Scenic Fruit Company Partners with eSoftware Professionals

Scenic Fruit Company uses technology tailored to their food processing needs to grow their business

An Interview with Lori Camp, Cost Accountant, Scenic Fruit Company

Scenic Fruit Company uses MS Dynamics NAV from eSoftware Professionals

CFO Maridean Eisele (3rd generation of family to run Scenic Fruit) and husband Hugh Eisele, CEO.

Scenic Fruit Company, located near Oregon’s majestic Mt. Hood, has been a premier food processor since 1931. They have excelled at providing top quality products and services related to fruit and vegetable processing and want to continue to grow. When it comes to their accounting system however, they were paper-logged and inefficient. They turned to eSoftware Professionals for a solution.

After realizing real benefits from technology — like improved accuracy and reduced production hours — our eyes have been opened to the possibilities for growth!

The Challenge

Scenic Fruit’s accounting system had multiple data sources, all with their own piece of paper and process for tracking information. They were wasting time on redundancies and struggling to keep up with variable pricing and grower commissions.

They knew they wanted to grow, which would require streamlining their systems and being able to provide accurate, timely reporting. So they distributed an RFP to expand the usability of their current databases and improve data availability. They released the RFP in November, with the hope of having a new system in place by March 30 – just in time for rhubarb season.

The Solution

We were a bit naïve on how long the process would take. eSoftware stepped up and told us flat out when they would need our commitment in order to accomplish what we were asking. It made us feel like they had our best interest at heart. Now we have visibility to information right away; if a customer calls, anyone in the office — from sales to production — can help! Now we have visibility to information right away; if a customer calls, anyone in the office — from sales to production — can help!

Of critical importance to the solution was the need for flexibility. While a basic accounting system would result in significant improvements, it was the flexibility of Microsoft Dynamics® NAV™, eFood, and the customizations from eSoftware Professionals that addressed the unique needs of Scenic Fruit. The ultimate solution was one that could grow and change with the business.

By consolidating multiple databases, programs, spreadsheets and islands of information that existed on single computers throughout the plant, Scenic Fruit eliminated redundancies and increased access and visibility to information. From freezer workers to production,payables, receivables, sales and shipping – almost everyone in the company is using the same application. In addition to improved accuracy, customer service has improved – if a customer calls for a Certificate of Analysis, anyone in the office has instant access and can help them immediately.

Why eSoftware Professionals

Scenic Fruit evaluated ten products related to AG and enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions and received four responses to their RFP; they were specifically looking for a local company with experience in their field.

eSoftware Professionals

What we really enjoy is the pride in accuracy and heightened level of interest our employees seem to have in the ‘bigger picture’ of the business. We were really impressed by their intelligence and genuine interest in our success. The eSoftware Professionals team knows what they’re selling, and worked to find the best possible balance between custom and non-custom, to meet our needs. They took the time to get a full grasp of our requirements and really understand our business. They helped us define what was realistic and put a phase-by-phase plan together with clear expectations for each milestone.

A Partner Who Knows Your Business Needs

eSoftware Professionals has helped companies run their businesses better since 1987. Here is how: by helping them consolidate data from multiple systems, achieve compliance with regulatory bodies, better managing growth, and have better reporting, and forecasting. We use Microsoft Dynamics NAV to accomplish this. NAV, formerly known as Navision, is an ERP system that is scalable, flexible, low-risk, and can be customized for specific business needs.

eSoftware Professionals has offices in three states and is a Microsoft Gold Certified partner. Our team consists of MBAs, CPAs, Professional Engineers, Project Management Professionals (PMP designation), and APICS trained CPIMs with an average tenure of seven years, some surpassing the ten year mark.

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