AM Leonard Continues Its Tradition of Customer Service Excellence With Sage ERP X3

IRVINE, CA--(Marketwire - May 22, 2012) - Sage North America announced today that AM Leonard, a family-owned and operated horticulture and tool supplier based in Piqua, Ohio, is using Sage ERP X3 as its financial reporting system. With its multichannel sales approach, AM Leonard needed an ERP system that would be flexible enough to be modified to meet the needs of their growing company. Sage ERP X3, a full-service enterprise management software system designed to meet the demands of the most elaborate business processes, allows AM Leonard to remain cost-effective and efficient while continuing their commitment to customer service.

AM Leonard was founded in 1885 to serve the needs of the horticulture industry. Since then, AM Leonard has continued to grow, now employing nearly 100 employees. The company serves the horticulture industry around the nation through its catalog and Internet sales divisions.

"After using the 'industry standard' multichannel retail/distribution software for years, we knew it was time for a change," said Barry Gertner, information systems director for AM Leonard. "We reached the point where we knew that our current solution was not going to continue to work for us, so we started looking for alternatives that would provide solid, core functionality, while allowing for easy modification."

Upon researching modifiable ERP systems, Gertner decided Sage ERP X3 was the right solution.

"We liked what we saw and we liked the people who sold it to us. We knew that if any help was needed, they would roll up their sleeves and get the job done. We guarantee AM Leonard branded products for life and often times replace shovels that are 30 years old. This is the level of service we expect from ourselves and this is the level of service we received from our partner," explained Gertner.

Even with seven major modifications needed in order to go live with the system, the total implementation time was under four months. Since implementing Sage ERP X3, AM Leonard has been able to save time and, ultimately, money by automating many of the company's shipping processes. Previously, the process to obtain motor freight quotes would consume up to 30 minutes per order. By automating this functionality within Sage ERP X3, order entry persons can now obtain multiple freight quotes within seconds, saving countless hours of research and order entry time.

In addition, this process enables AM Leonard to better serve its customers by enabling staff to make informed, situation-based decisions about how they will ship products. Shorter shipping time can sometimes mean the difference between helping a customer save their crops and their property or losing everything.

"There are times when we have customers who need a specific product to weather-proof their greenhouses. The ability to choose the shipping vendor that can get our products to our customers ahead of inclement weather is mission-critical to us. With Sage ERP X3, we can easily connect to our shipping vendors and select the vendor that offers the quickest delivery. Sage ERP X3 helps us help our customers in their hour of need. That makes us feel good," said Gertner.

"AM Leonard and Sage share a strong commitment to servicing their customers. Sage understands the needs that businesses have for flexible, efficient, and cost-saving business management tools," said Sage Executive Vice President Joe Langner. "We are proud that Sage ERP X3 has helped power AM Leonard's growth and success, and we hope to see their success endure for the next century."

About Sage
Sage is a leading global supplier of business management software and services for small and midsized businesses. The Sage Group plc, formed in 1981, was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and now employs more than 12,600 people and supports more than 6 million customers worldwide. For more information about Sage in North America, please visit the company website at SageNorthAmerica.com. Follow Sage North America on Facebook, Facebook.com/SageNorthAmerica, and Twitter, Twitter.com/sagenamerica.

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