Customer Success Story: Transportation Safety Apparel
From an Unreliable Legacy System to a Connected NetSuite Platform
How Protelo helped Transport Safety Apparel replace an aging business system with NetSuite, connect e-commerce and warehouse operations, and create a more reliable foundation for growth.
Key Result: A connected NetSuite environment supporting sales, inventory, purchasing, fulfillment, shipping and e-commerce across TSA's operations.
| At a Glance | |
|---|---|
| Customer | Transportation Safety Apparel |
| Industry | Safety apparel and distribution |
| Previous Environment | Legacy on-premise system |
| NetSuite Footprint | Financials, inventory, sales, purchasing, order management and fulfillment |
| SuiteApps & Integrations | Magento, Avalara, Cybersource, PayPal, RF-SMART and OzLink |
About Transport Safety Apparel
Transport Safety Apparel provides safety apparel and related products for customers in transportation and other industries. At the time of its NetSuite implementation, the company operated from two locations, managed several websites and had approximately 30 employees.
As the business grew, TSA needed technology that could keep pace with its operations. Its existing system had become increasingly unreliable, making it harder for employees to access the information and tools they needed to keep the business moving.
The Challenge: An Unreliable Legacy System Couldn't Keep Up With Growth
TSA's existing system had become a serious operational problem. The company's server was housed in a small closet and was prone to overheating, causing the system to frequently go down during the workday.
The problem went beyond an inconvenient server location. TSA was growing and needed a more dependable system to manage customers, inventory, sales, purchasing, fulfillment and its e-commerce operations.
TSA needed a system that could:
- Provide a stable platform the company could grow with
- Manage customers, suppliers, items and sales history in one system
- Support inventory across multiple locations and bins
- Connect its e-commerce websites with back-office operations
- Improve warehouse processes and barcode scanning
- Support sales tax and payment processing
- Streamline picking, packing, shipping and receiving
Why TSA Chose NetSuite and Protelo
TSA selected NetSuite to replace its aging system with a modern cloud ERP platform that could support the company's growing operations.
The goal was more than replacing one piece of software with another. TSA needed a system that could connect its business processes, integrate with its existing e-commerce and warehouse tools, and provide employees with more reliable access to business information.
Protelo worked alongside TSA's internal implementation team throughout the project. TSA took an active role in the implementation, while Protelo provided guidance, technical expertise and support when the team encountered more complex requirements.
Implementation Approach:
Build the NetSuite foundation, migrate critical business data, connect key systems, and prepare the team for go-live.
The NetSuite Solution
NetSuite Modules and Capabilities
- Financial management and accounting
- Customer and supplier management
- Item and inventory management
- Multi-location inventory
- Bin management
- Sales and order management
- Purchasing
- Sales history and transaction management
- Warehouse and fulfillment processes
- Barcode scanning and inventory workflows
Data Migration
- Customer, item, and supplier records
- Multi-location inventory
- Bin information
- Sales history
Key Integrations
- Magento for TSA's websites and e-commerce operations
- Avalara AvaTax for sales tax
- Cybersource for credit card processing
- PayPal for online payments
- RF-SMART for handheld barcode scanning
- OzLink for pack verification and shipping
Preparing the Team and Warehouse for Go-Live
The implementation involved more than configuring NetSuite. TSA's team participated throughout the project, working through testing, training and process adjustments before go-live.
One of the most hands-on parts of the transition was the inventory count. TSA used its new wireless warehouse devices to complete a wall-to-wall inventory count, helping establish accurate inventory data in the new system before the transition.
Testing also gave the team an opportunity to identify and correct issues before go-live, helping employees become more comfortable with the new system and processes.
The Business Impact
- Organization-wide visibility: Teams can access financial, customer, inventory and transaction data in the same environment, reducing silos and improving collaboration.
- Greater confidence in reporting: Inventory, work orders, assemblies and work in process are managed alongside orders and financial activity.
- More organized data: Centralizing core records and standardizing processes gives iChrom a cleaner operational foundation and greater peace of mind in its information.
- A platform that can grow: The implementation gives iChrom room to evaluate future phases such as e-commerce integration, work orders and assemblies without rebuilding its core system.
- Preserved shipping efficiency: The FedEx connection allows shipping activity to continue from NetSuite as part of the company's unified operational workflow.
Going Live With NetSuite
After months of configuration, data migration, integration work, training and testing, TSA went live with NetSuite in early June.
The new system became the platform for many of the company's daily activities, including entering orders, assisting customers, looking up information, matching bills to receipts, emailing invoices and purchase orders, picking, packing, shipping and receiving. TSA had successfully moved away from its unreliable legacy environment and into a connected NetSuite system.
The Business Impact
With NetSuite in place, TSA had a more reliable platform for managing its day-to-day business and supporting continued growth.
Key outcomes included:
- A more reliable ERP environment: TSA replaced an aging system that was prone to going down with a cloud-based NetSuite platform.
- Connected e-commerce operations: Magento was integrated with NetSuite, connecting TSA's websites with its back-office processes.
- Better inventory management: Multi-location inventory, bins and barcode scanning were brought into the new operating environment.
- Connected warehouse processes: RF-SMART and OzLink supported barcode scanning, pack verification and shipping workflows.
- More streamlined payment and tax processes: Avalara, Cybersource and PayPal were integrated to support sales tax and payment workflows.
- Easier access to business information: Employees could access customer and order information directly in NetSuite while assisting customers.
- A foundation for continued growth: TSA moved away from a legacy system that was becoming increasingly difficult to support and onto a platform designed to scale with the business.
Outcome:
Transport Safety Apparel replaced an unreliable legacy system with a connected NetSuite platform supporting its e-commerce, inventory, warehouse and day-to-day business operations.
A More Reliable Foundation for Growth
For TSA, implementing NetSuite was about more than replacing an aging system. It gave the company a more dependable foundation for the everyday work that keeps its business moving.
Sales, inventory, purchasing, warehouse and fulfillment processes could operate within a connected environment, while key e-commerce, payment, tax and warehouse systems worked alongside NetSuite.
With its new ERP platform in place, TSA could spend less time dealing with limitations of its previous system and more time focused on serving its customers and growing the business.
Ready to Replace an Outdated ERP System with NetSuite?
Protelo helps growing businesses evaluate, implement, customize and support NetSuite. Our U.S.-based team combines ERP expertise with practical business-process guidance to help companies build systems that support their operations today and give them room to grow.
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Trusted NetSuite Experts, Here to Help!
Choosing Protelo means more than just NetSuite software – it means having a team of experts dedicated to helping you gain the full potential of NetSuite. Here’s how our team ensures a successful implementation:
- Expert Guidance: With decades of experience in NetSuite implementation, integration, and consulting, we know how to guide you through every step of the process.
- Tailored Solutions: We understand that every business is unique. That’s why we customize configurations to fit your specific needs – no matter what industry you're in.
- Proven Success: We don’t just implement software – we take the time to understand your business, delivering real results that help you get the most from NetSuite and improve your day-to-day processes.
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