we are seeing since implementing our new web portal via B2BE. ”
Oliver Bubb, Operations Director, NET LED
In the course of the main integration, B2BE also added several features as the need arose, such as a payment gateway for wholesalers who wished to pay by credit card. This provided a great alternative to purchasing on account, which was the only option available on the previous portal. “B2BE were very flexible and able to adapt to our specific requirements as they came up,” said Oliver Bubb, Operations Director of NET LED.
“New requirements are always coming up—it’s part and parcel of a customer-centric business. We’re always discussing new additions to our order-and-purchase system, and I’m confident B2BE have the capabilities to support us with all future requirements. We are so pleased with the efficiencies we are seeing since implementing our new web portal via B2BE.”
Currently in the works is the incorporation of 40 additional products into the e-Catalogue.