CASE STUDY of Tevan Enterprises Ltd.

Customer Profile

Tevan Enterprises Ltd. is a wholesale candy and confectionary distributor on Vancouver Island, Canada’s lovely West Coast. They provide candy, snacks and beverages to grocery store chains and independent grocers, gas stations, ski hills, airports, campgrounds, schools and universities.

We got to talk with Jessica Schlager, owner at Tevan Enterprises Ltd., and ask her about the specifics of inventory processes in their business.

Business Challenge

Q: How did you manage your inventory and sales before HandiFox?

A: Prior to implementing HandiFox, all our sales done in the field were done using a manual, paper-based process. Additionally, our warehouse operations were disconnected from the main office, meaning everything (receiving of inventory, picking and packing orders) had to be manually entered in our accounting software after the fact.

Q: What was most important to you when evaluating your options?

A: We were looking for a system that could be used while offline, as internet coverage can be spotty in some of our sales areas. We also needed something that could be used by office staff, sales staff and warehouse staff with equal ease. A system that connected seamlessly with our accounting software (QuickBooks) was critical.

Technology Solution

Q: Why did you choose HandiFox?

A: HandiFox met almost all our needs with respect to functionality. In addition, it was very affordable for a small distributor like us. I liked the one-time licensing fee, and the cost for yearly support was much less than its competitors. I also really liked the personal service that the company gives us – my questions are always addressed very quickly, and the tech support staff is incredibly knowledgeable.

Q: How long have you been working with HandiFox?

A: Approximately one year. We started interviewing the company in early 2018 and purchased our first two licenses in March 2018.

Q: Did you meet any difficulties in working with our software?

A: There are always growing pains when learning a new software system, but any and all questions have been answered quickly and thoroughly. We have also made suggestions for added functionality that have been added into newer releases of the software, so I know that we are really being listened to.

Q: Who uses the product? Which features do you use most?

A: Our company has 8 employees, and everyone uses the system. Our Sales/Delivery staff use the system to do field sales and invoice on the road. The accounting staff uses the QuickBooks desktop interface daily, and the warehouse staff uses the program to receive product, as well as pick and pack orders.

Business value

Implementing HandiFox has really increased workplace efficiency for us. Some examples of this include:

• Our company has a two-pronged sales structure. We have a traditional order/deliver warehouse system, but we also do real-time sales from our delivery truck, which doubles as a rolling candy store. Prior to HandiFox, field sales meant our driver would manually write down an order, pick it, then manually add up the total, and write it out on a paper invoice book. That invoice would then be given to the accounting staff, who would manually enter it in QuickBooks. Now, he can scan the products as he picks them, and print out an itemized receipt on the spot for our customers. He can then sync, and the information is uploaded to QuickBooks immediately and automatically. This has drastically decreased the amount of time sales take in the field, while improving the accuracy of our inventory and invoices in QuickBooks.
• Prior to HandiFox, our warehouse was completely disconnected from our office and QuickBooks (which manages all accounting and inventory). When the office received an order, it would have to be driven to the warehouse, where the staff would then use paper to pick the order. We would have to rely on staff to pick correctly based on the paper order form. Accounting staff would then drive back to the warehouse to pick up the orders and manually enter and invoice at the end of every night. Now that warehouse staff have handhelds with HandiFox installed (we use cheap mobile phones for our handhelds), orders can be entered in the system in the office, and Warehouse staff can sync the handhelds to get the orders, pick/pack/invoice, and sync again at the end of the night. Efficiency and accuracy has been greatly improved, as two separate trips to the warehouse are no longer required, and scanning product while picking it means staff are warned if they have picked the wrong item.
• We have also seen efficiencies in ordering and receiving inventory. Prior to HandiFox both were manual processes, requiring us to use paper in the warehouse then transcribe it into QuickBooks later. Now both ordering and receiving can be done using the handhelds, and a quick sync gets it all into the system fast and accurately.

Case Study of Tevan Enterprises Ltd.