SouthWood Corporation Background
SouthWood Corporation is an internationally successful manufacturer of business signs based in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The unique and diverse SouthWood team consists of several dedicated groups of workers that all contribute to the sign-making process, making them more than just a manufacturing business. Alongside their talented manufacturers and installers, the SouthWood team also includes inspired artists and designers, whose artistic vision allows the company to create signs that are customized to their clients’ brands. With a slogan like “We believe signs can be art”, SouthWood is devoted not only to their customer satisfaction, but to the artistic expression of their craft. The dedication and skill that goes into every part of their process has led to great success for SouthWood for almost 50 years and across 29 countries. They are truly an exhilarating example of what happens when you combine creative art with technical expertise.
SouthWood’s Challenge
As many manufacturers encounter, managing operations and data becomes increasingly complex with rapid growth. Southwood has faced similar challenges as their success has scaled. The existing systems were unable to keep up, revealing an urgent need for modernization. Capturing and managing the growing volume of data from the manufacturing process added another layer of complexity, further straining their capabilities. With an outdated ERP system and a heavy dependence on manual data entry, it became clear that transformational change was essential to support Southwood’s continued growth and operational efficiency.
The Solution
After previously completing an assessment with TSVMap, SouthWood felt it was necessary to take the next steps. With the help of the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (SCMEP), SouthWood and TSVMap joined forces again to complete a Request for Proposal (RFP) and select an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to revitalize SouthWood’s Operations.
This process involved interviews with staff in all departments to create an RFP document outlining all of SouthWood’s needs and pain points. While painstaking, these efforts resulted in a detailed document that ensured all ERP vendors fully understood SouthWood’s vision. This document was then scrubbed of all identifying information and sent to vendors by TSVMap.
As responses flooded in, TSVMap provided clarity, guidance, and support through every step of the ERP Selection process. Our team scored and catalogued vendor responses into an easily digestible document for SouthWood to review, then assisted throughout the entire process of bargaining and demo meetings with each vendor. After a successful journey, SouthWood narrowed their selection down to the Epicor ERP.
The journey did not end with the ERP selection. Once SouthWood selected Epicor, implementation became the top priority for the project. In this final phase, TSVMap served as an advocate and advisor for SouthWood, ensuring that the final product would meet and exceed SouthWood’s expectations. Correspondence with the Epicor implementation team and continued meetings with the SouthWood team allowed TSVMap to mediate the process and secure the best possible outcome for SouthWood.
Services Provided by TSVMap Included:
- Request for Proposal (RFP) document
- Distributing RFP to Vendors
- Cataloguing Vendor Responses and ERP Selection guidance
- ERP Implementation Assistance
Summary
Companies like SouthWood deserve the opportunity to expand and improve their business. Inefficient or outdated systems should not hold ambitious and goal-oriented companies back from success for their hard work. SouthWood is invested not only in their customers’ satisfaction, but in the high-quality artwork their teams create. Their ERP system should match their dedication to creating a meaningful, well-crafted product for each client that comes their way. TSVMap is honored to have been a part of SouthWood’s journey to continued growth and the creation of more beautiful art.