The last time I wrote a blog with the title above we were still suffering the business setbacks that came with the COVID 19 pandemic. That was clearly the worst crisis our country had faced in decades and our clients had to make serious decisions about how to weather it….
Just when we thought it safe to get back in the… The COVID pandemic continues to be one of the worst crises we have faced in our lifetime. I guess it would be fair to say that we all suffered at least some disruption of our lives and even our…
To what degree do you have control of how and when your inventory comes and goes? To whom it is sold and in what quantities? Not so much? Is making critical business decisions more difficult now? I’m sure you know that uncertainty is the new reality. As business managers it…
From Phil Perkins, President and CEO, ACUMEN Corporation As the Covid-19 Pandemic rages on, one can always find positive aspects to everyday life. That is especially true for our company. As a technology-based business we are very fortunate to be in a position to support our clients from our home…
Mark Ownby, ACUMEN Corporation, VP of Operations, shares a recent experience. I have been implementing software for small, medium, and large companies since the late 1980s (yes, they had computers back in the dark ages). I have had projects that went smoothly and projects that – well, let’s just say…
I know you are tired of hearing this, but these are unusual times. On a normal weekday, each member of our team at ACUMEN Corporation gets up in the morning and heads out to one of two places, either our offices in Richmond or in the Carolinas or to one…
Our plan: COVID-19 will not affect support Here at ACUMEN Corporation it will be business as usual during our fight against Coronavirus, with slight modifications to promote safety and good health. I hope this note finds you well and in safe surroundings. We take our responsibility to you and your…
Blending Great Technology and Human Ingenuity Last evening, I had the occasion to see the movie Ford vs. Ferrari. As an admitted “car guy” I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat during the racing segments. The movie featured a good number of scenes featuring my favorite car…
Phil Perkins ACUMEN Corporation President and CEO I’ve often said that we at ACUMEN Corporation are fortunate to serve so many innovative clients. Most are either manufacturers or distributors. Many make or distribute innovative products to their appreciative customers. Only a handful of clients can be said to truly disrupt…
Early in my consulting career I had the good fortune and pleasure of working as a project manager with wholesale distribution firms as they implemented inventory, order-processing and financial-management systems. Over a 10-year period I met some of the most interesting and committed individuals in the business world. Midsized distributors…
This week I’m not referring to a sports car, I’m focusing on you. Last week we had occasion to have a working lunch with one of our larger clients. The topic of discussion was the impending go live date and the final activities along the critical path. At ACUMEN we…
How fortunate I feel, since in 1991 we ( the ACUMEN marketing team) came up with a tag line for our logo, Weaving Human Intelligence with the Technology of our Times, that is still relevant today. You may be aware that I write and speak often about digital transformation and…
Being in the technology business, I am all about using technology to make our jobs (and lives) easier. However, it is easy to get too dependent on technology and forget that it is human interaction and relationships that can really make a difference. My youngest son is a teacher and…
If you run a business of any size, you wear a number of hats (or have people wearing those hats) during your busy day. You work with customers, sell products, pay bills, create marketing plans – you get the idea – lots of work and information to track. The question…
Some years ago, ACUMEN sponsored a national user group meeting in beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona. There were several good presentations from business and accounting practitioners. That said, many dealt with the latest federal regulations or changes in tax laws. That sort of material, while helpful, can be sort of dry. In…
Do you remember the first time you ever heard that phrase? May have been after the first step you took, the first night you slept in a big boy/girl bed instead of a crib, that first perfect report card, passing your driver’s test. Good job! Many of us carry that…
Recently I wrote an article about how important it is to take care of your employees and balance work and personal priorities. Recently, I have been reminded how important it is to take care of your customers. In the ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software business, getting new customers is always…
I think one of the defining experiences in my life that describes my personality to a “T” comes from 1972. I was just 10 years old and we had all just ripped open our Christmas presents and were lulled into a gift overload stupor. Then we had breakfast, woke up…
I think it all started when I saw those west coast kids driving up and down the Pacific Coast Highway in their little English sports cars. Lots of them drove Triumph TR3 or Austin Healey convertables, but my ride of choice was the MGA (see pictured). I ended up buying…
If any of you have followed my blogs or seen me speak at a conference you might have noticed that I hate acronyms. It’s a pity too, because our industry would seemingly grind to a halt without them. ERP, CRM, SaaS, AI, SAP….you get the picture. Quite frankly, I’m somewhat…
Recently I had the pleasure of having lunch with one of our clients here in Richmond, Virginia. In this particular case my client’s project was roughly half complete. Many times, that’s the point where managers and business owners start getting nervous about “go live goals” and over-all investment. Part of…
Having been a manager for a number of years with very diverse teams (and also an employee with my own family) I have experienced both sides of family and other personal situations that impact work hours and productivity. As a manager, I think it is important to provide a supportive…
Do you think this headline sounds fairly self-serving? Well, it is! If you are a distributor or manufacturer, we want to talk to you. Why? Here are 3 great reasons: 1. Your Sales. The most important part of any sales team’s day is ensuring their customers get their orders received…
On a given day, I realize how many things have changed since 1991 when ACUMEN Corporation opened our first office. Technology has advanced at such a brisk pace that, even for a technology company, it can become quite a chore keeping up. Of course, there is always a light side…
I’m going to say something now that you might be surprised to hear me or anyone say. I really like my car salesman. You know why? We talk every once in a while, and not every discussion involves him trying to sell me a new car. Nope, sometimes it’s just…
Fat Tuesday – A Wholesaler’s Chance at King-sized Success Most of us know that Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday. Not meaning to be disrespectful, some might say this eventful time in New Orleans is called Fat Tuesday due to fattening of the pockets of the retailers, filled…
Lately I’ve given a good bit of thought to how people make decisions. Certainly things have changed a good deal in the past several years, given the immediate access to information via the internet. For instance, in our business we’ve been impressed with the much more informed questions we get…
Setting an Ethical Bar for Your Company Anyone who watches the television show The Profit (clever play on words eh?) knows that Marcus Lemonis likes to do business on a handshake. At least it looks that way on the show. For the uninitiated Lemonis, a very successful businessman, helps struggling…
Over the years, I have attended many user group conferences, some as a presenter and some as an attendee. Some were put on by the software vendor and some by user group committees. While they have all been different, they all had one thing in common: great business value. A…
Have you ever considered the impact your first real job ended up having on your life and career? Recently I thought back to that period for me and was really surprised to realize how the lessons I learned then stuck with me as I founded ACUMEN Corporation and beyond. Here’s the story….
As a company that was itself a small entrepreneurial startup (27 years ago!), ACUMEN Corporation applauds the small business community in Richmond, VA. We really enjoy seeing seeds planted and growing into mature, successful businesses. Our CEO, Phil Perkins, and CFO, Sandra Dube, planted the ACUMEN seeds in 1991 and…
“Implementing our new ERP was the best team building experience we ever had!” Said no one ever. …but wait – that’s been the case for many of our clients implementing SAP Business One’s ERP. And here’s why… ACUMEN Corporation takes client communication very seriously. When ACUMEN initially engages with a…
I am fortunate to work for a company that has been in business for over 27 years. In the professional services industry, that is an eternity. We have had lots of success selling products and services to new clients, but what has really sustained us for that long are the…
During the holidays I always try to look back at the year that is fading away and take stock of all that has happened. Of course, as with all families, ours has had trials and tribulations but has accomplished some significant goals we set over the past months. I’m happy…
This webinar was recorded December 13, 2018. Does customizing your ERP system cause you pain? Tired of waiting for programmers or time to write custom code? Challenge solved. ACUMEN VP of Operations, Mark Ownby, can show you how to: Create custom reports and dashboards without programming… Add custom fields to…
(A blog that can’t be condensed to 600 words. If you find this too long, read 600, and another 600 later) We will honor several of our Veterans on November 11, and when this time of year comes around, I always think of my Dads. I had two I called…
Back in 2015 I authored a whitepaper called “10 Questions to Ask Your Software Vendor”. I spent some time last week double checking to be certain it still had value and was pleased to see that all of the questions discussed are still important to ask before selecting an ERP…
I have been doing this project management thing for a long time now – over 30 years – and the one constant, as they say, is change. One change that can have a huge impact on a project is personnel. Whether the project is a short (a few weeks) or…
Your 2018 is wrapping up nicely – well done! You’ve sold products, brought them into your warehouse, repackaged and shipped to customers. But looking around the warehouse, there sure is a lot of product on the shelves and bins. What is all that for? Good question! Most successful (and unsuccessful)…
I’m sitting here early in the morning having coffee, listening to the ocean and thinking about “digital transformation”. Well, not exactly, but it seemed like an interesting way to start this post. If you read certain business publications, you may notice that virtually every software vendor and consulting firm are…
NASCAR is an important sport here in the Richmond, Virginia area. And so, it’s not surprising that I was drawn to a series of studies related to the science of speed, (produced for the National Science Foundation (NSF), written and hosted by Diandra Leslie-Pelecky). These studies explain the scientific principles…
Successful manufacturing and distribution companies have a secret: Real Business ACUMEN. See how Solo USA in Newport News, Virginia uses SAP Business One to handle sales to manufacturing to shipping of its home and industrial sprayers and products.
As I am starting a new SAP Business One implementation, I am reminded (and am coaching the project team) of the importance of setting S.M.A.R.T. goals. When faced with something as potentially daunting as implementing a new ERP system, it is easy to set lofty, generic goals that are impossible…
Wow – big news from SAP (here’s the link with details)! SAP Cloud Business Soars; Operating Profit Up Double-Digit; Raises 2018 Outlook and 2020 Ambition Nothing like growth – and double-digit growth at that! There is a reason for SAP’s huge success: a fabulous product! If you have inventory, or make and…
My wife works at a health and wellness company – specifically in fitness and weight loss. Many of their customers are quite heavy and need to drop substantial weight. This extra burden on their bodies typically has serious joint issues along with the health risks: knees most often. Bad knees…
ACUMEN Vice President of Operations Mark Ownby recently returned from the annual SAP Innovation Summit held at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando April 18-20. ACUMEN is always represented at these events since so much information on product design and direction is provided during a very compact schedule. This year…
Congratulations are in order for ACUMEN Corporation CEO, Phil Perkins. Phil has just co-authored and published his fourth business success book, The Willing To Buy Coach. Phil and co-author, Dan Schultheis wrote The Willing To Buy Coach as a follow up to their earlier collaboration on Willing To Buy: A Questioning…
In my first book “Points of Productivity; Turning Corporate Pain to Gain” I discussed the concept of a high availability order processing station as designed by a CEO at a large electrical distributor. Basically the idea was to allow distributors of certain products to share information and inventory by connecting…
Last week I had the distinct pleasure of speaking with Morris Hartley, President of H&H Products in Orlando, Florida and his CFO Clayton Morris. We had several things to discuss but the subject quickly turned to what their team calls “Our Promise”. I was so impressed by the verbiage originally…
ACUMEN Corporation is proud to sponsor this year’s Richmond Times-Dispatch Bracket Challenge. If you haven’t created your second chance Sweet 16 bracket (and we all need a second chance) – you have time! http://richmond.collegehoops.upickem.net May we ask you 3 questions? Does your company ever have trouble shipping orders on time?…
Several years ago my partner Sandra Dube and I were the subject of a cover article in Enterprise Virginia magazine. On the cover she and I were pictured inside the sweltering Virginia House Museum holding actual medieval battle swords. It was agony, but that’s a different story for another day….
This past week I had the occasion to share a lunch break with several people on our team at ACUMEN Corporation who just happened to be in the head office that day. One of the guys, an SAP consultant and project manager, had put in a lot of hours with…
This morning I was following my Sunday ritual of reading the paper and watching CBS Sunday Morning at the same time. While reading a particularly distressing article about political gridlock I happened to hear our partner SAP mentioned by the commentator on the program. That got my attention immediately. Turns…
Every life takes twists and turns. Over the course of a lifetime we might even experience both feast and famine. I guess my opinion is that it’s important to understand how to handle each, and that’s based upon personal experience. I don’t know if you have ever driven by an…
This webinar was recorded November 1, 2017. Dashboards, KPI’s and More! Going Beyond the Basics with SAP Business One: Customizing UI and Business Logic. In 45 minutes, you’ll see new ways to enhance SAP to work more like YOU want: Create new navigation Redesign screens as wanted Ensure data quality…
What follows in an excerpt from the book “The Willing to Buy Coach” which I co-authored with my friend and colleague Dan Schultheis who has convinced me of the importance of coaching in many walks of life. Our book, a follow-up to “Willing To Buy; A Questioning Framework for Effective Closing” will hit…
Sometimes I think I’m just destined to learn the hard way. For one thing, I’m a pacer. I seldom sit at my desk for very long. Since, as a manager, I generally have to get my work done through other people I just prefer to be out there with the…
At least once in every career each of us has a defining moment. It could be being fired, promoted to management or simply learning a new trade. In my case it may well have been the moment, more correctly hours and days I spent studying under Stanley M. Herman, coauthor…
“Either you are someone committed to making a difference in your workplace or you aren’t. It’s almost binary. Are you a“1” or a “0”?“ Our Binary Workforce By Phil Perkins, President and CEO, ACUMEN Corporation Are you a“1” or a “0”? You know I have come to the conclusion that there…
5 Ways 5 Ways Software Implementations Fail By Phil Perkins, President and CEO, ACUMEN Corporation About this time last year I began writing an eBook I titled “Epic Fail; How Not to Implement your ERP System”. Having worked with companies during software implementation projects for many years I have become quite…
3 Ways Your ERP Implementation can be a Team Building Exercise By Phil Perkins, President and CEO, ACUMEN Corporation As some people on LinkedIn know, my background is primarily in project management, working with distributors and manufacturers. I am a big fan of “doing it right the first time” even…
The Scorecard for Wholesalers: Turns and Earns Analysis By Phil Perkins President and CEO, ACUMEN Corporation In our daily life here in the United States it seems we always find a way to “rate” or “index” anything we do. If you have read any of my blogs or even my books,…
As a business focused on “inventory intensive” companies, we are constantly working with our clients to organize and optimize their inventory. Many of our clients are committed to very high service levels. Of course if you are a wholesale distributor and are dedicated to efficient order fulfilment for your customers,…
Do Wholesale Distributors Still Fear Disintermediation? By Phil Perkins President and CEO, ACUMEN Corporation In 2002 I had the opportunity to address a group of wholesale distribution business owners at a conference in Milwaukee. The subject of my talk was the move by many manufacturers to offer their products directly…
Our webinar on April 19 will feature inventory planning with true scientific methodology, proven by clients in over 31 countries . Read the following EXECUTIVE BRIEFING from our President and CEO, Phil Perkins. He’ll give you the link to registration at the bottom.
The Sales Process as a Project By Phil Perkins President and CEO, ACUMEN Corporation In 2015 my friend and colleague Dan Schultheis, a former IBM executive and management consultant, and I published a book called “Willing To Buy; A Questioning Framework for Effective Closing”. What follows is an excerpt from…
Sell me your product in 90 seconds (and I’ll sell you mine). Ready? You have 90 seconds to sell me your product/service. Go! Oh, wait, I’m not listening right now. But do it in the comments on our LinkedIn post – this will be a great exercise. I got the idea…
With this posting I’m officially kicking off our celebration of 25 years in business here at ACUMEN Corporation. Quite frankly I think I had lost track of the passage of that much time, given that the work is so fulfilling. From a personal standpoint I have had the pleasure of…
I don’t know about you but I get awfully tired of the three letter acronyms you see every day on business web sites and marketing pieces. CRM, SFA, SBE, POS, EDI…ERP. How many of those to you recognize? Are the meanings clear? It’s as if marketing executives spend hours making…
As a business owner I’m often required to interview candidates for positions in either our consulting group or our sales team. While I love meeting new people, I can’t say that running those interviews is one of my favorite responsibilities. Nonetheless over the years I have developed certain questions that…
What follows is an excerpt from my book “Points of Productivity; Turning Corporate Pain to Gain”. A second edition comes out later this year. It tells the story of how I learned to live by David’s Rule. That being: “Leave them feeling positive and you’ve created a friend and partner.”…
In the world of software implementation and business process consulting the necessary first step in making any recommendation, whether it be for a software system or for revisions in processes and procedures, is what we call the discovery process. Normally that entails rather detailed discussions with key stakeholders in a…
I’m proud to say that we have had the same outside tax accounting firm for all of our 25 years in business. During that period they have become extremely knowledgeable in our business practices, products and the nuances of our marketplace. It’s truly a luxury to have an advisor we…
You know, I seldom use our blog area to do a commercial. I’d like to think that whatever writing I do in this area has some informational if not educational value, but this time I think I need to break my own rule for a good cause. I’ll follow-up…
Chapter Four – The Working Environment By Phillip G. Perkins, ACUMEN Corporation, President and CEO We’re going to spend a bit of time in this section talking about the working environment that helps prevent an Epic Fail situation. I have to warn you that this may be the shortest chapter…
Welcome to ACUMEN Corporation’s webinar on inventory optimization for distributors and manufacturers. Give us 45 minutes of your time and you will walk away with some very profitable ideas. We at ACUMEN have discovered something everyone in business is aware of: you can’t sell what you can’t ship! Order fulfillment issues hurt…
Chapter Three in an eBook titled EPIC FAIL By Phillip G. Perkins, ACUMEN Corporation, President and CEO I want to start this chapter by saying that I may have left the reader with the impression that business owners and senior managers take a cavalier attitude towards information systems. Let…
Order Fulfillment Issues Hurt Your Sales (and your pocket!) If order fulfillment is a problem, then you’re not at fault for missing your sales goals. Your commissions are seriously impacted and your Sales Manager looks bad, but what can you do? Share this invitation with your Sales Manager, Operations, Warehouse…
EPIC FAIL Chapter Two (Chapter Two in an eBook titled the same) By Phillip G. Perkins, ACUMEN Corporation, President and CEO I’m going to start of this chapter of Epic Fail with an excerpt from my 2003 book “Points of Productivity; Turning Corporate Pain to Gain”. I know that may seem…
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Hi, my name is Chip Lowell. I am vice president of business development at ACUMEN Corporation. I’ve been with ACUMEN since 2014. What did I do prior to then? I was a client! I’m sure you’ve heard the advertisement that says “I liked the product so much, I bought the…
EPIC FAIL How NOT to implement your ERP system; Chapter One (Chapter One in an eBook titled the same) By Phillip G. Perkins, ACUMEN Corporation, President and CEO As I was conceiving an appropriate title for this eBook I necessarily had to recall hearing about those big, bad implementation failures…
There are myriad approaches to solving any problem. There are myriad ways to turn a problem into an opportunity. Not all solutions result in long term satisfaction. With matters of health, when we are ailing or have a wound, sometimes we just need a Band-Aid and sometimes we need…
Join us for our webinars Wednesday, September 16, or Thursday, October 15, 2015 at 11:00 AM!
A recommended read … Willing To Buy – A Questioning Framework for Effective Closing Excerpt by Phil Perkins, ACUMEN Corporation President These days every hour of your work day is precious. You have to spend time on those activities that deliver quantifiable results. In this highly competitive environment you need to…
Many of our clients are in a quandary when considering cloud applications as opposed to self maintained or third party hosted ERP solutions. I can certainly understand why, given the amount of press the “new” cloud option is getting. Time to take a serious and hopefully impartial look at…
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