Introduction
Niche Modern is a lighting manufacturing/retail company based out of Beacon, NY. Actually, we should say “maker” not “manufacturer” (“The idea of ‘Made, Not Manufactured’ is that each piece is lovingly made by real humans. Our pieces are still made with that same process and ethos. It is integral to what we do.” – Jeremy Pyles, CEO/Creative Director).
Established in 2003, Niches creates and sells beautiful, high-quality, glass-blown lighting fixtures. They uphold a strong commitment to bringing the most luxurious modern lighting to consumers, designers, and architects across the globe.
The Situation
- When looking for an ERP software, Niche had some specific requirements due to their unique workflow. They needed a system that could keep up with their *manufacturing* process/output, track inventory as well as increase efficiency in their sales process.
Cloud-Based ERP
With so many different moving parts, Niche needed a system that was flexible enough to keep up. They needed their sales, manufacturing, warehouse and executives all to have easy access and full functionality from wherever they were.
Manufacturing
Niche needed a system that could accurately maintain and track all aspects of their manufacturing process/workflow. They use AltheaSuite to manage BOMs (Bill of Materials), work processes, production planning and more,
Integrations
An important part of any ERP software is its ability to work seamlessly with the other tools in a company’s business management toolbox. In the case of Niche, this meant integrating with their shopify store for Ecommerce, ShipStation for all their shipping needs, HubSpot for marketing and SmartSheet to keep the entire team coordinated on tasks.
Barcode Scanning
Niche needed to be able to streamline their invoicing, quotation and manufacturing processes to achieve maximum efficiency. This required having the ability to generate and utilize barcode stickers/scanning through their ERP system.
Payment Processing
In addition to their Ecommerce, shipping and marketing integrations, Niche needed their ERP system to work with their payment processing. The process payment with three different providers (PayRoc, Stripe and HubSpot) and required a suitable connection with each.
The Solution
- AltheaSuite is a fully cloud-based system, providing full functionality/responsiveness whether the user is on a desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone.
- With comprehensive MRP (material requirements planning) and manufacturing management capabilities, AltheaSuite was able to meet all the needs of Niche’ unique process
- With extensive integrations based on our users’ needs, AltheaSuite offered the ability to connect with all other systems Niche utilized for a smooth, centralized workflow without needing to jump between screens.
- AltheaSuite was able to generate barcode stickers and connect with scanners to maximize user experience/friendliness for Niche and all their departments.
- The ability to add custom payment methods, send payment links to customers and integrate with multiple payment processors allowed Niche the freedom to continue with their established methods.
The Success
With their specific requirements and comprehensive workflow, Niche couldn’t use just any ERP software. AltheaSuite was able to satisfy these needs and then some. The added benefit of working with their current processes to avoid interruption along with automating manual processes, providing more extensive insight into operations with our data analytics and providing unmatched training and support made partnering with AltheaSuite a huge win for Niche.
