HVAC Distributor Riley Sales Turns Up the Heat on Its Technology Transformation

By: | Category: ERP

From Outdated, On-premise ERP to Acumatica Cloud — Riley Sales Trusts Net at Work to Guide its Digital Transformation

As a business grows, its technology needs to evolve. Riley Sales, a premier HVAC distributor with locations throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, found itself in this position when its legacy ERP system became a roadblock to continued expansion. But with the help of Net at Work and Acumatica, the company was able to make a digital transformation that has set it up for success well into the future. 

From New Hire to New Search 

When Brandi Coats joined Riley Sales as CFO in 2018, she quickly learned that the company’s legacy, on-premise ERP system, Infor FACTS, was no longer actively being enhanced with the latest technology that Riley Sales needed to support its growth trajectory. She was tasked with finding a new solution that could support the unique operations of Riley Sales while providing a solid financial foundation.

Digital Operations Platform in Progress

Fortunately, Riley Sales had a longstanding relationship with technology advisor Net at Work. The industrial distributor brought in its consulting team to discuss the next steps. Together, they evaluated various applications and ultimately decided that the Next Generation ERP solution, Acumatica, was the best choice to move the company forward as part of its overall Digital Operations Platform (DOP), which includes integrated AP Automation solution TRAILD, BI tool Phocas and BillTrust’s eCommerce solution.

Today, nearly every employee at Riley Sales uses Acumatica. The company has fully embraced the cloud-based ERP, and this shift allows the company to operate more efficiently, from electronic invoice delivery to faster receivables processing and statement generation. To further maximize its total DOP, Riley Sales invested in a Customer Experience Plan through Net at Work. As part of the plan, Net at Work helps ensure the company’s systems remain updated, tracks progress points, and interfaces with the company’s Managed Service Provider to prioritize and push technology initiatives forward.

Custom Fit to Keep HVAC Businesses Running Smoothly

Due to Riley Sales’ unique pricing structure, salespeople used to perform many pricing calculations manually, feeding the final price into their legacy ERP system. Net at Work worked with the sales team to create custom solutions within Acumatica to accommodate the structure and eliminate the need for manual entry. These solutions tied into a larger change management approach that spawned a welcome and successful implementation throughout the channel.

The Future is Bright

Riley Sales is continuing to look towards the future with plans to advance the integration of its eCommerce platform with Acumatica. “Thanks to Net at Work’s help, our B2B portal is already up and running,” says Brandi. “Plus, we are preparing to launch a B2C site in 2024 and also join another online distributor marketplace. Not only does eCommerce free up our salespeople’s time, but it also gives Riley Sales a larger market presence. We can penetrate markets that were out of reach before.”

“Net at Work is an ideal partner for us. Their deep knowledge and ability to bring in additional business resources as necessary made this project a success.”

With Acumatica at the core of its DOP, Riley Sales makes good on its promise to provide everything HVAC professionals need to get the job done in the Philadelphia area and beyond, all while remaining at the forefront of technology and innovation.

Download the full Net at Work success story to read more about Riley Sales’ growth-enabling technology and digital transformation journey.