Modernizing Legacy ERP Without Rip-and-Replace

What do you do when your outdated digital sales platform is costing you lost sales? Don’t assume replacing outdated tools is your only option.

Pinnacle Textile customers were forced to use phone-only transactions due to the company’s outdated online shopping experience, which had to support more than 15,000 SKUs. Management turned to e-commerce vendors for a solution, but the search was initially fruitless.

A recent study by the B2B E-Commerce Association and Greenwood Consulting found that only 3% of buyers prefer to make purchases by phone. Most B2B buyers prefer websites, online marketplaces, and mobile apps over conventional phone call centers for purchasing. Eighty-four percent of respondents further indicated that sellers need multiple online and offline channels to capture their business.

Pinnacle was trapped with a Microsoft Dynamics GP system and quickly discovered that vendors did not want to integrate with a system that was being sunset. Eventually, the company found an online commerce and payment platform by K-ecommerce that enabled them to integrate their existing system.

When Legacy Systems Block E-Commerce Growth

The K-ecommerce fix enabled Pinnacle to avoid the budget-busting expense and daunting task of migrating away from Dynamics GP (Great Plains). The results included $10,000 in added monthly sales, a 90% reduction in product discovery time, from 25 minutes to just seconds, and transforming reordering from a multi-step process to a one-click task.

Given its legacy status, Dynamics GP presented significant integration hurdles that many e-commerce vendors struggled to address. As an older system with niche data structures, many vendors chose to walk away once they learned we were staying with Dynamics GP, according to Quinn Ackerman, Pinnacle’s website coordinator.

“We needed to go with a vendor willing to meet us where we were at, not ask us to change the foundational systems our small team is accustomed to. K-ecommerce had a team of Microsoft Dynamics experts ready with a deep understanding of the technologies we needed to leverage,” Ackerman told CRM Buyer.

Make Legacy Tech Work for B2B Sales

K-ecommerce never flinched at the complexity of our Dynamics GP environment. Ackerman described their team’s efforts in providing detailed customizations and personalized details to meet Pinnacle’s visual and functional needs.

He explained how the previous setup, combining Dynamics GP and Pinnacle’s website, failed to meet the modern B2B buyer’s transaction demands. Product discovery was frustrating due to poor filtering and overwhelming inventory.

“Because of the general clunkiness, our service team became overwhelmed with phone and email orders. In addition, we lacked real-time visibility on inventory and limited access to customer data, making the sales process a source of frustration for our customers and internal team,” Ackerman explained.

According to Michael Netto, VP of professional services at K-ecommerce, the most noticeable improvements came from real-time inventory data integration with Microsoft Dynamics GP and a modern, intuitive user interface. That solution eliminated customers’ endless scrolling through thousands of SKUs without effective filters, driving customers back to phone and email orders and overloading Pinnacle’s support team.

“From an operational standpoint, this shift to self-service shopping freed Pinnacle’s customer service team from manually processing orders and handling sensitive payment information, allowing them to focus on more valuable customer interactions,” Netto told CRM Buyer.

ERP Integration Saves Costs and Disruption

Netto noted that Pinnacle’s dilemma was not uncommon. While functional, Microsoft Dynamics GP has diminished support options, making it challenging to utilize the ERP system to manage core business functions.

“Migrating to a new ERP represented a prohibitively expensive and complex undertaking. Dynamics GP has particular data structuring, making integration particularly challenging — so much so that some potential customers were hesitant to order from Pinnacle,” Netto offered.

K-ecommerce built in customization support that addressed all the current pain points. The result delivered significant improvements without the cost and disruption associated with a complete ERP replacement.

According to Ackerman, Pinnacle’s B2B customer relationships experienced a night-and-day difference. One of the most significant shifts since launching with K-ecommerce is the level of customer independence. High-volume customers no longer had to contact his company multiple times via phone and email to place orders.

“With the improved online experience and new features like real-time inventory and account-specific pricing, customers can manage their purchases independently. That shift alone has significantly improved their experience and reduced delays associated with manual ordering,” he explained.

SMB ERP Upgrade vs. Integration Factors

Netto suggested that businesses facing a similar stay versus migrate ERP dilemma should assess their current system first. Despite its limitations, can it still support core business functions when paired with modern integrated solutions? The primary question should be, what will deliver a better customer purchasing experience?

“Today’s B2B buyers expect self-service capabilities where they can research products, place orders, and track shipments independently without requiring sales assistance,” he said.

When evaluating whether to migrate or integrate, manufacturers should focus on what is essential for their day-to-day operations. They must prioritize real-time inventory accuracy, personalization capabilities, and simplified order management.

“Integration capabilities should top your consideration list. Ensure any solution you select can connect reliably with your existing systems,” he added.

Modernize Without Excessive Costs or Disruption

According to Netto, the primary goal is to improve the digital customer experience through better search capabilities and streamlined checkout processes. They deliver immediate value while larger integrations happen behind the scenes. Maximizing existing technology investments with integrated solutions is often better than replacing aging ERP tech. Adding on significantly reduces upfront costs and operational disruption.

Also consider a cloud-based solution with subscription pricing to reduce upfront spending and spread costs out over time. Cross-train your team members during implementation so they can manage the new system internally rather than remaining dependent on expensive external consultants.

It is important to collect and analyze user feedback from initial phases to prioritize which future enhancements will deliver the highest ROI. Netto urged ensuring every dollar addresses business needs, not flashy extras.

“Modernization is an ongoing process rather than a one-time project. Regularly evaluate your e-commerce performance, making incremental enhancements that deliver value without operational disruption,” he advised.

Fixing Legacy Tech Improves B2B Retention

Ackerman underscored that point by noting that Pinnacle has recently added a chatbot to its website, enabling customers to receive quick responses to their questions at any time, which results in reduced inbound requests, freeing up the team for strategic work.

“Through these enhancements, we’ve made our mission clear. We’re committed to making customers’ lives easier and exceeding the status quo for the B2B shopping experience,” he said.

Additionally, his company is experiencing stronger loyalty. More customers are creating web accounts and placing repeat orders without needing help.

“They trust the platform to be accurate and easy to use, which is essential in the B2B space. And with this autonomy, our service team can now shift focus to proactive customer support and optimization efforts,” Ackerman said.