Process optimization over manpower

Fast forward to Elektroland

Human resources are not always the key for growing a business. The Upper Austrian electronics retailer Elektroland, which optimizes its processes with EDI, is a shining example that things can be done differently.

“Trust and reliability and respectful relationships with our clients” are the values that Elektroland, a family business, has been embracing for more than 90 years, according to its managing director, Friedrich Werdecker. This fourth-generation family business was founded by Mr. Werdecker’s great-grandfather, who converted an old leather factory in Mattighofen from steam to electric in 1932. Eventually, the business became an electronics store. A lot has happened since then: the small electronics store grew into a large electronics store with a store space of 1,800 m², and for roughly 15 years Elektroland has also been running a successful online business. The company ships its products worldwide, as far as Japan and the US, vis its two websites www.elektroland.at and www.sopo.at.

Process optimization over manpower

How does one manage such a rapidly growing company without losing sight of the big picture? Hiring more staff would be one option but given the current labor shortage and steadily increasing personnel costs, this is certainly not the best choice. That is why Friedrich Werdecker took a different approach, focusing on growing Elektroland not “through manpower, but by process optimization.” To him, the pandemic, which gave online stores another big boost, emphasized an important point: “The manual work and manpower required to do this are just too much. We needed a solution for that.” Electronic Data Interchange was the solution Mr. Werdecker was looking for. It is designed to enable the full digitization of ordering and invoicing processes from Elektroland’s internal IT/ERP system. This solution was eventually implemented with the support of EDITEL: since fall 2022, the company has been exchanging purchase orders (ORDERS), despatch advices (DESADV), and invoices (INVOIC) with some of its main business partners.

Taking automation one step at a time

Elektroland took the first “EDI step” with its partner WMF and many other well-known companies including Miele, BSH, and soon thereafter Hama.

“The biggest challenge about connecting partners is mainly their different environments. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for EDI communication,” explained Friedrich Werdecker.

“This project would not have seen the light of day without the personalized support provided by EDITEL, as they coordinated all process with individual partners on our behalf.” Mr. Werdecker is very pleased about the EDI operations already up and running at Elektroland: “In particular for larger orders, our processes have become much faster and warehouse operations are also much more streamlined thanks to EDI. This frees up valuable human resources, which is exactly what we set out to achieve.”