Halomec, a Gloucestershire-based company specialising in aftermarket weighing and lubrication systems for heavy machinery, has experienced a significant transformation in its operations and profitability since implementing Flowlens, a combined manufacturing MRP, CRM, and service platform. Julian Athawes, Managing Director of Halomec, highlights how Flowlens has become an indispensable tool, streamlining processes, enhancing visibility, and ultimately contributing to the company’s growth.
The Challenge: Disconnected Systems and Double Entry
Before Flowlens, Halomec grappled with the inefficiencies of running two disparate systems: Sage Act for CRM and Sage for accounts and MRP. The lack of integration between these systems led to considerable challenges. As Julian explains, “The two didn’t talk to one another… that required a lot of double entry. Customers were double entered, companies were double entered, and it was just really, really difficult to work with.” This fragmented approach created bottlenecks, wasted valuable time, and hindered a comprehensive view of business operations.
Halomec’s primary objective was to find a “total solution” that offered seamless integration between CRM, MRP, and accounting functions, all within a cloud-based environment with accessible mobile applications. Recognising the critical importance of this decision, Halomec engaged an external consultant to guide their search. The consultant, an expert in manufacturing and distribution processes, narrowed down eight potential solutions to three, with Flowlens emerging as the clear frontrunner after extensive testing and benchmarking.
Summary of the Challenge:
- Disparate Systems: Running Sage Act for CRM and Sage for accounts/MRP.
- Lack of Integration: No communication between CRM and MRP systems.
- Double Entry: Significant time wasted on duplicate data entry for customers and companies.
- Operational Difficulties: Overall inefficiency and difficulty in managing business processes.
- Search for a “Total Solution”: Desire for seamless, cloud-based integration of CRM, MRP, and accounting with mobile access.
A Collaborative Approach to Implementation
A key factor in the successful adoption of Flowlens was Halomec’s inclusive approach to the selection and implementation process. Julian emphasises the importance of stakeholder buy-in: “It was really important that we had everybody, all the stakeholders bought in on it. So we discussed it with accounts, we discussed it with stores, with purchasing, with sales admin… everybody was suffering their own pain with the systems we were running before. So it was really important that they had their input to make sure that what we got actually met their needs as well.” This collaborative strategy ensured that the new system addressed the specific pain points of various departments, fostering a smoother transition and greater user acceptance.
The migration of data from their previous Sage system to Flowlens was remarkably smooth. Julian notes, “We found it very, very painless to migrate our data across… we got 95% of all of our data migrated across from Sage.” The support provided by the Flowlens team, particularly during the onboarding process, was instrumental. “Marv was really great. He took time to understand where our pain was, what our objectives were… gave us some good methodologies for getting the best out of Flowlens to suit our needs,” Julian recounts. Halomec also adopted a parallel run strategy, operating Flowlens alongside Sage for several months to ensure a complete and confident transition, highlighting their commitment to a meticulous implementation.
Summary of Implementation:
- Stakeholder Buy-in: Involved all departments (accounts, stores, purchasing, sales admin) to ensure system met diverse needs.
- Painless Data Migration: Achieved 95% data migration from Sage to Flowlens.
- Strong Flowlens Support: Positive experience with Flowlens team during onboarding, who understood Halomec’s specific pain points and objectives.
- Parallel Run Strategy: Operated Flowlens alongside Sage for several months to ensure a smooth and risk-free transition.
Unlocking Profitability and Efficiency Across the Business
Flowlens has delivered significant and measurable benefits across various facets of Halomec’s operations, with profitability visibility being paramount. “It’s transformed the way that we have looked at the finances and looked at the profitability of each job,” Julian states. “Nothing goes through our company now that we don’t know absolutely from the outset how much profit it’s going to contribute.” This newfound clarity has enabled Halomec to strategically focus on high-margin activities and eliminate less profitable ventures.
Key Benefits – Overall Profitability:
- Enhanced Profitability Visibility: Real-time understanding of profit contribution for every job from the outset.
- Strategic Focus: Ability to eliminate less profitable work and focus on high-margin activities.
- Transformed Bottom Line: Improved profitability without a massive increase in revenue.
Streamlined Purchasing and Stock Control
One of the initial areas to see a dramatic improvement was purchasing and stock control. Previously a time-consuming manual process, Flowlens’s semi-automated ordering system has revolutionised this function. “Now where before we were it was a real manual process to understand what we’re going to be ordering next week we just run a shortage report of our mix and min and max stock values and our purchasing has gone from a day and a half to about thirty minutes a week,” Julian enthusiastically reports. This significant time saving allows the team to allocate resources more effectively.
Key Benefits – Purchasing and Stock Control:
- Semi-Automated Ordering: Replaced a manual process with a more efficient system.
- Reduced Purchasing Time: Purchasing time decreased from a day and a half to approximately 30 minutes per week.
- Improved Efficiency: More effective use of team resources due to time savings.
Optimised Kitting and Bill of Materials
Flowlens has also addressed previous limitations in kitting and bill of materials (BOM) management. Julian highlights the constraint of their old system, which only allowed 30 line items per BOM, necessitating the creation of artificial sub-kits. With Flowlens, “the Flowlens BOMs, because they’re unlimited and you can create sub-kits and you can… there’s absolutely no restrictions on it. I guess it has helped us in terms of the optimisation of kits, sub-kits, and that sort of thing. It’s just made it more, you know, it’s made it the right way to do it.” This flexibility has led to more accurate and efficient kitting processes, although Julian did mention a desired feature for a “one-hit button for sorting your BOMs in numerical or alphabetical order” to further enhance picking accuracy.
Key Benefits – Kitting and Bill of Materials:
- Unlimited BOM Line Items: Overcame previous system limitations on the number of items per BOM.
- Optimised Kit Creation: Enabled the creation of complex kits and sub-kits without restrictions.
- Improved Accuracy: Contributed to more precise and efficient kitting processes.
- Streamlined Workflow: Provided the “right way” to manage BOMs.
Enhanced Quoting and Order Processing
The quoting and order process has also seen substantial enhancements. Flowlens allows Halomec to effortlessly build complex system quotes from individual components, with accurate costings. The quotes themselves are professionally presented and easily customisable, making amendments quick and straightforward. Julian describes the entire workflow from accepted quote to sales order, pick, pack, and ship as “very, very seamless” and “very intuitive,” leading to high adoption rates among the team.
Key Benefits – Quoting and Order Processing:
- Effortless Quote Building: Easy creation of complex system quotes from components with accurate costings.
- Professional Quotations: Nicely presented and customisable quotes.
- Easy Amendments: Quick and straightforward modification of quotes.
- Seamless Workflow: Smooth transition from accepted quotes to sales orders, picking, packing, and shipping.
- High User Adoption: Intuitive nature of the system led to widespread team acceptance.
Improved Internal Communication and Collaboration
While difficult to quantify in monetary terms, the improvement in internal communication and collaboration has been profound. Flowlens’s integrated task manager has been a game-changer. “That allows everybody within the company to interact with one another,” Julian explains. “You can have visibility, you can set tasks for your colleagues, you’ve got visibility where they are with them, nothing falls to the back, nothing’s on post-it notes anymore, nothing falls down the back of filing cabinets and it’s there visibly and until it gets done it’s there.” This feature has significantly streamlined operations and fostered better teamwork.
Key Benefits – Internal Communication and Collaboration:
- Integrated Task Manager: Centralised platform for team interaction and task management.
- Enhanced Visibility: Clear overview of task progress and colleague activities.
- Reduced Lost Information: Eliminated reliance on physical notes, ensuring tasks are tracked until completion.
- Streamlined Operations: Improved collaboration and overall operational efficiency.
Unexpected Benefits: The Service Module
One of the most pleasant and unexpected surprises for Halomec has been the utility of the service module. Initially not a primary consideration, its integration has allowed Halomec to adopt a more rigorous and profitable approach to managing service items. “Having the service module integrated and integrated in the same way as the as the general production workflows meant that we we could have a much more rigorous approach to how we managed service items,” Julian shares. This has translated into a more consistent and higher level of service for their customers and, crucially, a more accurate and consistent profitability from service activities. “Now we know that our service will deliver a very consistent level of profitability for us,” Julian states, emphasising the visibility that Flowlens provides.
Key Benefits – Service Module:
- Unexpected Value: Service module proved to be a valuable addition, despite not being an initial requirement.
- Rigorous Service Management: Enabled a more structured approach to managing service items.
- Consistent High Service Level: Contributed to delivering better and more consistent service to customers.
- Accurate Service Costing: Service activities are now precisely costed, ensuring consistent profitability.
- Elimination of “Leaky Bucket” Syndrome: Prevented financial losses previously experienced due to inaccurate service estimations.
A Vision for the Future
Looking ahead, Julian sees Flowlens as integral to Halomec’s continued growth and agility. It will help “maintain our vision on the profitability” and “maintain our margins where we want them to sit.” The system’s ability to quickly process new equipment costings and generate quotes will enable Halomec to “look at other opportunities and and and make a quick judgment on whether they’re going to be viable or not.” For Julian, Flowlens provides the agility to explore new directions and offerings with confidence.
Summary of Future Vision:
- Sustained Profitability and Margins: Flowlens will continue to aid in maintaining financial health.
- Agility for New Opportunities: Quick processing of costings and quotes allows for rapid assessment of new ventures.
- Strategic Decision-Making: Facilitates informed decisions on viability of different directions.
The “Model User” Perspective
Alex, who handles a significant portion of Halomec’s sales, further underscores Flowlens’s impact. Despite working only two days a week, she finds the tasks feature invaluable for managing her workload and memory.
The extensive use of Flowlens by the Halomec team is evident in their metrics: nearly 3,000 inquiries, almost 2,000 sales quotes, and over a thousand orders, demonstrating a healthy 50% conversion rate. Julian’s mantra, “If it ain’t on Flowlens, it never happened,” perfectly encapsulates the system’s central role in Halomec’s daily operations and strategic decision-making.
Summary of Alex’s Perspective (Sales):
- Invaluable Task Feature: Crucial for managing workload and memory, especially for part-time work.
- High System Utilisation: Evidenced by significant inquiry, quote, and order volumes
- Strong Conversion Rate: Demonstrates effectiveness of quoting and sales process (50% conversion).
- “Model User” Endorsement: Confirms the system’s practical benefits in day-to-day sales operations.
Advice for Other Companies
Julian offers valuable advice to other companies considering a new system or transitioning from a disconnected scenario: “Setting out your objectives, writing down your objectives, collaborating with your team is really, really important. Make sure that you’re putting a system in place that will… meet the needs of all of the stakeholders. Test it, benchmark it.” He also strongly advocates for running new and old systems in parallel during the transition to identify benefits and gaps without risking operational disruption.
Summary of Advice:
- Define Clear Objectives: Articulate and document goals for the new system.
- Foster Collaboration: Involve all stakeholders to ensure the system meets everyone’s needs.
- Thorough Testing and Benchmarking: Rigorously evaluate potential solutions.
- Parallel Run Strategy: Operate old and new systems concurrently during transition to identify benefits and gaps.
In conclusion, Flowlens has proven to be a transformative solution for Halomec, moving them from a state of disparate systems and manual inefficiencies to a highly integrated, visible, and profitable operation. The emphasis on real-time data, streamlined processes, and enhanced collaboration has not only saved time and effort but has fundamentally reshaped Halomec’s business model, setting them on a clear path for future growth.
