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Success Story
Henson Lumber: Advantage Took Them into the Computer Age
Glenn Wilson, SVP of Administrations
- Business:
- Henson Lumber
- Industries:
- Lumber
- Millwork
- Hardware`
- In business since:
- 1973
- Henson Lumber and Henson Metal Use:
Complete software for LBM and hardlines businesses
Henson Lumber Ltd. has been serving the North Central Texas area since 1973. Henson Metal Division was added during the 1980s, providing steel building components, metal roofing and metal buildings. In 1996, they opened Henson Millworks. Over these three divisions, Henson employees 55 people.
“Our primary market area is in, I would say, about a 75-mile radius,” says Glenn Wilson, Senior Vice President of Administrations. “About 85 to 90 percent of our business is custom home builders. We don’t sell to very many of the big chain builders.
“We also do millwork—we make doors and trim and sell windows. The metal division is a more retail-style store and has hardware.”
Wilson continues, “We use Advantage for both our lumber and metal divisions. It’s all centralized, they connect through the Internet.”
We use Advantage for both our lumber and metal divisions. it's all centralized, they connect over the Internet.
The only business system they have ever used
Henson Lumber is a long-time user of Advantage, coming on board in 1989. Advantage is the first—and only—business system they have ever used.
Remembering the time Henson went live with Advantage, Wilson relates, “I was on counter sales at that time. I came from Lowe’s. I had been on computers there. Henson was not on any computerization.”
Why did Henson choose Advantage? “It was based on the fact that they were a custom-type company, more reasonably priced and had the personal touch. You bought it and got most everything, you didn’t have to buy separate. I like the fact that they sell the whole package, flexibility, you know—a lot of options. That’s what I like.” Point of sale and inventory were the main features Henson needed.
(We chose Advantage) based on the fact that they were a custom-type company, more reasonably priced, and had the personal touch.
“Inventory and purchasing were a big issue,” Wilson recalls. “Using books and trying to keep inventory straight. The ‘80s had its economic hiccup but the business was starting to come back and we saw that a computer could streamline operations. One employee could do more if they had a computer. It saved us from having to hire one guy to do inventory and another for purchasing.
“It cut our time way back on trying to keep up with inventory, streamlined record keeping and purchasing. Everything fits together, everything ties to the ledger very well. And the POS is pretty user friendly.”
Advantage Academy helps Henson get the most from the system
“I’d say that as I began to use the system and started going to the academy, I did pick up a lot of things that helped streamline, like credit over rides,” says Wilson. “When I hire new employees, I send them to the academy.”
Overall, the system as a whole has saved us time and money. That's what I like best about it.
Superior customer support
“There are people in the organization who bend over backwards to make sure things get done,” Wilson says of the Advantage support team.
“It’s always been a personal type relationship. You can call someone when you have an issue and get it taken care of. They’ve also been good about custom programming. Everything they’ve written for me in a custom program has worked very well.
“Overall, the system as a whole has saved us time and money. That’s what I like best about it.”
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