After going live with PixSell, we asked Groves’ Web Manager, Jane Supple, to talk to us about their journey with Aspin.

Find out the pains Groves experienced with their previous sales app, and the ways in which PixSell has exceeded expectations.

“The software we were using was becoming more and more frustrating. The customer support was weak, and the app would frequently fail.

“The main issues were around the transfer of images. There was also an ongoing glitch which meant anything that was imported on a Friday, either data or images, wouldn’t appear on the reps’ iPads until the following Tuesday. That was a big bugbear.

“The failings in the software that we were using triggered us to look for a replacement solution.”

“We have a long-standing relationship with Russell [Russell Kirby, Aspin Sales Consultant] from his previous roles, and knew he was now at Aspin. When we decided to find an alternative sales app, there was no hesitation in contacting Russell first.

“We were in talks with Aspin for about 18 months before we got serious. During this time, Russell was very patient and never pushy. This non-pushy approach was very appealing. An investment of this size needs to be thought through carefully. We also had to ensure the timing was right for our business.”

“When we eventually got down to talking about the scoping of our PixSell project, were very impressed with what PixSell could do.

“I remember we all felt very reassured that PixSell was going to be able to do what we needed it to.”

“We were concerned about implementation, because we have 80,000 products and multiple images for many of them. We did wonder if PixSell was going to be robust enough to cope. But we needn’t have worried.

“It did take a long time to import all the images. Then there was a naming problem. A lot of our products have been in existence for a long time and are named using two special characters which it turned out couldn’t be read by the Aspin DataBridge software. Because of the sheer volume of product images, renaming them wasn’t a viable option.”

“This was resolved by Darren [Darren Walker, Aspin Project Manager] by arranging for the Aspin software to be recoded to read our existing product names. Going forward, we won’t use the characters which caused the issue.

“This was a bit of a compromise from us, but we recognised it was worth it to minimise the chance of future problems.

“Darren worked closely with Rosie, our Digital Assets Assistant. Between them they have figured out a way she can manage this problem herself, should it reoccur.”

“Something about Aspin, and specifically the people involved with PixSell, they really like to share knowledge and are incredibly supportive.

“Aspin provide their customers with webinars, video calls for refresher training, group online meetings, customer workshops etc. Many of these bring multiple customers together to join in with the knowledge sharing. It’s quite unusual for an organisation to allow their customers to learn from other customers. Usually, they’re kept away from each other, but not with Aspin. They truly embrace this knowledge sharing and build a community feel amongst customers.”

“This openness is also clear in the way Aspin deals with other businesses. We had an issue with creating CSV files and the problem was something to do with our ERP system. That wasn’t a PixSell fix, but nonetheless, they worked in collaboration with Groves’ ERP supplier to resolve the issue. The way Aspin and our ERP supplier interacted with each other made things very easy for us.”

“Even after launching PixSell, any hiccups were ironed out and Aspin continues to support us. For example, we have a refresher training session for our reps coming up. Some of them are using PixSell in quite a rudimentary way and Aspin are keen for them to realise the extent of what the app can do. They are very proactive at helping us achieve full value for money.

“Our relationship with them really is very open and transparent; I think that builds great grounds for the future.”

“We needed something that worked. PixSell does that, and more. We’re not really measuring its success. But I can tell you for a fact I’m not getting the calls I used to from frustrated reps. That’s no longer happening.

“Something we’ve just started looking at doing is using SkooCloud to create brochures for promotional purposes, focusing on offers that our representatives can present. The goal is to generate brochures showcasing specific product ranges at promotional prices for a limited time.”

“Representatives would have the option to access these brochures digitally on their iPad or in print, depending on their preference, ensuring the brochure is accessible to the entire sales team.

“Gareth Pope, Groves Sales Director, intends for this initiative to be highly responsive, enabling us to rapidly address surplus stock situations by quickly launching promotions, bypassing the usual lengthy processes of graphical design, proofing and printing.

“We didn’t realise until recently that we could use this functionality. We recently had a video call with Henry [Henry Steward, Aspin Customer Success Manager] to run through how to produce these PDF brochures. We have already been able to use this feature and it worked well.”

We asked Jane to summarise, “everybody involved at Groves is delighted with PixSell, its integration and the ongoing support Aspin provide. We now look on Aspin as a strategic partner in our business and look forward to working with them well into the future”.

If your B2B distribution business is looking for a sales app that’s reliable, from a supplier who cares about your success, book a demo PixSell with us here.

Or email our team at [email protected].