When replacing your business system makes you a more efficient business

  • Venables Oak’s ageing business management system was becoming unreliable
  • Their replacement system does everything the previous one did plus extra functionality
  • A new Xero integration saves money as well as time
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The challenge

Venables are timber merchants providing bespoke joinery for high end clients. They pride themselves on the quality of their timber and their customer service, all managed through a legacy bespoke business system built for the purpose. Although it did a good job of managing enquiries, orders and workflows, the system was ageing and becoming unreliable. Worse still, the software developer who built and maintained the system was planning to retire – presenting a large and growing risk to the business.

Our solution

We built a replacement system in FileMaker that did everything the original system did, but better. We started by understanding exactly what the system needed to do, and where the current system was causing frustrations. The team had a long list of must-haves and some ‘any chance it could do this?’ queries. We said yes to every one. 

Our fundamental attitude was always: how can we make the system more efficient? For example, the previous system only allowed one type of timber per quote. Now sawn oak, joinery products and any other species can be included in each quote. We automated processes, reduced the number of clicks to carry out a task, and improved the usability of the interface by showing key data in a single overview screen. 

We noticed that Venables were using Sage line 200 – an expensive mid-tier accounting software package. We recommended switching to Xero and integrating the new accounting software with the new business system, a move which has meant major annual savings.

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The impact

The new business system is faster, easier to use, more user-friendly and more efficient. Venables can deliver a better service to customers while making significant cost savings, and now have a business system that’s future-proofed and ready to provide further functionality when needed.

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“It’s brilliant. Everybody says it’s great. It’s user-friendly, people find it easy to use, and it’s quick. It has made us more efficient.”

Sarah Whittingham

Purchasing and Marketing Manager, Venables Oak

The transformation journey

Audit of existing system

We took time to understand the existing business system and how the Venables team use it across the business.

Business process analysis

We gained a detailed understanding of the core business processes from taking orders to delivering bespoke wood cuts.

Bespoke software design

Starting with the existing business system and the team’s needs, we created a new design. We tested a basic version of the interface before proceeding.

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“They took the time to understand what we needed. We had confidence in them from the start. And in the first week after launch, I didn’t have any problems to report!”

Sarah Whittingham

Purchasing and Marketing Manager, Venables Oak

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Services used

Business process analysis

Accelerate your growth with an analysis of your entire workflow that identifies the places where your processes – and your systems – could be improved.

Bespoke software

Custom software systems designed specifically for your business enhance productivity, customer service and efficiency.

System extension

Maximise the benefits of your system by getting it to deliver much more for your business.

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Each month the Decent Group newsletter delivers practical insights into how software systems can help you run a better business. It’s a quick way to check on your progress, identify business benefits you’re missing, and gain inspiration for the road ahead. 

We typically explore how SMEs can (and should) leverage business systems to achieve tangible benefits. We dive into a recent project and what it delivered for our client, with lessons for businesses like yours. We'll also highlight the new tools and solutions our team has been developing and the impact they’re having on our clients (and ourselves). And we cover any relevant FileMaker news and what actions you can take in response.

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