ERP Insights on VAI Cloud Help Kinnunen Sales & Rental Strengthen Customer Relations and Grow

Ronkonkoma, NY, April 2, 2024 – VAI, a leading ERP software developer, and Kinnunen Sales & Rental, an Oklahoma-based provider of industrial equipment, have partnered to implement VAI Enterprise ERP software to run core business functions. VAI’s tightly integrated ERP system is essential for Kinnunen to manage the scope of the company’s product offerings across multiple locations, including its main campus.  

Kinnunen’s regional growth outpaced its ability to manually manage its expanded inventory scope across three locations, requiring a more robust, nimble, intuitive, and unified ERP solution to better keep track of and sell products. The company wanted real-time insight into inventory – critical for providing customers with high-quality service.

“One of our biggest issues was simply knowing where things were – particularly at the main campus,” said Ryan Andrews, general manager, at Kinnunen Sales & Rental. “We used to have to shut the business down on Friday night and would have several dozen employees do inventory manually over the weekend to make sure that we opened with accurate product counts on Monday. We would miss sales daily because of inventory mismanagement, so it was critically important for us to implement a system of real-time data and analytics on SKUs.”

The ERP system had to include a customer portal for payments and purchasing, as this was the key to providing more customers with better experiences and, at the same time, increase Kinnunen’s profitability. As a fast-growing company, Kinnunen always had to find ways to reach new customers and, at the same time, give their existing partners better experiences. VAI’s eCommerce solution has enabled Kinnunen to do just that, which has been especially important as they continue to expand in their home state of Oklahoma.

Since the launch, Kinnunen Sales & Rental has been using VAI’s ERP software to:

• Improve inventory management and forecasting capabilities
• Provide customers with better invoicing, product ordering, and retail POS experiences
• Expanded regional footprint and reached new customers through e-commerce
• Streamline operations
• Develop a long-term partnership

“Whenever Kinnunen has a chance to sit down with customers and show them the portal and how it can make their lives easier, they love it immediately,” said Andrews. “And what’s not to love? It does make their lives easier, and that’s why it’s appreciated by even the customers that are the most resistant to change.”

“In Kinnunens’ initial conversations with VAI, the company let VAI know that they were growing – and quickly,” said Gina Parry, sales manager at VAI. “Their goal was to scale up their operations as seamlessly as possible, particularly when it came to servicing customers.”

VAI’s S2K ERP software helped Kinnunen carry about 42,000 stock-keeping units (SKUs), from heavy industrial equipment needed by major contractors to power tools for do-it-yourself (DIY) independents. It did this by enabling forecasting through predictive analytics, a robust mobile application to enhance warehouse operations, and facilitating high-quality customer service with better retail point-of-sale (POS) capabilities to generate new sources of revenue.

VAI’s integrated ERP solution utilizes a single, central database, so companies no longer must manage disparate databases or assemble multiple spreadsheets to gain the information they need to guide their decision-making. The result is more accurate, consistent, and timely information, as all applications have access to the same, real-time data. A single database also streamlines operations. Organizations can update their records once and be confident the new information will be reflected across the organization. They no longer need to spend time making duplicate entries or copying files from one system to another. VAI’s cloud-based software also provides Kinnunen with a fully redundant data center, which helps keep the business running even if there’s a power outage.

“The VAI team that Kinnunen has worked with have formed a partnership far above the typical software vendor at the other end of a phone call,” concluded Andrews. “This type of cooperation is hard to find, and it’s been a valuable part of Kinnunen’s success with the S2K solution.”

About Kinnunen

Kinnunen is an individually owned, private business with more than 80,000 square feet of warehouse space, and over 25,000 more at its retail stores in Stillwater and Enid, OK. The company is a one-stop shop for construction supplies, equipment rentals, parts, and service. Ray Kinnunen opened the first location out of his garage in 1991. Four years later, he relocated the company to Stillwater, OK, and the business was purchased by Greg and Wendy Hughes in 2013. The company now includes Kinnunen Sales and Rental and the Kinnunen Service Center in Stillwater, OK as well as Kinnunen Sales in Enid, OK. 

About VAI

VAI is a leading independent mid-market ERP software developer renowned for its flexible solutions and ability to automate critical business functions for the distribution, manufacturing, retail, and service sectors. VAI's software solutions are backed by a wealth of experience and a reputation for excellence that countless companies rely on. With specific ERP solutions for hard goods, food, and pharmaceutical companies, VAI has helped some of the most recognized companies address key industry requirements and deliver bottom-line results. VAI continues to innovate with new solutions that leverage business intelligence, analytics, mobility, and cloud technology to help customers make more informed business decisions and empower their mobile workforce. For more information, visit https://www.vai.net.