EXAMPLE OF GOOD PRACTICE
– Company: Tim Elektro Plus (Macedonia)
– Industry: trade in electrical equipment and materials
– Implemented monitoring solutions: WMS, ERP integration with Pantheon
– Implementation time: 1 year
Challenges
- errors in issuing and collecting goods,
- incorrect or inconsistent locations of items, especially with larger stocks,
- high dependence on experienced individuals,
- slow introduction of new employees
- a lot of idle, check
- too much unnecessary communication.
Result:
- greater accuracy and speed in issuing and preparing goods,
- 70-90% fewer issuing errors,
- faster preparation of orders with location management and less idle time,
- faster introduction of new employees (from 6 to just 2 days)
- more efficient inventory (because WMS manages by location and items)
- insight into the stock situation in "real time" (better procurement and sales planning)
Solution:
- Trace WMS – provides accurate and traceable warehouse management in real time (receiving, picking, issuing, stocks)
- WMS integration with the company's existing ERP system
We didn’t introduce digitization to reduce the number of people. We introduced it to reduce mistakes, improved the organization and enabled growth. It’s an investment, not an expense.
How Team Elektro Plus eliminated bottlenecks in the warehouse by implementing a WMS solution, significantly reduced errors and enabled faster processing of orders and easier inclusion of new employees.
About the company Tim Elektro Plus
Tim Elektro Plus is a trading company founded in 2018, specializing in the sale of electrical equipment and materials. They offer a wide range of products, from electrical installation materials, cables and low voltage equipment to tools, lighting and fire detection equipment. The company positions itself on the market as a comprehensive partner for the supply of electrical materials.
Rapid growth and limitations of manual warehouse management
With the rapid growth of the company, management recognized early on that competitiveness is not based only on price and inventory, but primarily on organized processes – from procurement to warehouse and final delivery to customers. Despite the knowledge and best practices they brought from larger systems, manual warehouse management became increasingly risky as the company grew. The problem was not in the people, but in the limitations of the way of working without a proper system. A large part of the process was based on the experience of individuals on the principle of “who knows where”, which in the long run meant a greater possibility of errors, poorer traceability and more difficult induction of new employees.
What were the main challenges before implementing the Trace BS solution?
The main challenges were:
• errors in issuing and collecting goods,
• incorrect or inconsistent locations of items, especially with larger inventories,
• high dependence on experienced individuals,
• slow introduction of new employees,
• many unnecessary steps, checks and unnecessary communication.
We were doing well, but manual work became increasingly risky as we grew. We realized that even well-established processes without systems did not provide the accuracy and stability that growth required.
To this, Mr. Kralj adds his own:
At the company Tim Elektro Plus, we additionally encountered a business environment where customers often change orders or invoices just before receipt. Without proper digital support, this would mean a lot of manual corrections and therefore a greater chance for errors – right?
These situations clearly show why the solution must work in reality and not in theory.
How the journey to digitization began
The decision to implement the WMS solution was not the result of a classic tender procedure, but of the gradual maturation of the idea. The management was aware of the advantages of such systems, but the original plan was to implement digitization only when moving to a new facility. The turning point came after meeting the Trace BS team at the Pantheon ERP system user conference. Although the company was not actively looking for a solution at the time, they decided to look at an example of good practice at Pyramid 72. There they gained a key insight: that there is no need to wait for “ideal conditions”. On the contrary – the company learns the most if it starts earlier, in a real environment, and later opens new premises with already organized processes.
We were reassured by the knowledge that there is no need to wait for new premises or the ideal moment. The company has been developing very dynamically since 2018 and there is often no time to stop and systematize the process. A lot of work is done on the fly. There were almost no comparable solutions in our segment in Macedonia, but we still clearly knew that we wanted to take a step forward. That’s how it all started.
Choosing the solution offered by Trace BS was the best decision
When choosing a solution, price was not the only or main criterion. The key factors were:
• integration with ERP Pantheon, which is the basic system of the company,
• flexibility of solutions and willingness to adapt to real processes,
• partnership instead of the “can’t do” approach,
• reliable support during and after implementation,
• possibility of gradual introduction and upgrade.
The most important thing is support. In projects like this, you don’t need a partner who says it can’t be done, but a partner who understands the reality and helps find solutions.
Implementation process: the biggest challenge was "mindset"
The implementation process took place in several stages:
1. Analysis and planning (e.g. 4–6 weeks): overview of current warehouse, definition of locations, selection of WMS.
2. Pilot phase: introduction of WMS and testing of the receiving and issuing process.
3. Full implementation: expansion of WMS to the entire warehouse, configuration of locations, training of employees.
4. Training of employees: storekeepers, warehouse managers and management.
5. Optimization after implementation: analysis of KPIs, adaptation of locations, reorganization of processes based on experience.
The technical implementation of the system was not the most demanding part of the project. The biggest challenge was changing habits and thinking in the warehouse. Questions like “Can we do this?” and “Why do we even need this?” they were expected, especially from older employees.
The management has therefore clearly communicated that the goal of digitization is not to reduce the number of employees, but to improve the quality of work, reduce errors and support the growth of the company. An important success factor was the direct presence of the Trace BS team in the initial phase – quick problem solving and adaptation to real situations in the warehouse.
Results after WMS implementation
1. Greater accuracy and confidence in data
Comparing the situation between Pantheon and the WMS system gave the company a clear confirmation that the processes are stable and traceable. The accuracy of the issuing and preparation of goods has been significantly improved, as has the confidence in the data.
2. Faster collection of orders
The system guides warehouse workers to locations, which means less walking, less guesswork and less reliance on individual knowledge. Order collection is faster and more predictable.
3. Faster inclusion of new employees
New employees who work with readers and have clear instructions from day one become useful much faster.
The onboarding process, which used to take up to a month, is now shortened to about two days.
Looking to the future: digitization as a long-term path
The Elektro Plus team does not see digitization as a finished project, but as a long-term improvement process. The following steps include:
• optimization of stocks by collection zones,
• automatic replenishment of locations,
• further digitization of documents and communication.
Return on investment (ROI) is not a matter of quick financial impact, but a prerequisite for stable growth – today and in the future.
The digitization project at Team Elektro Plus was an extremely positive example of cooperation for us. The client showed openness and courage to embark on the digital transformation of the warehouse during the growth phase, not only when they were forced to do so. From the beginning, we worked as a well-coordinated team, together looking for solutions and adapting them to the real operations of the warehouse. The results confirmed the correctness of the decision, so we at Trace BS are looking forward to continuing our joint path, both in the optimization of activities in the warehouse, as well as in gradual automation and additional digitization of document management.
A message to other companies
The example of the company Team Elektro Plus represents a good practice of how a company can approach digitization in a thoughtful and rational way. Investing in technology is not understood here as a passing trend or a short-term trend, but as a conscious strategic decision. It is about understanding that organized processes, precision and data support mean greater competitiveness in the long term and enable stable and manageable growth.
This is not a trend but a necessity. Not to be fashionable, but so that the company can survive, grow and remain competitive. Digitization is an investment just like people, equipment or facilities.
Are you thinking about digitizing your warehouse or logistics processes?
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