About the Customer
NEATS USA is a new business devoted to making dining-out and travel experiences cleaner and safer. The company offers a unique wet wipe called Neats Utensil & Travel Wipes that are alcohol-free, non-toxic with no aftertaste, biodegradable, easy to use and (for air travelers) “TSA friendly.” NEATS are perfect for discretely cleaning eating utensils, glassware, food trays, highchairs, hotel remotes, cell phones, or any surface where germs tend to gather. Free of harsh chemicals, NEATS are also great for cleaning up hands or faces anytime.
Detailed Results & Business Impact
Creating a Successful Future
Neats Utensil & Travel Wipes have sold well from the outset through online consumer marketplaces like Facebook, Instagram and Walmart.com, and can be purchased at Shellis News, located at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (the first retailer to offer NEATS retail space). Sales have increased significantly since the COVID-19 outbreak began.
Mr. Johnson has processed and shipped every NEATS order from his home office using spreadsheets—on top of working a full-time “day job” and being a husband, father and now a home-school teacher. But Mr. Johnson knew that as his business grew, he would need electronic data interchange (EDI) to meet the procurement requirements of major retailers, not to mention keep up with a much higher order volume. “Even though I’m a small business today, I like to look ahead,” Mr. Johnson relates. “That’s why I first reached out to TrueCommerce back in 2017, after doing research into EDI online.”
After that first connection, TrueCommerce’s staff stayed in touch and expressed interest in how NEATS was progressing. “Relationship building is one of my personal strengths, so that meant a lot to me,” offers Mr. Johnson. “That’s why I kept TrueCommerce high on my list and came back to them when I felt ready to take the next step with EDI.” NEATS officially became a TrueCommerce customer in the fall of 2019. Another key move that NEATS made with help from TrueCommerce was upgrading its accounting system. “When I started with TrueCommerce I was using entry-level, cloud-based accounting software that didn’t match well with EDI,” comments Mr. Johnson. “I spoke with TrueCommerce about what accounting tools other SMBs like me were utilizing that could integrate with EDI, and they recommended Intuit QuickBooks Online. After doing some research I made the switch to QuickBooks Online and it’s worked very well for me.”
Ready for the Big Leagues
NEATS got a big break in 2020 when a major pharmacy retailer began selling the NEATS wet wipes on a trial basis in nine stores in the northeast. The retailer doesn’t yet require NEATS to use EDI, but the integrated TrueCommerce EDI solution for QuickBooks Online is tested, connected and ready to go as soon as orders start flowing.
Why would an SMB implement EDI before they “really” need it? “Being forward-thinking, I knew that when I got opportunities to grow my business it would be a good idea to work out all the kinks in advance,” explains Mr. Johnson. “I played college basketball and all my life I’ve been involved in sports. So just in case I got pulled up to the big leagues, I wanted to be ready!”
EDI turned out to be a must. “One of the things large retailers look for in their potential partners is whether you have an EDI solution,” Mr. Johnson notes. “I wanted to be able to at least check that box and say, ‘Yes, I do have that solution and I can be ready at any time.’”
Making EDI Easy with Solid Support
A seamless setup process has made the move to EDI an easy one for NEATS. “TrueCommerce has been excellent in terms of the EDI setup and working with the major retailer to connect those pieces together,” mentions Mr. Johnson. “All I had to do was answer a couple of questions; TrueCommerce did all the hard work.” Agile, responsive support has been another welcome factor. “The fact that I can pick up the phone and reach someone at TrueCommerce whenever I need to is extremely important to me,” emphasizes Mr. Johnson. “They’re also very accommodating based on my schedule. They don’t force me to do things at a particular time.” “If I’m traveling or need to go to an event out of town, I can just open my iPad and dive straight into the EDI app,” Mr. Johnson states. “Even if I have 50 customers, I can see everything that’s going on, from all different angles.”
Keeping EDI Affordable for SMBs
Many small business owners might assume that they can’t afford an integrated EDI solution, and so they continue to struggle with manual processes. But this has not been the case for NEATS, thanks to TrueCommerce for QuickBooks Online.
“Cost is very important for a small business and you watch every single penny you have,” says Mr. Johnson. “When I was looking to identify an EDI tool that would fit my budget, I found that TrueCommerce’s cloud-based system makes it extremely affordable for a small business.”
TrueCommerce’s pricing model turned out to be good fit.
“Even though I don’t have a lot of transactions currently, the monthly service fee fits well within my budget,” Mr. Johnson continues. “As NEATS grows, EDI gives me confidence that these critical customer interactions—which I’ve been working so hard for—will be handled the right way and at an affordable price.”