For the past 12 months, AFAC has been going through a business streamlining process in order to bring its infrastructure systems up to today’s demanding digital standards. The company had been running on legacy systems inherited when the business transferred over to the founder’s son 5 years ago.
What that means is things were taking longer than they should do and communication between systems was limiting. This had no negative impact on AFAC’s outstanding quality record but it limited opportunities for business growth. These challenges, we’re aware, affect many small businesses, particularly those with long trading histories.
AFAC celebrates 40 years of trade this year to give you some idea. Today’s market is a completely different landscape to 1980 when business began. Computers weren’t a luxury back then. Communication was pretty much limited to the telephone and handwriting. Imagine that! How would young people of today cope?
Well similarly, how do old businesses cope?
Change! That’s the method. Adapt! That’s the strategy. AFAC has always aimed to provide a brilliant user experience. By phone and email the company’s been able to service quality conscious manufacturing business nationally and internationally. Through growth come challenges though. Skills availability is limited. Technology investments are usually front loaded. The odds of being able to do it all are somewhat stacked against the micro-business. The skills needed are so wide it’s very difficult to keep all the work in-house.
Ryan, the business owner, set about putting a plan together that would enable AFAC to communicate essential information with its customers, avoid unnecessary replication of information, limit human error as much as possible and integrate with wider business systems to open untapped markets. Quite a list! Luckily, we’ve been able to do it all in-house so far.
Well we’re pleased to announce the first major milestone has been reached. It’s taken for granted in businesses where it works but cleansing a 40 year old system with accuracy and migrating all information into new stock management, accounts and website systems has been an arduous task.
Now, all stock products are listed on our website with real-time stock levels. OK so there’s a bit of cleaning up to do but if stock is showing it’s definitely on our shelves!
