Bending the Rules

Bending the Rules - DDI System, LLC Brings Customized Technology Solutions to Bender Plumbing Supplies

The dedication to customer service and unyielding work ethic that Jack Bender instilled as founder of Bender Plumbing Supplies has not changed in the more than 40 years the company has been serving the HVAC/plumbing industry in the state of Connecticut. From its humble beginnings with five employees, the business has grown to 50 employees and is now run by Jack's sons, Norman and David, who have built it into a plumbing powerhouse in Connecticut with three branches in New Haven, Waterbury and Bridgeport. Bender Plumbing Supplies features full commercial, industrial and HVAC lines with up to date registered Kohler showrooms as well.

However, with the need to expand comes the need to progress, especially as it relates to the technology behind the scenes at Bender. Without the technology providing the backbone, Bender could not provide and maintain the highest levels of customer service that have become synonymous with the company.

Selecting the right technology partner with a solution that would scale to accommodate growth proved quite a challenge to Mark Chirgwin, General Manager for Bender Plumbing Supplies. "We simply outgrew our first technology solution since it did not provide enough user seats and had limited functionality for a fledgling plumbing/HVAC supply house," he said. "We evaluated several technology providers and selected DDI System since they could easily customize their solution for our dual showroom and inventory back-office integration needs."

According to Chirgwin, the DDI System was tailor made for the plumbing industry. "Since we have three branches that operate independently, we needed a solution that provided a 'looking glass' into the inventory of each branch - all from one screen regardless of the location." Bender employees specifically use this feature to instantly access order information, customer history, etc. and emulate it as if they were physically at any of the three branches.

For example, each branch has its own inventory master file. DDI System built in custom functionality into the program that enables Bender to download the product master file for a single product or product line and then update all that information to the other branches. "This custom feature has enabled us to reduce an arduous process that took hours into a matter of minutes," added Chirgwin. "The system will then print an exception report that identifies, by branch, if a copper fitting line is being sold at last year's pricing. The time and cost savings are invaluable."

Chirgwin feels that customization has been the key ingredient in the longevity of the Bender Plumbing Supplies/DDI System relationship. "For businesses such as ours that offer retail and wholesale operations, the DDI System is easy to use, intuitive and serves both sides of the supply house - from the showroom to the warehouse."

Bender went live with DDI System in 1996 and has not looked back. Over the years, Bender has upgraded the system and wants to maximize the solution even further in the future. "We are exploring the creation of a Web-based service desk. Dave Bender and other employees access the system remotely, especially during off hours. Should they run into any issues, it would be great to have an online repository of information that provides answers to common problems." According to Chirgwin, Bender is also looking to use DDI System to automate operations even further by using bar coding, online ordering, and inventory checking by customers for available stock and prices.

"With DDI, we have an all-in-one package for inventory, accounting, sales, and purchasing that can work today and help us grow our business tomorrow," concluded Chirgwin.