Summary
Balkan Services introduced two software solutions at AQUAMATRIX – the online business management tool NetSuite, which consolidates and manages sales from different locations, and the data analysis tool Qlik Sense, which provides fast access to reliable business information and helps monitor company activities. At the same time, Balkan Services has also provided comprehensive accounting support, including tax and business advice, since AQUAMATRIX began.
About the Company
AQUAMATRIX is a company specialising in the wholesale and retail trade of sporting goods, equipment, and accessories for winter sports, bicycles, surfing, and skateboarding.
The supplier is the official importer of brands such as TREK Bikes, Lib-Tech, GNU, Smith, Northwave, Drake, Bent Metal, Bontrager, Maxxis, Magura, Topeak, Level, SixSixOne, and Roxy.
The Need for ERP and BI Systems
AQUAMATRIX identified the need for a more flexible, scalable, and cloud-based ERP system to ensure sustainability and improve business control. As a result, the company transitioned from the on-premises Atlantis solution to NetSuite.
AQUAMATRIX needed BI software for fast, accurate analytical reports. They wanted insights on sales, inventory, turnover by channel—online store, physical store, warehouses—and B2B sales. Thanks to Qlik Sense, such reports are generated within minutes.
Objectives of both projects
- Maintaining a product catalogue, including colours, sizes, photos, and serial numbers;
- Creating a large number of new items simultaneously via file import;
- Managing an online store involves organising and processing customer orders and inventory data. It also includes handling various payment methods (credit, cash on delivery, cash, etc.), currency conversion, and multilingual support;
- Monitoring and maintaining pricing policies across all distribution channels;
- Management of a B2B wholesale trading platform;
- Streamlined product labelling and use of barcode scanners;
- Execute and track warehouse transfers. Plan product distribution. Manage internal requests, approvals, fulfilment, and reserve quantities;
- Handling of complaint processes from customers to suppliers;
- Planning of deliveries based on advance orders via the B2B portal;
- Trace payments to suppliers and customer liabilities, including deadlines, currencies, and payment methods;
- Track history. Analyse sales by item, product group, characteristic, or customer;
- Exchange files quickly in various formats with logistics companies, suppliers, or vendors;
- Reduction of IT infrastructure costs;
- Automatic upgrades and always working with the latest version of the solution;
- High data reliability and security.
Solutions
The business management software – Oracle NetSuite ERP, consolidates data from every sales channel. Based on the client’s needs, Balkan Services implemented key NetSuite modules. These are ERP, CRM, marketing, and B2B.
The BI system for business analytics integrates with Oracle NetSuite. It retrieves data from the ERP and visualises it. Information is updated daily. This ensures that AQUAMATRIX management always has up-to-date, accurate data.
Balkan Services has provided comprehensive accounting services for tax and management needs, as well as accounting and tax consulting to Aqua Matrix since the company’s inception.
Active participation in the implementation of an ERP system that ensures access to the necessary accounting information and reports at any time.
Results of the Oracle NetSuite implementation
- Management of all business processes through a single system.
- Quick and easy access to company information—via any device with internet access;
- Seamless import of large files containing new products and other documents;
- Management of all distribution channels through a single system;
- Automated management of marketing campaigns;
- Automatic real-time recalculation of the current average delivery price;
- Elimination of monthly inventory closing and accounting procedures;
- Improved management of inventory levels and product reservations;
- 100% fulfillment of customer orders across all channels;
- Simplified planning and scheduling of deliveries for upcoming seasons.
- Accelerated reporting and analysis of the current state of the business;
- Optimisation of financial reporting;
- Automated submission of VAT logs and Intrastat reports;
- Ability to generate P&L statements by brand;
- Minimisation of errors in order processing and deliveries.
Results of the Qlik Sense implementation
- Excellent overview of the entire business landscape at any given moment.
- Quick and easy access to up-to-date and accurate business data at any time and from anywhere;
- Easy daily tracking of key metrics—sales, inventory levels, margin;
- Quick and accurate comparison and analysis of sales data by channel, period, category, brand, SKU, quantity, and value;
- Increased flexibility in generating reports: the team can select the metrics they want to track using Qlik Sense’s self-service capabilities.
- Quick and clear identification of sales trends;
- Streamlined internal communication and reduced preparation time for operational meetings.
- Streamlined communication with dealers and retailers, analysis of their sales and ordering processes;
- Increased sales by category as a result of timely and accurate analysis.
- Streamlined operational and financial planning.
Oracle NetSuite Integrations
- Online store;
- Product labelling software;
- “Omex” payroll system;
- Qlik Sense Business Intelligence system.
Qlik Sense Integrations
- NetSuite ERP;
- Google Analytics.
