This article originally appeared on Crossfire's website. Crossfire is a division of Sandfield, specialising in EDI & API integration solutions for a variety of businesses.
When your brand is the fastest-growing in the UK, "business as usual" simply won't cut it. For Au Vodka, the ultra-premium spirit instantly recognisable by its signature gold bottles, explosive growth brought an equally explosive challenge: a massive influx of orders that threatened to overwhelm their lean team and operational efficiency.
Faced with the need for immediate and scalable automation, Au Vodka explored various integration solutions that would enable them to integrate directly with their retail trading partners. Their decision to partner with Crossfire came down to a few critical factors: exceptional customer service, the proven ability to seamlessly integrate with their Cin7 Core system, and the overall value for money that Crossfire's fully-managed service offered.
"My first call with the Crossfire team was key," shares Luke Ward, Management Accountant at Au Vodka. "They had a clear outline and business plan for us, including time scales, pricing was amazing & the overall service and support really was key to our decision."
Over three phases, Crossfire integrated Au Vodka with 14 different trading partners, including their distillery, 3PL, and a growing list of major UK retailers.
Every retailer has their own compliance requirements, from order formats and shipment notices to invoicing and labelling, and getting them wrong can lead to chargebacks, delayed payments, or lost shelf space. Au Vodka had the foresight to select an integration partner which not only has proven experience with these retailers but also a service model that took care of the end-to-end job of integration, providing the assurance of a successful rollout without distracting from core business operations.
The process of working with Crossfire proved to be remarkably smooth. "It’s so easy to work with the team," Luke emphasises. “The software is easy to use, and timings are on point every time with accuracy. Communication is key for us, especially with the time difference between countries. It hasn’t felt like that, though. Everything is so accurate, and communication is at the top level." This seamless collaboration ensured that even with a demanding rollout schedule, Au Vodka experienced minimal disruption.
Since automating their processes such as Sales/Purchase Orders, invoices and ASNs, Au Vodka has seen transformative results across their operations and customer relationships:
The biggest surprise for the Au Vodka team was "just how simple everything was." Crossfire's specialists provided the support needed to transition into integration processes that were entirely new to the company, making it feel effortless.
Au Vodka is now ready to expand even further, built on Crossfire's solid integrations. "Continuing to implement more customers through Crossfire & the potential to add API’s through," Luke states, looking ahead. "We really want to be fully functional in automation, it will free up time & give us so much accuracy, which is key to our goals as a company." This commitment to full automation will be pivotal as Au Vodka continues its journey to become a truly global brand.
Interested in learning more about Crossfire's fully-managed integration service? Visit our website here
