Fortuna Healthcare

Fortuna Healthcare is a leading distributor and wholesaler of over-the-counter non-pharmaceutical healthcare products selling to independent pharmacies and distributors in the UK and overseas. They implemented MiniSell during the summer of 2006.

Equipped with the HP iPAQ hx2790 handheld, running the latest MiniSell 2 software, Fortuna’s eighteen area sales managers (ASMs) are able to view stock and customer details, make customer appointments and process orders in the field.

Fortuna has also provided each of its ASMs with a Socket barcode scanner. Using the scanners the ASMs are able to scan products directly into MiniSell, improving order taking accuracy and speed. The Socket barcode scanner fits directly into the iPAQ allowing the ASM to use the device with one hand.

The data synchronisation is managed using MiniSell’s LiveSync technology. This enables the iPAQ to send and receive data to and from the web based Data Bridge via any Internet connection. Fortuna’s ASMs use a T-Mobile GPRS connection via their Nokia mobile phone, connected to the IPAQ using Bluetooth. The T-Mobile GPRS connection has proven to be both reliable and cost-effective and enables the ASMs to send and receive data whilst they are on the move.

The ASMs’ orders are then imported into Fortuna’s Sage MMS accounting package via the DataBridge and the MiniSell Sage MMS import/export adaptor co-written by Aspin and one of its software partners, EBS. In turn, the DataBridge receives a data export from Sage MMS once a day, at which point data individual territory updates are generated and sent out to the ASMs to pick-up

These daily updates ensure that the ASMs have accurate and up-to-date information at their finger-tips. With access to everything from stock figures and order delivery dates to over-due accounts, MiniSell enables the sales team to work more efficiently and provide a greater level of customer service.

MiniSell has also had a positive effect on other areas of the business. Fortuna’s customer services team has noticed a significant reduction in its workload since the implementation of MiniSell. Because MiniSell helps Fortuna’s ASMs to capture orders electronically with direct import into Sage MMS, customer services spend less time deciphering, re-keying and rectifying orders. The amount of time spent dealing with customer queries from the ASMs out on the road has also gone down.

We asked Mike Kay, Fortuna’s operations manager, to sum up what he thought about the MiniSell, its implementation and the level of service they had received from Aspin as a whole:

The MiniSell implementation has been completely pain free. What was expected to be both time consuming and stressful was actually a very straight process. I would give Aspin 10 out 10 for both their implementation process and for their MiniSell software. Quite simply it has been faultless. It seems the system will have paid for itself within a year."