Rapid growth leads to system upgrade for ActivTec

How MYOB Advanced Business enables leading distributor to grow – and keep a close eye on inventory.

ActivTec Solutions is a leading provider of specialised maintenance and repair solutions to the aged care and medical industries. In the 15 years since their inception, the family-owned and operated company has become one of Australia’s largest service provider and distributor of medical and mobility parts.

ActiveTec Solutions Logo

In the last couple of years, the company has experienced rapid growth – and all the operational complexity that comes with it. They’d outgrown their old system, and chose to upgrade to MYOB Advanced Business. The result? A fit-for-purpose, modular system that enables ActivTec to grow by automating key business processes.

Technician servicing a wheelchair

Recognised leaders: dedicated ‘maintenance-only’ operators

Although we would like it to be, medical, biomedical and mobility equipment is not indestructible. All equipment breaks down, and most of the time, repairing and replacing parts is the most effective and economical way to get things back on track.

Rather than selling new equipment, ActivTec focuses on asset management, maintaining and repairing a range of equipment used primarily (but not exclusively) in aged care, disability, nursing homes and hospitals. Everything from patient hoists, medical beds and wheelchairs to simple biomed equipment like thermometers and more.

When the inevitable happens, ActivTec has the expertise and available parts to respond quickly – keeping downtime to a bare minimum. 

ActivTec warehouse

More customers, more parts, more technicians

Over the past three years, ActivTec has more than tripled in size to over 100 staff including 60 technicians with vans and stock and six warehouses across wider Australia.

The company is still family-owned and operated, joined by a team of skilled and highly experienced technicians and managers, trained in electrical, engineering and other trade-specific qualifications.

Despite the growth, ActivTec remains exceptionally committed to quality, reliability and service. Quality manager Nandish Trivedi joined the company more than three years ago to develop and manage business growth projects. In that short time, Nandish has been privy to the organisation’s growth spurt – and all the operational complexity that comes with it. Their previous accounting software didn’t have the functionality a growing business needs – so it was time for an upgrade. 

"It [The old system] had basic functions, but we were growing out of it – it was just too simple for us, we needed more information and more functions."
Nandish Trivedi Quality manager

Upgrading the best move: from AccountRight to Advanced

System had basic functions, but more were needed

For many years, ActivTec had been using MYOB Accountright. Nandish says that while the system did what it said on the tin, functions like inventory had to be processed and tracked manually – making it difficult for the team to see what stock was where.

Right from the start, Nandish explains, any new system they implemented needed to have at least the same module functionality as they already had. But more importantly, ActivTec needed an option that could be customised – and additional modules added to over time.

"I’d definitely recommend an ERP system, and if you’re with MYOB Accountright, then it makes sense to go to MYOB Advanced because it makes your data transfer easier – so it’s less risk to your business."
Nandish Trivedi Quality manager

Once they’d sorted the basics, ActivTec added – and continues to add – functionality and integrations according to what the business needs as it grows.

“I’d say most organisations would benefit from MYOB Advanced Business because it brings together a lot of modules in one place and integrates functionality, making it easy to build a connected system that works for your business,” Nandish adds.

Powerful system helps business perform efficiently

Real-time reporting, better internal processes and customer service too

What gives ActivTec its competitive advantage – even in a niche market – is being able to provide customers with records and reports when requested. As the business has grown over the last couple of years, more customers mean more data – and therefore more reporting.

With MYOB Advanced Business, the company can now run all sorts of reports for internal and external purposes. Personalised dashboards can display different information for each department, customised reports are based on specific customer data, and the financial reporting is fully integrated, making it easy for the team to make informed decisions fast.

At an organisational level, having a connected system helps to pick up variances and process errors across different departments. This high-level visibility means the company can monitor performance and operations in real-time. 

"Everything is linked – sales, purchases, inventory, accounts, finance, payroll – so from a business perspective, we can see that every department is getting more efficient. That means, overall, the business is operating and performing more efficiently too."
Nandish Trivedi Quality manager
ActivTec warehouse

In control of the inventory

More customers mean more parts ordered, more repairs and servicing of equipment – and even more need for inventory tracking. ActivTec’s old system didn’t have any sort of inventory management.

“Everything was basically under one warehouse across Australia and there were so many places where things could go wrong,” Nandish says.

In MYOB Advanced Business, each of ActivTec’s warehouses and technician vans is set up separately, which has allowed the team to automate stock control and transfers. They can monitor in real-time what stock is at which location – without worrying about it going missing. Using location-specific allocations, they’ve automated stock replenishment and can redistribute inventory, significantly reducing supply chain hold-ups.

By using a system with the right functionality, the team has been able to refine processes and add automation schedules to remove any manual processing – all things that set them up for future growth. 

"Even if we want to transfer things between warehouses, like kits that are made up of five different parts, having those sorts of small functionalities makes a big difference to our efficiency"
Nandish Trivedi Quality manager
ActivTec technician servicing equipment

System capable of growing with business

As a quality manager, Nandish is constantly looking for ways to improve business processes. He says the company’s goal is to secure more contracts and continue to grow, and that requires good process management.

He believes with MYOB Advanced Business they are more efficient with managing change, and therefore in a much better position to hit their business goals. This includes implementing a new warehouse management system and an app for employees to log their hours, leave and expenses.

"Definitely the overall perspective is that in the last six or so months, the system is better than before, and it’s more capable of handling our growth, he says. Our aim now is to use it correctly internally to maximise our efficiencies."
Nandish Trivedi Quality manager

A brief look at ActivTec Solutions

  • Over 15 years in business: family-owned and operated company since 2005
  • One of Australia’s largest distributor and importer of medical and mobility equipment spare parts
  • Stock handled across multiple warehouses and on-site technicians: 60 technician vans and six warehouses across Australia.

Improvements: upgrading to MYOB Advanced Business

  • Inventory tracking across multiple warehouses
  • Streamlined and automated inventory processes
  • Access to real-time reporting needed for critical business decision-making
  • More advanced reporting capabilities – can deliver better reports for customers
  • Increased functionality for Sales, Accounts, Purchasing and Finance modules
  • Improved business processes (productivity, forecasting, capacity) means overall business is operating more efficiently
  • ERP system: lots of room to grow – more modules will be added later

Learn more about MYOB Advanced Business

MYOB Advanced Business

Customisable, cloud-based business management platform.