In May 2017, Aerobiotix launched their new HEPA Ultraviolet Air Recirculation System—the Illuvia 500UV—with the goal of capturing five percent of the U.S. hospital system marketplace within the next two years. This objective is backed by efficacy studies showing that a single pass through the device eliminates bacteria and spore-related viruses by 99 percent.
“We design safe, effective, and economical devices used to remediate issues and meet air quality targets,” said Michael Schmitz, chief financial officer, Aerobiotix. “Many products only clean the surface of these environments. Our system works continually to eliminate airborne viruses that cause infections. This has not only provided us with the opportunity to greatly further the quality of care, but also grow the company through the development and distribution of novel and advanced air quality products that effectively treat this problem.”
“Hospital-acquired infections significantly contribute to morbidity and mortality rates,” Schmitz continued. “There are approximately 290,000 incidences of surgical site infections or SSIs in the country each year, translating into an economic loss of $8.36 billion.”
Upgrading internal efficiencies
According to Schmitz, these goals directly coincided with the upgrade of internal efficiencies. As a start-up working within a marketplace with nearly limitless potential, Aerobiotix lacked the capacity to meticulously track the status of inventory, sales, purchases, and even deliveries. Based on prior experience, Schmitz supported these objectives with the selection of the Epicor enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
Designed as a standardized method for mining data and seamlessly centralizing operational functions, the system manages orders and operations through one integrated, web-based environment that eliminates the need for onsite upkeep while adding virtual services as needed.
“We never looked at another system,” Schmitz revealed. “At my previous company, Epicor allowed us to maintain 30 percent sales growth over six years. I truly believed this solution was a necessity for making us a better company—achieving a wide range of sales goals and creating a new market. I was a bit reticent using a cloud-based solution at first, but the uptime performance has been fantastic.”
Tracking company processes through the cloud
The Epicor Cloud ERP solution went live at Aerobiotix in August 2017 after a two-month implementation period. The accelerated implementation was due to the inventory capabilities severely lacking with the existing software—a commonly used accounting package. “We asked Epicor to get us live sooner rather than later, as it would make us a better company than our legacy system had us at,” said Schmitz. “The Epicor consultants delivered—and delivered with a bang that was better than expected.”
Among the many benefits is the ongoing upkeep of the database, as well as the test database, which is maintained in the cloud by Epicor and refreshed monthly from the live database. Other advances include tracking the production, status, and location of each air treatment system manufactured by the company through a five-step assembly process. These products are then consigned to hospitals that also serve as warehouses for additional systems and parts.
With the Epicor Cloud ERP solution, Aerobiotix can now track every machine in the production cycle and through their use at 30 separate hospitals nationwide. This has enabled the company to easily transfer products and supplies from one location to another, more accurately report sales, and automatically tally general ledger functions at the end of each month.
Never missing a beat
One of the system’s most avid proponents at Aerobiotix is Jessica Lalich, the company’s inside sales manager. Lalich was restricted to five weeks of bedrest while expecting the birth of twins. “Thanks to Epicor, I never missed a beat,” she explained. “We’re only a 16-person company at a crucial stage of development. None of us can afford to be out for any length of time.”
“Since it’s cloud-based, I was able to do nearly everything from the hospital that I could do in the office. Just log in, and everything from daily sales reports to product locations was right there for review. I could work at all hours and even print invoices at the office for mailing my co-workers. It’s the easiest system I ever used. With Epicor, we were able to better track sales and continue to develop into a high-performance company with a great product.”
As for the future, Aerobiotix is hoping to integrate all its sales efforts through a CRM package integrated with Epicor Cloud ERP. “We truly believe we’ll be a much larger company within the next few years,” added Schmitz. “Epicor is integral to everything we do and has the scalability to grow as we do.”
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