Customer-Centric Innovation and the Power of Partnership

Innovation and adaptation are critical to success. One way we achieve this is by leveraging the power of partnerships through a deliberate channel strategy.

Ivan Rebolledo

Ivan Rebolledo

November 5, 2024

It was about three years ago, while driving to the airport. The Epicor customer account manager on the other end of the call was facing a challenge with a customer who wanted to move to the cloud, but required specific hosting solutions that made it difficult. Customers often choose hosting options based on their unique requirements, such as hosting their entire infrastructure in a central location, geographic challenges, or the need for direct access to their data for a variety of purposes. In this particular case, the client needed a solution that we did not have and ran the risk of losing the account. To solve the problem, I called Mark Jamiesonof 2WTech. His team was able to deliver a customized cloud solution that met the customer's specific needs. Today, and hundreds of customers later, this partnership allows us to offer a private cloud solution with subscription pricing, making it more cost-effective for customers while providing them with the flexibility they need. A competitive advantage Innovation and adaptation are critical to success. One way to achieve this is to harness the power of partnerships through a deliberate channel strategy. By collaborating with our partners, we leverage their expertise, resources and networks to ultimately deliver greater value to our customers and prospects. This approach not only helps us expand our relationships at the pace of our customers' growth, but also fosters innovation and drives industry advancements. Our partners are much more than resellers of our technology. They offer the innovative solutions, vertical expertise and geographic expansion needed to drive mutual success. Vertical experience: Aerospace and defense Our partnership with Cre8tive Technology and Design is an excellent example of vertical expertise in niche markets. Aaron Continelli and his team have built a practice around the aerospace and defense industry, dedicating their resources to understanding and meeting the unique requirements of this sector. In doing so, they create tailored solutions that address the specific needs of aerospace and defense customers, setting them apart from their competitors. One example is Enjet Aeroa manufacturer of precision machined and fabricated components for commercial and military aircraft engine OEMs. With Cre8tive, we were able to help Enjet become more agile, proactive and reliable, while supporting growth and operational excellence in several areas:

  • Supply chain management: Improvements through real-time data exchange and coordination between sites.
  • Operational efficiency: Improved scheduling, planning and purchasing.
  • Mergers and acquisitions: Ability to scale mergers and acquisitions and have acquired companies operational in a matter of days.
  • Data insight: Develop transparency that helps Enjet react quickly to market changes.

Geographic expansion: Latin America As a global company, we must be aware of the need to create innovation in the markets we serve, as well as in those where we prioritize growth. Latin America is no exception. Our partnership with Technology Coast Partners in LATAM demonstrates the importance of understanding and addressing regional and country-specific complexities in the plastics, industrial machinery and automated manufacturing sectors, among many others. Technology Coast Partners has developed solutions that address the unique needs of customers in South America, such as integration with local CRM and e-commerce solutions. This approach allows us to maintain a strong presence in the region, while providing customers with tailored solutions that meet their specific needs. A useful example is Cerrey, a world-leading boiler manufacturer that was struggling with outdated technology that caused problems with material traceability. We provided the necessary flexibility by adapting the screens to existing applications, resulting in greater data transparency, among many other benefits:

  • Growth: By integrating with existing technologies and providing the necessary tools and support, the addition of Epicor created opportunities rather than obstacles.
  • Streamlined processes: Cerrey now maintains the integrity of information from creation to completion.
  • Competition: Cerrey maintains its advantage in saturated markets by moving faster and with greater flexibility.

"There are several high value factors, but I think the most important is how hard Epicor has worked over the last few years on building channel trust, in sales, marketing, technology, support, customer focus, as an Epicor partner there is a sense of certainty and visibility that gives us confidence to invest and grow our alliance."

Iván Rebolledo

CRO │ Partners of the Technology Coast.

Overcoming Challenges and Building Trust In recent years, we have embarked on a journey to strengthen our partner ecosystem. We are committed to empowering our partners to deliver exceptional value to our customers. By fostering a collaborative environment, we enable our partners:

  • Expand your reach: Access new markets and customer segments.
  • Improve your offering: Offer comprehensive solutions that respond to a wide range of customer needs.
  • Accelerate growth: Increase revenues and profitability through innovative partnerships.

But if I am to be transparent, we have faced some obstacles in our path, and it has been a brick-by-brick effort to create the thriving channel program we have today. By steadily increasing the importance of our channel in sales, innovation and subject matter expertise, we have demonstrated our commitment to collaboration and the success of these partnerships. This has allowed us to build trust and attract new partners willing to invest in both their business and ours. As such, we are pleased to expand our channel partnerships into vertical distribution. We see great opportunities for organizations to join us and be part of an industry-changing drive to deliver 10x greater value to our customers." Learn more about becoming a partner here or make an appointment for talk to us directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Strategic partnerships bring together software vendors, implementation specialists, consultants, and integration experts to deliver comprehensive solutions. Rather than relying on a single provider, businesses benefit from specialized expertise in implementation, customization, integration, training, and ongoing support. This collaborative approach reduces project risk, accelerates deployment, and improves return on investment.

ERP systems continuously evolve as organizations grow, regulations change, and business processes mature. Long-term support helps maintain system performance through software updates, user training, performance optimization, integration enhancements, and strategic consulting. Ongoing collaboration ensures the ERP platform continues delivering value long after the initial deployment is complete.

Manufacturers often rely on interconnected systems across production, finance, inventory, supply chain, and customer service. Collaborative technology ecosystems enable these systems to exchange information seamlessly, creating better operational visibility and faster decision-making. The result is improved production efficiency, reduced downtime, enhanced inventory control, and stronger customer satisfaction.

Successful ERP projects continue long after implementation. Continuous innovation includes optimizing workflows, introducing automation, integrating new applications, improving reporting capabilities, and leveraging emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and predictive analytics. Regular system enhancements help organizations maximize the long-term value of their ERP investment while adapting to changing business requirements.

Customer-focused ERP projects begin by understanding business processes, operational objectives, and future growth plans before configuring the software. This reduces unnecessary customization, improves user adoption, minimizes implementation delays, and ensures the ERP system supports both current operations and future scalability. Organizations that prioritize business outcomes typically experience smoother implementations and higher long-term value.

Digital transformation often requires multiple technologies working together, including ERP, CRM, analytics, automation, and cloud infrastructure. Technology partnerships enable organizations to integrate these systems more effectively while reducing complexity. By leveraging complementary expertise, businesses can modernize operations, improve decision-making, automate manual processes, and respond more quickly to changing market conditions.

An effective ERP partner should demonstrate deep industry knowledge, proven implementation experience, technical expertise, and long-term support capabilities. Businesses should also evaluate a partner's ability to provide consulting, data migration, system integration, user training, cloud deployment expertise, and ongoing optimization services. A strong implementation partner becomes a strategic advisor rather than simply a software reseller.

Customer-centric innovation is the process of designing, implementing, and improving business technology based on customer needs rather than software features alone. Instead of simply deploying ERP or CRM systems, organizations focus on solving operational challenges, improving user adoption, and delivering measurable business outcomes. This approach ensures technology investments align with strategic goals, increase productivity, and support long-term growth.

A customer-centric technology strategy aligns digital investments with business objectives and customer expectations. Organizations that prioritize usability, operational efficiency, collaboration, and continuous improvement are better positioned to respond to market changes, improve customer experiences, increase employee productivity, and drive sustainable growth. By viewing technology as a long-term business enabler rather than a one-time implementation, companies can build lasting competitive advantages.

Cloud-based technology partnerships provide organizations with scalable infrastructure, continuous software updates, enhanced security, and remote accessibility. Working with experienced cloud implementation partners also simplifies migration planning, minimizes operational disruption, and enables businesses to adopt new capabilities more quickly. This flexibility allows organizations to respond faster to growth opportunities and changing customer demands.

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