Hitting the ERP jackpot

For more than half a century the Ainsworth name has been synonymous with the gaming industry. In 1995, Len Ainsworth founded the company with a commitment to become the leading manufacturer and supplier of gaming solutions in Australia and around the world.

With its fully integrated approach to operations that includes design, development, assembly testing, sales and field service, Ainsworth encompasses the entire product development cycles for it products — from conception through to installation, service and support.

When the company began to research how they could use technology to step up their ERP processes and stay ahead of the game, Pronto’s experience in the industry made them a logical choice.

Ainsworth General Manager Manufacturing Ian Cooper has been a long-time user of Pronto, having overseen the implementation of Pronto at three other organisations.

After hearing about Pronto Software making waves in the gaming industry, Ainsworth decided it was time to review its ERP processes and explore ways it could use Pronto Xi.

“When someone has a secret weapon like Pronto, word spreads around the industry pretty fast,” said Cooper.

The gaming industry is unique with rules that vary from country to country and even state to state. So it’s not surprising that at the top of Ainsworth’s ERP checklist was the ability for the solution to be configured to take into account these geographical business issues.

“We needed a solution that would meet strict compliance requirements of the different Australian states we operate in. Each machine must be manufactured in accordance with that state’s regulations,” said Cooper.

“Pronto excels in core technology that can support manufacturing requirements. It’s designed to match with specific needs of a business like ours. When we have a request for a customised product, Pronto is always receptive to help us make this happen. They help us build functionality to automate manufacturing processes so we can save time and money. Importantly, this allows us to divert resources to growth strategies,” he said.

The cost of technology also played a role in the decision to implement a Pronto solution over other solutions.

“Even when you look at all the possible alternatives in the marketplace, I still believe Pronto is the most cost-effective solution in Australia,” added Cooper.

With an established legacy in the Australian market, Ainsworth had a vision to open an offshoot in Las Vegas and needed an ERP system equipped to support the process.

“Pronto has become a central part of our business, with users spanning all areas including service, sales, administration, manufacturing, finance and technical compliance. So when we focused our attention on the North American expansion, it was an easy decision which system would run our Las Vegas operation.

“It’s great to have one integrated system working well across all our sites and markets. Our Las Vegas operation flourished within a very short time,” he said. “We can seamlessly communicate and report across all sites both in Australia and North America, which is a huge bonus.”

In the year ahead, Ainsworth is looking to upgrade its solution to include Pronto’s Business Intelligence platform.

“This is something we are exploring for 2013. Pronto’s integration with IBM Cognos 10 will deliver significant changes in data intelligence and improve the way we manage reporting. A move to a Pronto BI solution will unlock new opportunities for the business. I’ve been in the industry a long time and I’ve never seen anything like it; it’s phenomenal what Pronto can do. The moment we had one integrated system across all sites and markets, we hit the jackpot.”

Image credit: © Tomasz Zajda/Dollar Photo Club