Reporting tool saves more than expected at Showerlux

Showerlux UK, the Coventry-based bathroom design and manufacturing company, says it’s got more than it bargained for since implementing new ERP database querying and reporting software initially in production. It’s not only on target for annual savings of at least £50,000, but has also detected and dealt with insider-led theft. Indeed, such has been its success that the firm has now rolled out the software across the business to improve departmental decision support. Showerlux has been a JBA (now Geac) System 21 ERP system user for the last four years across financials, sales order processing, MRP and the rest, but had suffered the common problems of defining and extracting detailed non-standard reports. It was a lengthy process and the system would often be working through the night, with extra operator input required during the day. Last November the firm implemented an eXPorter reporting software add-on from eXant, itself founded by CEO Kevin Jones, formerly one of the directors of JBA. The software eases data discovery and report definition through online dialogues and then immediately exports information from any ODBC-compliant database straight into Excel and Access. It did the job and Bob Bowler, Showerlux managing director, says it’s transformed database querying to the extend that the firm is far better equipped to harness its ERP information – while also cutting costs. In production alone, he says, “it’s saving us two operators two hours a day,” and it’s transformed day-to-day information systems management. As for the theft, Bowler says that the system helped his team to define tight enquiries against the System 21 database and track records and events. “We found someone making shower doors through the system and then cancelling the orders,” he says. “We would never have been able to see that without this system.” The software itself cost around £5,000 and Bowler reckons that services, consultancy and development have probably brought the total cost to around £20,000. Return on investment will be well under six months. As a result of the initial success, the software has now been rolled out across Showerlux’s systems and the whole business, from stock management to marketing for decision support. The firm is also using eXant staff for additional System 21 development and consultancy. “The system has been a real benefit to the whole company. It’s simple and easy to use and has enabled us to ‘cherry pick’ information within seconds from our system – something that took hours to do previously,” says Bowler.