How weballiance e-commerce helped modernize a 45-year-old distribution company

When running a business, ensuring your operations run smoothly is top of mind. Sometimes, that means efforts to grow your business can fall to the wayside.

My dad always says "if you’re not growing, you’re dying". The truth is, growth is just as important as opening your doors every day. After over 40 years in business, Jugenheimer Industrial Supplies realized it was time to get a growth plan into action.

But where to begin? By implementing WebAlliance E-Commerce, Sara Eicher was given the tools to operate Jugenheimer Industrial Supplies’ online efforts efficiently and effectively, while keeping growth in mind.

About Jugenheimer Industrial Supplies

Jugenheimer Industrial Supplies is a major supplier of fasteners, cutting tools, banding equipment and any other item that can be found at a hardware store. Opening its doors in 1976, Sara currently runs the operations of this multigenerational business that’s been going strong from the beginning.

"It started with my grandfather, dad and uncles... it's an honor to be part of this legacy."

Although Jugenhimer’s doesn’t manufacture supplies, they work closely with manufacturing vendors and local machine shops to offer a quick turnaround time.

In 2016, Jugenheimer’s launched their first e-commerce website to allow customers to place orders online, receive quotes and invoices, check order history and more. This was the beginning of their growth journey.

Aldrich Web Solutions - building trust

Jugenheimer’s had their fair share of challenges with website providers. Sara knew that in order to grow the business consistently, Jugenheimer’s needed a website that would meet the needs of the business. “Ours was terrible.” The team was stuck manually transferring order information which was inefficient, and left too much room for human error. Sara quickly realized the website solution they had wasn’t working.

Sara came across Aldrich Web Solutions, and after a demo and checking with references, she realized this was the solution for them. “We were in a place where we were ready to make an investment; you were always quick to respond, always had a reasonable answer, so we decided to go for it.”

WebAlliance and Prophet 21: The perfect integration

Among many other products and services, Aldrich provides an integrated e-commerce platform via WebAllicance. WebAlliance websites help Prophet 21 distributors by providing B2B and B2C sites integrated with Prophet 21. P21 is an ERP software package that enables every aspect of the industrial distributor’s day to day; from inventory control, to accounts receivable, to the CRM, and every tiny detail in between - all in one powerful package. Utilized by leading industrial distributors, Sara knew Aldrich could utilize P21 to create the perfect website solution for Jugenheimer’s.

Aldrich’s solution was created to be an integrated e-commerce solution. It was made specifically for the distribution industry to provide the unique needs of distributors just like Jugenheimer’s.

Partnership vs. vendorship

At Aldrich Web Solutions, we believe in being more than just a website provider. We believe that having a partner that is for you means you’ll win; and when you win, we win.

"There was a level of trust built. If we have a problem, you respond quickly; and we trust you enough to lean into your expertise."

For Sara, Aldrich’s was more than just a vendor; they became a partner. Over time, they developed solid trust, and open communication in which she was confident in their guidance. “We tell you what our goal is, and you tell us how our website can help us get there.”

For us at Aldrich, we’re determined to see your success, and we’re eager to help distributors find success efficiently, whether that includes us or not. Our team is determined to serve our customers with kindness and care to ensure they can compete against larger competitors and win. This is what ultimately established the partnership with Jugenheimer’s. Sara concludes, “we truly have no complaints.”

Said and Done: Is Aldrich’s Web Solutions Worth It?

Once Aldrich’s Web Solutions got to work, Sara and her team started seeing results. By allowing customers to place orders, they’ve increased their efficiency and reduced human error. Additionally, by listing their inventory, they created the visibility their customers need by listing what’s in stock, or soon to be available. In turn, this clarity led to more sales and increased revenue.

Aldrich’s sole mission is to help distributors succeed by providing B2B integrated websites and portal solutions. We offer a wide array of solutions, including Customer Service Portals, E-Commerce platforms, product information management systems, a mobile app, and so much more to help retain existing customers, and gain new customers along the way. Now you can sell your products online, increase site traffic, and drive down costs all with one provider - Aldrich’s Web Solutions.

So what does Sara envision for the future? Jugenheimer Industrial Supplies is no longer bogged down with rough website and mundane manual tracking. Instead, Sara and her team now look forward to taking on new marketing opportunities to accelerate their growth.

Ready to streamline your business? Check out how WebAlliance can revolutionize your business.