Circle One has been providing the UK and beyond with high-quality surf equipment for over 50 years.
For a while, they relied on generic accounting software to manage inventory, purchasing, and sales. But it wasn’t long before they needed something more efficient. Enter Unleashed: the dedicated stock management software Circle One was looking for.
Thanks to the time-savings and functionality of Unleashed, they haven’t looked back. As Circle One’s director James Trevelyan puts it:
“We’re seeing about a 50% reduction in the time spent on admin during the sales order and purchase ordering processes.”
Caught in a rip: Outgrowing Sage 50
Since 1969, Circle One has been one of the UK’s most reliable suppliers of surf gear.
But as they grew, so too did their inventory requirements. They tried relying solely on the inventory tracking functions of an ERP accounting system. But as James Trevelyan explains, it soon failed to satisfy the needs of the business.
“Previously we were using Sage 50 accounting software [for our inventory management],” James tells us.
“It was a bit clunky – we were spending too much time fixing problems.
“We researched Unleashed and connected with the guys there. It was clear that the functionality and integration with Xero accounting software was really useful.”
Software implementation can be frightening – and expensive. But when you’ve already been using one system and need to switch to another, migrating all that data adds another layer to the puzzle.
That’s why James and his team opted for the Unleashed premier customer success plan. “Changing systems is not an easy process to handle. But with the onboarding from Unleashed, it was as painless as possible.”
After making the switch, Circle One were impressed by the functionality of Unleashed.
James says, “The user interface is really intuitive. Everyone finds it easy to use. We’ve had Unleashed for just over three years now. It’s going really really well.”
New software cuts admin time by 50%
So, what’s changed?
For starters, James has noticed a significant lift in productivity. Their sales order generation process is more efficient than ever. “It’s super easy to go in [to Unleashed], type in the SKUs, and find the customer.
“We’ve been able to standardise the entire purchase order process. Before, we had a different format for each supplier. The time that Unleashed has saved us is a real benefit.”
As far as time savings go, James and his team tallied the numbers and found Unleashed reduced their admin time by 50%, allowing them to operate with greatly increased efficiency.
In James Trevelyan’s words: “We’ve halved our admin time which frees up valuable time to focus on strategy and driving the business forward.”
But more time isn’t the only thing Circle One unlocked by switching systems.
Thanks to the extra visibility granted by Unleashed’s cloud-based inventory control, the entire business can now operate in harmony.
“It’s a one-stop shop for all the stakeholders in the business,” says James. “It fulfils that function really well.”
Finally, with big plans (and even bigger waves) on the horizon, James feels confident Unleashed is the tool to support Circle One’s continued expansion into new sectors.
“We’re undertaking an export push at the moment. We know we can rely on the Unleashed system –as the engine room for that process – to deliver the inventory management required to do that.”
