Distribution ERP Case Study

Vet-n-Pet Direct





“I have no hesitation in recommending WilldooIT to assist with your Odoo implementation. They have an in-depth understanding of the product and its capabilities. Being Australian-based also means they understand Australian taxation and reporting requirements and will ensure your setup meets these requirements.”.
-Belinda Geissler, MD & Owner  About Us | Torino Food Services

 The Company

A life without pets is a life less lived. 🐾

vet-n-pet DIRECT wasn't born in a corporate boardroom, worrying about shareholders or profit margins. It was born through necessity, way back in 2005 in a small rural dwelling on the outskirts of Brisbane, Qld, Australia. Belinda (an agricultural scientist) & Glenn (a veterinarian) were, like most people, busy and struggling to find the time to fit everything in. A house and farm full of animals meant there were always things that needed to be bought for the animals and the hassle of driving around multiple stores to get what they needed (and often not finding it!) was time not being well spent. With their connections to the veterinary wholesale industry and some internet experience behind them, vet-n-pet DIRECT was born (albeit on the back of a dial-up internet connection!).

Even back in 2005 the internet was a place to tread with caution, with many fly-by-night operations popping up and then disappearing again. Many offered cheap prices, with even cheaper service. The vet-n-pet charter back then, and to this day, is to bring honesty and integrity to the internet.

It was also the days when some manufacturers thought the rise of the internet was evil and only going to be short lived and we received numerous (nasty) letters requesting that their products not be sold online. Those letters were from some of the biggest brand names in the pet and vet supplies industry as they sought to control the retail landscape. This is one of the reasons vet-n-pet DIRECT has remained loyal to smaller, lesser known brands. We want to allow customers to exercise their own choice, without being railroaded by corporate greed.

Belinda and Glenn are still involved in background of the business today (and still have a large assortment of animals - once a pet lover always a pet lover 😉), but none of it would be possible without a very loyal and hardworking team beside them. Most of our staff have been with us for several years. We promote a pet friendly workplace, provide generous staff discounts and generally encourage our staff to indulge in their pet passions 😍

We are often asked why we don't relocate in to the city to enhance logistics (and our bottom line 💲). But it would mean our staff would have to do the dreaded city commute and it would also take away jobs from the rural community. At the end of the day, everything isn't about dollars and cents. You need to be good people and operate with a conscience too.

19 (but several casuals are included in that). One main warehouse in Jimboomba.



 The challenge

What systems did you use previously?

  • Before Odoo, we had been using NetSuite for ten years. And before that, MYOB.

What were the issues, challenges or pain points you had when starting to consider a new ERP system?

  • NetSuite was expensive to run and costly to maintain. We barely used most of its functionality. Many processes were complicated and cumbersome, and integrations with external applications were limited and usually extremely expensive. We had put all our eggs in one basket with both our website and backend operations all wrapped up in NetSuite, and in hindsight, this hampered our agility for many years. 


 The Solution

Why did Vet-n-Pet Direct decide to choose Odoo?  Did you consider other options?

  • We were looking for something fresh with plenty of opportunities to integrate with other systems inexpensively. We also wanted to revamp our warehouse operations, and Odoo seemed to offer everything we needed. Essentially Odoo appeared to be an up-and-coming star when other options were considered. I also really like that pricing is transparent.

Why did you engage WilldooIT to assist with the Odoo implementation?

  • First and foremost, we engaged WilldooIT because they are Australian based and are a Gold Rated Odoo partner.  Dealing with Jonathan was an absolute pleasure; he understood what we needed and our expectations on a quick delivery.

How did WilldooIT approach the solution to address your needs?

  • I can’t recall, but I think we had a few general chats and then mapped out a plan of attack to get it up and running.

What was our solution? What apps did we implement/develop/modify and why?

  • We tried to keep our implementation as close to stock as possible. In my experience, this has always been an excellent strategy to try and adapt our processes to the system, rather than heavily customise an application which then restricts the ability to upgrade later. WilldooIT took care of installing the necessary modules to ensure our accounting systems complied with Australian tax and reporting requirements. They also installed a few additional modules to allow integration with our webstore and streamline our internal operations.

How has having a cloud-based system benefitted your business?

  • We have operated in the cloud for many years, even prior to Odoo. I cannot understand why you wouldn’t. The agility it provides in terms of a flexible workforce and speed to resolve issues is unparalleled in a cloud environment compared to hosting a server on-premises. 

 The Result

Did Odoo and the WilldooIT solution solve your challenges and assist in accomplishing your objectives?   

  • Yes. We needed a speedy transition, and WilldooIT were able to rise to that. They provided adequate access to training resources.

What benefits did you see because of our work? (Increased efficiency, reduced errors, etc.) 

  • We transitioned to Odoo with barely a bump.

What was your experience of working with the team at WilldooIT? 

  • Great during the presale and installation. Generally, very responsive and proactive in seeking out solutions to specific requests/requirements.

Are there any additional facts, or figures that you can share? 

  • We were able to get our entire back end operation moved across to Odoo in less than eight weeks from initial scoping to go live. It can be done if you have someone (or several people) on your team committed to learning and investing in understanding the new programme. There are a plethora of online resources available for Odoo. Teach yourself how it works, and then you can use your time with your development partners to ask the more complex questions or clarify details.