Gateway Packaging thought outside the box to gain visibility and efficiency with Annexa and NetSuite
At a glance
To enhance operations and customer service, Gateway Packaging replaced their disparate and isolated software systems with a single application instance able to deliver advanced visibility and reporting capabilities.
Industry
Products
Services
Replaced systems
- MYOB
- act!
- Spreadsheets
The client
Providing Australian manufacturers with a ‘gateway’ to a world of innovative end-to-end packaging solutions, Gateway Packaging has been operating since 2000. Behind their consistent growth is a commitment to applying best practices and product innovations, optimum product selections and extraordinary customer and product support. It is this unique value proposition that has seen Gateway Packaging become the Number 1 packaging partner of Australian manufacturers.
NetSuite has had a huge positive impact across the company in terms of increased productivity, sales and staff engagement. Because each department always has access to the information they need, they’re empowered to make their own accurate, informed decisions.Craig Phillips, Sales Manager, Gateway Packaging
The challenge
With multiple business systems, Gateway Packaging were struggling to get an accurate view of the company’s operations. Data was scattered across a separate CRM and accounting system, and the additional spreadsheets required to connect the data were error-prone and hard to maintain. Manual reporting processes were draining resources as staff had to extract and sift through data to generate reports. Following years of steady growth, Gateway Packaging knew it was time to integrate their business software applications and standardise processes across a single, unified cloud system.
Having reviewed several options to implement the front- and back-office systems they needed, Gateway Packaging selected NetSuite and Annexa as their implementation partner.
“Early on, we knew we wanted someone we could trust and who’s work had already been proved. We’d been referred to Annexa and when we met the team, we were really impressed by both their offering and company values. So that early engagement really confirmed NetSuite as a product and Annexa as our partner.”
- Craig Phillips, Sales Manager, Gateway Packaging
2 subsidiaries, 3 warehouses
Monocle for sharing key metrics
Advanced reporting functionality
The results
Working with NetSuite Partner Annexa, Gateway Packaging rolled out NetSuite using Suite Success Financials First - a unique set of processes, activities and systems specifically designed for their industry, whilst flexible enough for their individual requirements. This deployment model delivered rapid implementation ensuring NetSuite was up and running quickly. The next phases involved integrating the CRM and later expanding their accounting and financial functionality to further enhance reporting and automation capabilities.
With NetSuite deployed, all of Gateway Packaging‘s critical functions and processes are in one central database and all reports and dashboards extracting data from a single, centralised data repository. This means that they can now instantly access customised performance insights tailored to each department’s need. This advanced visibility through reporting paired with NetSuite’s accurate and timely data capabilities has created a culture where staff are able to take ownership, be accountable and leverage data to make faster, more effective decisions. By removing the frustrating restrictions associated with inefficient and disjointed reporting processes, staff are now free to focus on more high value tasks, driving further value for Gateway Packaging.
One of the highlights of the partnership was Annexa’s in-house developed Monocle – one of many available Apps by Annexa. This dashboard app pulls Gateway Packaging’s key metrics from NetSuite and displays that data in real-time visuals. Monocle is then fed onto a large central display where all team members can clearly see company performance. The addition of Monocle has been a significant contributor to company cohesion, engagement and overall productivity.
“With its live key metric reporting on the big team display, Monocle keeps the team completely motivated and accountable. There's nothing like having all the key metrics up on a big display and everyone's keeping tabs on how far we have to go to hit a target - it's really motivational and keeps the team on the same page.”
- Craig Phillips, Sales Manager, Gateway Packaging
For Gateway Packaging, NetSuite is not only transforming how the company runs, it’s also positively impacting staff engagement and satisfaction levels. Today, having transcended the siloed architecture that has been holding them back, Gateway Packaging are now working to take their business to the next level of sustainable growth.
NetSuite’s endless customisation options for reporting has been really useful for the team. We now have the ability to generate reports in the most meaningful format for each department, giving each team control over the final shape of reports and the insights we can take from them.Craig Phillips, Sales Manager, Gateway Packaging
