Wäscherei Büchele (laundry services) successful on the market with abas Business Software

Wäscherei Büchele GmbH & Co.
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It took only two months to implement the business standard software abas ERP at the Wäscherei Büchele. Adaptability, flexibility and guaranteed future of the system tipped the scales in favor of the system. Branch solutions limit structure flexibility and Büchele did not want this. Since the introduction of the abas Business Software the productivity of the laundry service has significantly increased and costs were reduced effectively.

High-Tech is not everything: Focus is on the service

The laundry service Büchele GmbH & Co. KG in Göppingen offers its customers a competent and complete service. The product range comprises laundering of work clothes for the catering service, nursing homes and hospitals. The Swabian traditional laundry takes care of their customer’s laundry, delivers textiles on time and leases complete services. Trained specialists and modern machinery guarantee a high quality standard.

Year 2000 changeover called for actions

Until 1999 a normal merchandising system was being used at Büchele. This system contained some functions, but many things, such as statistical evaluations or the deposit of washing programs could not be accomplished. The old system was neither Y2K compatible nor could it be converted to the Euro. Therefore, the decision was made to invest in a new system. Various solutions were available. Volker Schurr, CEO of Büchele: “We looked in Germany, as well as abroad. Among the candidates were specific industry sector solutions. However, these fixed structures would have confined us too much in our process organization. We were looking for a flexible and future-proof solution that was able to adjust to our needs. During his studies Volker Schurr had already gained experience with standard ERP systems. The abas Business Software, a flexible business standard software of the Karlsruhe provider ABAS also stayed in his mind. Thus, the abas Business Software was one of two systems that were considered more closely. The responsible abas software partner, ABAS Informationssysteme GmbH, located only a few kilometres from Büchele in Uhingen, was invited to do a presentation. “Due to the successful presentation of the ABAS Informationssysteme GmbH, during which special attention was given to our needs, it became clear that abas ERP was the perfect solution for our company,” says Schurr. He continues: “The system has a high functional degree of coverage in the standard and is easily and quickly adapted to new demands.”

Software implementation in record time

The abas project management is a methodically ensured implementation methodology for medium-sized companies. An efficient, cost-effective as well as direct ERP introduction was the goal. Every step was secured by a quality check, therefore transparency of costs and project development were guaranteed at all times. Büchele started the project in November of 1999 and the real start was scheduled for January 1st, 2000. A project team, consisting of Büchele employees and the ABAS Informationssysteme GmbH was formed. Together they developed a project plan. At the same time the first key users were trained on the system. The data, classified according to products, was transferred from the old system Step by step the newly planned company structure was represented in abas ERP. Volker Schurr: “The abas Business Software is easy to handle and was immediately accepted by all employees.” The real start was carried out on January 1st, 2000 using the so-called “Big bang method”. Everything ran smoothly. “We started abas ERP and it worked,” summarizes Volker Schurr with a smile on his face. Ever since this date received goods such as the laundry of residents, work clothes and dirt absorbing carpets are recorded with barcode scanners and transferred to the system at Büchele When registering orders that are placed to external dry-cleaners, a packing slip is generated automatically. Data that has been transferred to the system is the basis for the issue of goods. If the laundry has passed through the different stages in the laundry service, it is scanned again and compared to the data from the goods receipt.
Then the packing slip is generated and the laundry is assigned to a route. From the data that has also been delivered to financial accounting, the billing run and statistical evaluations are automatically created.

Noticeable cost reduction

Four years and two upgrades later, Büchele is completely satisfied with the implemented abas Business Software. “The new structure of business processes enabled us to reduce the cost of labor significantly in many areas. Things don’t have to be put into the system twice.” Büchele’s CEO continues: “Furthermore, the transparency in our company has improved. Without wasting time abas ERP generates multiple evaluations, which we can give out in MS Excel. Thus we are able to safely react to new demands on time and we can control costs in all areas.” Regarding the security of the investment and the future of the system Volker Schurr explains: “The more accurate the information, the surer decisions can be made. Due to the fact that the abas Business Software can be upgraded, we get new functions with each new release and the special software architecture of abas ERP allows us to transfer our company specific adjustments to the new version. An upgrade is, therefore, usually completed within a day.”

Quality assurance by “chip technology”

Soon Büchele wants to switch to chip technology. With this step the Swabian traditional laundry service hopes to be able to enter goods faster and to achieve more transparency and security. Then, due to the automated processes, wrong treatments of the laundry can be almost ruled out. In another step the machine data, such as laundry quantities, use of detergent or number of pieces are transferred to the abas Business Software via an interface. Soon the subject of eBusiness will also be approached at Büchele. The ERP Web Interface, which will be available with version 2003 of the abas Business Software, will provide Büchele’s customers with a fast and direct possibility to handle purchase orders and an Internet shop.