How Nautilus Steel went live with Priority ERP in 30 days and eliminated paper-based workflows

 

Industry context:

Typical ERP implementation timelines for comparison:

• Small-medium distributors: 6-12 months average
• SAP implementations: 12-18+ months typical
• Oracle implementations: 12-24 months common
• Priority at Nautilus: 30 days total

 

Time advantage:

Nautilus achieved go-live 5-17 months faster than typical implementations:

• Avoided 5-17 months of legacy system limitations
• Realized benefits 5-17 months earlier
• Maintained competitive advantage during rapid implementation

 

Cost savings from implementation speed:

Traditional ERP implementations consume substantial resources in both external consulting fees and internal staff time. Typical projects require consultants on-site for many months at significant weekly rates, while internal teams dedicate multiple full-time staff members throughout the extended timeline. Priority's 30-day implementation dramatically reduced both consulting costs and internal resource consumption compared to traditional approaches. The compressed timeline meant fewer weeks of consultant engagement and far less internal staff time diverted from normal business operations. Additionally, the 30-day implementation minimized operational disruption, allowed Nautilus to maintain full service to customers throughout the transition, ensured no delays to next-day delivery commitments, and protected customer satisfaction during the transition period. Dunford acknowledges the challenging circumstances: “We've made many, many changes in those 30 days and the team at Priority and ERPIQ were great about supporting us at some very strange hours of the day to get us live in what was a very testing time for the business.”

 

Business disruption minimization:

• 30-day implementation minimized operational disruption
• Maintained full service to customers throughout transition
• No delays to next-day delivery commitments
• Customer satisfaction protected during transition

Dunford acknowledges the challenging circumstances: “We made many, many changes in those 30 days and the team at Priority and ERPiQ were great about supporting us at some very strange hours of the day to get us live in what was a very testing time for the business.”

 

Test system deployment: 10 days

The rapid test system deployment was critical to risk mitigation. Dunford explains: “First test system was in front of us within a couple of days was to start having a proper look at and understand some of the intricacies of what we would need it to do.”

• Rapid validation: Nautilus could validate Priority's functionality against their specific requirements within days, providing confidence before full cutover
• User familiarization: Key users gained hands-on experience with Priority during test phase, easing the transition to live system
• Process refinement: Testing period allowed identification and resolution of workflow issues before go-live
• Risk reduction: Test environment identified potential problems in low-risk setting, preventing live system issues

Implementation timeline was remarkably fast: a test deployment completed in just a couple of days, the full system operational within 10 days, and a complete cutover from the old system finished by day 30. This accelerated schedule demonstrates that the Priority platform itself is mature and stable, with well-documented processes and proven best practices. Equally important, Priority's partner network has accumulated enough experience and refined their methodology to the point where they can move quickly and confidently without cutting corners or skipping critical steps.

 

 

The value of agility

The “100 times a day” figure demonstrates extraordinary flexibility that delivers multiple benefits:

• Continuous improvement: Staff can optimize workflows immediately when they identify inefficiencies, rather than living with problems while waiting for IT to make changes
• Operational responsiveness: When customer requirements change or new operational challenges emerge, Nautilus can adapt Priority instantly rather than working around system limitations
• Cost avoidance: Traditional ERP systems requiring consultant intervention for each change could incur enormous costs.
• Competitive advantage: The ability to adapt processes rapidly provides agility competitors using rigid ERP systems cannot match
• User empowerment: Staff ownership of configuration increases engagement and ensures system matches actual work practices

Quality improvements

Custom workflows designed for each role reduce errors:

• Warehouse picking errors reduced through optimized interfaces
• Order entry errors reduced through sales-focused views
• Planning errors reduced through appropriate forecasting tools
• Logistics errors reduced through delivery-optimized workflows

Even a 15-20% error reduction across operations delivers substantial value in reduced rework, customer complaints, and operational disruption.

 

 

Customer satisfaction

• Faster inquiry resolution improves satisfaction
• Accurate information prevents disputes
• Professional, confident responses enhance reputation
• Retention of customers in competitive market

 

Quality and continuous improvement

Traceability enables systematic improvement:

• Root cause analysis: When issues occur, complete records enable identification of root causes rather than treating symptoms
• Process optimization: Analyzing order flow patterns identifies bottlenecks and improvement opportunities
• Supplier performance: Tracking supplier delivery and quality performance supports vendor management

Compliance and audit

Complete digital traceability supports:

• Regulatory compliance in steel distribution
• Customer audits by large construction clients
• Internal quality audits
• Financial audits with complete transaction history

 

 

Operational impact

Real-time visibility transformed operations for a company operating on next-day delivery commitments. As Dunford describes their challenging requirements: “Lots of our orders come in very late in the afternoon for very early the following morning anywhere in the country because they've got deadlines to meet.”

Inventory management

• Real-time stock levels prevent over-commitment
• Instant visibility into incoming deliveries
• Allocation accuracy ensures correct products picked
• Reduced safety stock through better visibility

Order fulfillment

• Real-time tracking ensures nothing overlooked
• Priority identification of late-afternoon orders
• Resource allocation based on current status
• Bottleneck identification and resolution

Delivery coordination

• Live delivery schedule enables customer commitment accuracy
• Route optimization based on real orders
• Driver coordination with real-time information
• Customer communication based on actual status

Next-day delivery performance

For late-afternoon orders requiring next-morning delivery:

• Real-time visibility critical to success
• Any delay in information propagation risks missed commitments
• Priority's integrated, real-time system essential to core value proposition

 

Mobile access and remote work

Priority's mobile-first design with remote access capabilities provided flexibility. Dunford specifically highlights: “It can all be done remotely,” and notes the system is “built in such a way that people are used to with smartphones, with applications.”

• Field access: Sales representatives and delivery drivers access Priority from mobile devices
• Remote management: Managers can monitor operations from anywhere
• Work flexibility: Staff can access system outside office as needed
• Business continuity: Operations can continue even if office access disrupted

In post-COVID environment, remote access capability is essential for business resilience and staff flexibility. The smartphone-like interface ensures mobile access is as intuitive as office-based use.

Instant ROI: “Day One” value

Dunford reports immediate benefits: “When we transitioned over from our old system into the new ERPQ system, we found all the cost savings and time savings to be instant.” He emphasizes the game-changing nature: “The system has been game-changing. It just saves time, money, effort.”

Immediate benefits upon go-live

Unlike traditional ERP implementations with long periods before benefits realization, Priority delivered value instantly:

Day 1 benefits:

• Paperless processes eliminated filing time immediately
• Digital traceability replaced paper folder searches instantly
• Real-time visibility available from moment of go-live
• Custom workflows increased productivity from first use
• Mobile access enabled immediately

No “Valley of Despair”

Traditional ERP implementations often experience months of reduced productivity while users learn systems and processes stabilize. Priority's intuitive interface and rapid deployment eliminated this productivity dip, providing positive ROI from day one. As Dunford confirms: “We found all the cost savings and time savings to be instant.”

 

Competitive advantage

Priority strengthened Nautilus Steel's competitive position in the demanding next-day delivery market. Dunford describes their market position: “We solve a problem for the market. We do everything next day. A lot of our customers are on very strict time constraints.”

• Speed and reliability: Real-time visibility and streamlined workflows support next-morning delivery for late-afternoon orders—Nautilus's core differentiator. As Dunford emphasizes: “Lots of our orders come in very late in the afternoon for very early the following morning anywhere in the country because they've got deadlines to meet.”
• Operational flexibility: Configuration agility allows rapid adaptation to changing customer requirements and market conditions
• Customer service excellence: Instant traceability and order visibility enable superior customer service and inquiry resolution
• Scalability: Modern ERP infrastructure supports growth without operational constraints or system limitations
• Sustainability: Paperless operations align with environmental commitments. Dunford specifically notes: “It's designed to keep us environmentally friendly and efficient as well.”
• Cost efficiency: Operational improvements enable competitive pricing while maintaining margins

Partnership approach

The success reflected strong partnership between Nautilus Steel, Priority Software, and implementation partner ERPiQ. Dunford acknowledges the collaborative effort: “We've made many, many changes in those 30 days and the team at Priority and ERPIQ were great about supporting us at some very strange hours of the day to get us live in what was a very testing time for the business.”

• ERPiQ Expertise: Deep Priority knowledge enabled rapid, effective implementation
• Priority support: Vendor engagement including off-hours support ensured success (“some very strange hours of the day”)
• Nautilus commitment: Clear requirements and dedicated resources enabled compressed timeline
• Collaborative approach: All parties worked together toward aggressive timeline without compromising quality

Why Nautilus Steel recommends working with Priority ERP

Dunford offers an unqualified endorsement: “I would definitely recommend Priority Software to other companies. It is different to what is out there and normally available and the team that back it up at Priority are fantastic and understand what we do in the industry and how we need to make some modifications that don't exist in traditional distribution businesses.”

He emphasizes Priority's differentiation: “It is different to what is out there and normally available,” highlighting both the software's unique capabilities and the support team's industry understanding.

Future outlook

With Priority as foundation, Nautilus Steel is positioned for continued growth and innovation:

• Scalability: System supports significant volume growth without constraints
• Integration opportunities: Priority's openness enables future integrations with suppliers, logistics providers, and customers
• Process optimization: Ongoing configuration flexibility enables continuous improvement (100 times daily if needed)
• Technology evolution: Modern platform provides foundation for future innovations
• Industry leadership: Operational excellence positions Nautilus as industry leader in next-day steel delivery

Priority ERP transformed Nautilus Steel from a company constrained by inefficient legacy systems and paper processes into an agile, efficient organization capable of meeting demanding next-day delivery commitments while scaling operations. As Operations Director Steve Dunford summarizes: “The ERPIQ system has been gamechanging. It just saves time, money, effort. It can all be done remotely and there's always a full traceability.” The unprecedented 30-day implementation, with test system in just a couple of days and full system within 10 days—demonstrated that comprehensive ERP transformation can happen rapidly when experienced partners collaborate effectively with intuitive, flexible technology. Immediate user adoption within 10 minutes rather than weeks, combined with instant operational improvements from day one, delivered exceptional ROI while maintaining service to customers throughout transition. The revolutionary ability to make configuration changes “100 times a day” with each user having customized views that don't affect others provides ongoing agility that Dunford describes as “revolutionary because I've never seen that in an ERP before.” As Dunford confirms about the record-breaking implementation speed: “Going live in under 30 days isn't just impressive—it's unheard of. Priority and ERPiQ made it happen.” With this foundation, Nautilus Steel is well-positioned to scale, innovate, and keep delivering on their next-day promise, meeting the strict deadlines of builders and construction projects across the country, no matter how late in the afternoon orders arrive.