Melbourne-based Map Coffee supplies restaurants, cafes and the corporate market with coffee, coffee-making machines and coffee-related products. The company wanted to develop its ‘bean-to-cup’ business proposition, under which Map Coffee places machines on corporate premises and charges according to the volume of coffee consumed. To do this, the company needed its sales force to work to a new franchise and distribution model, but did not believe this was practical using its existing mix of spreadsheets and an accounting package.
Working with Microsoft® Gold Partner Oakton, Map Coffee installed Microsoft Dynamics® GP, with a mobile PDA data interface based on the Windows Mobile platform. The company gained a finance and inventory tracking system that kept pace with its business development, and supported the new franchise and distribution model. The system also significantly reduced the workload for Map Coffee’s administration staff, and has provided the company with the business management information it needs to expand quickly in Australia and prepare to launch its business abroad.
