uLab Systems & Sky High ERP Build a Winning Strategy Through Operational Excellence.
About the Customer
uLab develops a breakthrough software technology for digital dental treatment planning. Its proprietary architecture and fully automated features enable orthodontists, for the first time, to create chairside treatment plans in less than 5 minutes.
Background
uLab Systems is an ambitious healthcare technology company operating in the orthodontic space. Their goal is to disrupt and compete with established D2C orthodontic giants. uLab’s competitive strategy is simple: provide industry leading customer satisfaction through operational excellence.
Having quickly outgrown Quickbooks, the uLab team leaned-on NetSuite to help them deliver improvements on invoicing efficiency, promotion management, and pricing customization. Only one piece was missing…
Knowing full well that young companies can’t afford slow and misaligned technology roll-outs, startup veteran and uLab Director of Enterprise Technology, Ruben Smith, reached-out to a trusted partner - Sky High ERP - to help execute their gameplan.
“We do things that nobody else does. That’s why I lean on Sky High and not some big implementation house.”
The Opportunity
uLab’s rapid growth meant a comprehensive and adaptable enterprise resource planning (ERP) system was needed. The team set out to streamline operational processes like invoicing, and improve financial reporting and visibility in a timely manner and at a reasonable cost.
If the NetSuite project was successful, uLab would create two significant competitive advantages versus its competitors - strong operational efficiency (lower cost) and more effective pricing and promotional programs (higher revenue).
“Two years ago we got very complicated in the way we manage customer promotions and pricing. I tried solving for it outside of any enterprise system, looking to buy something that allows us to manage SKUs and discounts. At the time the solution would have cost $750,000.”
Sky High ERP was confident that it could deliver a solution in NetSuite that captured uLab’s vision and ambition without the exorbitant up-front financial costs or extensive hiring proposed by other vendors.
“We’re a technology company, we just happen to be in the orthodontic space [...]. We’re up against an elephant in one of our competitors, and there isn’t anyone who manufactures as effectively as them. In order to compete and get customers from them we have to match pricing and promotions while ensuring alignment between what’s promised and what’s delivered.”
Process
uLab's collaboration with Sky High proved to be transformative.
Sky High's approach set them apart from larger implementation firms. Sky High quickly and thoroughly understood uLab Systems’ unique challenges and operational model, and were able to tailor a customized solution within NetSuite without requiring a complete overhaul of uLab’s existing technology stack.
“The bigger companies have their own agenda, they have numbers to hit, they have quotas to hit, they want to evaluate and change your whole tech stack, and that’s not how we work.”
Recognizing the potential cost implications of purchasing a pre-built solution, Sky High proposed an alternate path. They suggested building a custom promotions and pricing engine within NetSuite, bridging the gap between uLab's CRM and ERP systems. This approach enabled uLab to achieve their desired operational objectives while avoiding the hefty $750,000 price tag associated with a third-party solution.
The partnership between uLab and Sky High thrived throughout the implementation. Ruben Smith valued Sky High’s expertise every step of the way. Sky High's ability to architect around tricky and often novel technical challenges made them an invaluable partner.
Outcome
The collaboration between uLab and Sky High was transformative. uLab's operational advantages empowered them to better compete with their larger, more established competitors.
The custom promotions and pricing engine built within NetSuite now allows uLab to adapt pricing and promotions with unprecedented ease and precision. Custom promotion builds that previously took 4-6 weeks are now executed in a matter of days.
Additionally, Sky High helped uLab achieve enhanced financial analytics and visibility, empowering them with real-time insights for more informed decision-making. With faster account receivables and improved cash flow facilitated by timely invoicing, uLab elevated their operational efficiency, bolstering their reputation and client satisfaction.
The collaborative effort between uLab and Sky High serves as a testament to the power of human connection and expertise in implementing transformative solutions that drive business success.
Are you ready to see how Sky High ERP can help your business? Book a free strategy call below to get started.
“Sky High knows how to architect and solve for things we need. I feel like they are more of an employee of uLab than a vendor.”