Link Lockers Switches to Epicor Manufacturing Software

Vantage to Help Streamline Processes for Market-Leading Producer of Storage Equipment

Link Lockers, a division of Link 51, is to deploy Epicor Software Corporations Vantage manufacturing and business intelligence software to improve its total business processes following a detailed four-month selection and evaluation phase.

Our existing system had served us well in the past but there were a number of reliability and support issues and it was also starting to reach its limits in terms of expandability, said Steve Johnson, IT manager for Link Lockers. At the end of 2004, we started a four-stage selection process with an invitation to tender from which we created an initial list of eight different products from 12 potential suppliers.

Three additional products were eliminated due to the use of third party add-ons to achieve core functionality leaving a short list of Epicor Vantage, Syspro Enterprise Software, Microsoft Navision, Microsoft Axapta and SAP R3. The remaining candidates were then assessed by each Link Lockers department and given a score based on the functionality and features of each product. The weighted scoring system selected the three highest vendors, Epicor, Syspro and SAP, to move on to a scripted product demonstration phase.

Johnson explained, It was during these scripted demonstrations that Epicor Vantage really began to shine in both the responsiveness of the Epicor consultants and the power and functionality of the application.

We were particularly impressed by the Business Intelligence features of Vantage such as the Dashboard which allows us quickly look at key performance indicators without having to prepare complex reports, said Johnson.

The Link Lockers new system project team then conducted a number of reference site visits before selecting Epicor Vantage as a front-runner for proceeding to best-and-final-offer negotiations. 

 After completing our lengthy and detailed selection process, we believe that Epicor Vantage is the best fit for both our current operational needs and moving forward, said Johnson. We have signed contracts with Epicor and are at the start of our implementation phase with staff training and initial preparation of data ahead of migration.

 With a target implementation date of mid-2006, Link Lockers will initially deploy Epicor Vantage for its core manufacturing, accounting and scheduling requirements with subsequent integration to an SAP R3 system maintained within a sister company to handle purchase order to sales order link.

We commend Link Lockers and our other customers who undertake such extensive evaluation processes, as it creates the correct level of expectation and allows us to deliver the best solution to fit the needs of the organization, said Ian Walker, senior vice president of international sales for Epicor. The time invested in product evaluation and selection often delivers a much smoother migration and implementation phase, which in turn provides a better return on investment and higher levels of customer satisfaction.