ECI Enhances Spruce and RockSolid MAX Software to Enable More Convenient Omni-Channel Retail Experiences

Company also added new EDI integration with United Hardware to improve vendor communications within both platforms

ECI Software Solutions, a leader in cloud-based business management solutions, today announced significant enhancements to its Spruce® and RockSolid MAX® software for hardware retailers and lumber and building materials businesses. With these new updates—which offer more convenient, omni-channel retailing experiences—users will be able to improve productivity, efficiency and competitive advantage. The company also added a new Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) integration with United Hardware to offer customers simplified communications with a leading hardware vendor.

Maintaining consistent communication with customers and sustaining an efficient, cost-effective operation have become even more critical for hardware retailers and lumber and building materials businesses in the wake of COVID-19. Additionally, with forced closures and social distancing guidelines limiting store foot traffic, it has become essential for those businesses to create more convenient online retailing experiences to support sales. To solve for these challenges and empower customers to maintain growth despite the pandemic, ECI added new features to Spruce, an end-to-end management software, and RockSolid MAX, a cloud-based POS software for independent home and building supply retailers.

Both industry-specific solutions automate time-consuming daily processes and eliminate redundancies, enabling staff to focus on more value-add, strategic tasks. The software upgrades build upon the capabilities ECI released in June 2019—which marked the largest product upgrades ever for Spruce and RockSolid MAX. Key enhancements include:

• eCommerce API: Allows users to work with the web developer of their choice and still allow documents to be viewed and orders to be generated using Spruce data
• ProLink browser new customer signup: Upon checkout, ProLink captures additional sales by allowing new customers to sign up to buy items, securing the necessary information needed to set up an account in the system
• True Value local inventory - SPEC98​: Enables True Value customers to increase their sales by showing inventory pricing and stock levels to potential buyers on TrueValue.com ​
• Customer contract import update: Imports contract data via spreadsheet for any number of customer and/or job contracts at once, relieving the burden updating contracts one at a time

“The current pandemic has completely altered the way our customers run their businesses and engage with consumers,” said John Maiuri, President of ECI’s LBM and Hardlines Group, Building & Construction Division. “With the upgraded Spruce and RockSolid MAX solutions, our customers will be able to streamline operations to focus on delivering more effective and efficient ecommerce experiences – a differentiator that will help build trust and keep their respective customers loyal for years to come.”

Understanding that one of the most important elements in a software solution for home and building supply businesses is vendor connectivity, ECI also expanded its Spruce and RockSolid MAX vendor integrations to include United Hardware. The new EDI integration offers users:

• PO send and update: Transmits a purchase order to United Hardware and retrieves data to update the purchase order with quantities shipped and costs
• Price change and promotions: Retrieves files containing updated costs and pricing, as well as files for sale or promotional pricing
• File maintenance with updated item descriptions option: Updates the vendor catalog and select inventory information, such as item descriptions, automatically

“We recognize that hardware retailers and lumber and building materials businesses need the ability to communicate, seamlessly integrate and collaborate with key vendors – especially during these trying times,” said Wade Hogg II, sales director at ECI. “With the addition of United Hardware to our vendor roster, users will now be able to do it all from one platform. We are looking forward to forging an ongoing relationship with United Hardware and continuing to provide valuable capabilities to customers.”

The significant new features and EDI integration outlined above will be communicated to customers via email. For more information about ECI’s solutions for home and building supply retailers, please visit:

https://www.ecisolutions.com/industries/building-supply/.

About ECI

ECI Software Solutions provides cloud-based business software for running small and mid-sized businesses end-to-end. Built by experts in manufacturing, residential construction, building supply, office technology, field service, and wholesale/retail distribution industries, ECI's industry-specific software connects businesses and customers, improving visibility, operational efficiency and profitability. With ECI, businesses seamlessly integrate sales and marketing, business intelligence, CRM, data and analytics, ecommerce, mobile apps and payment processing. With more than 30 years of industry leadership, ECI is trusted by 25,000 customers in more than 90 countries globally. Headquartered in Westlake, Texas, it has offices in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and Australia. For more information, visit www.ECIsolutions.com.

 

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