Transforming a Multi-million Pound Manual Powerhouse into a Data-Driven Distributor of the Future
Client:The Change Organisation
Changing the Game: How We Rewired a Multi-Million Pound IT Distributor
The Change is not your typical IT distributor.
Spread across three business units - The Change, Inspired Technology, and eSupply - this group handles a multi-million pound turnover. But behind the scenes? A surprisingly manual operation that operated more like a fast-paced brokerage than a digitally mature wholesaler.
The Change knew they needed a transformation. Not a new lick of paint. A complete rewiring of how their business worked.
This is the story of how we helped them shift from spreadsheets, manual order chasing, and inaccurate product data to a scalable, automated infrastructure built for growth.
The Challenge
Across all three business units, The Change dealt with:
- Manually created orders that slowed down processing
- Stock inaccuracies that caused regular fulfilment problems
- Fractured or missing product data (especially on drop-ship lines)
- No single source of truth - every team had their own version of reality
- Minimum catalogue depth, limiting what they could sell online
- A website that was underperforming
Worse still, small orders were actually losing money - simply because too many people had to touch them.
Digital transformation wasn’t just a “nice idea.” It was essential. That’s where we came in.
Our Approach
Step 1: Build the foundations - A Single Source of Truth for Product Data
We implemented Akeneo PIM as the heart of their product data future.
Why?
Because their world revolves around SKUs. And without clean, rich, accurate product data, nothing else functions.
With Akeneo we:
- Created a system where adding a SKU (individually or in bulk) immediately triggers a webhook to Icecat
- Pulled in rich, complete, industry-standard product details in seconds instead of days
- Used Akeneo’s AI-first automation to rewrite Icecat data into brand-specific formats
- Introduced rules, governance, and structure so product data finally had a home
Suddenly, the business had access to something they’d never had before: Complete, accurate product information across all brands.
Step 2: Create Four Data Channels, One Engine
Within Akeneo, we built out four distinct channels:
- ERP Feed (Access Dimensions + Mintsoft) - A carefully curated, restricted dataset
- The Change – B2B (BigCommerce)
- Inspired – B2B (BigCommerce)
- eSupply – B2C (BigCommerce)
Each channel uses automated rules to tailor product data to the brand, audience, and platform.
For the first time ever, all three stores can display accurate, consistent product information.
Step 3: “The Wiring” - Patchworks Integration
To automate the business end-to-end, we chose Patchworks as the integration platform.
Why?
- It handles complex SAS-based systems like Access Dimensions
- It allowed us to build custom connectors for BigCommerce, Akeneo, and an ERP
- It was the best price-to-capability fit for The Change’s needs
With this in place, the future roadmap now includes:
- Automated order processing
- Connected stock levels
- Multi-site product syndication
- Customer-specific B2B pricing
- Full ERP eCommerce synchronisation
The Results So Far
A production-ready PIM with accurate product data
For the first time, they can sell products online without relying on their ERP.
Faster internal workflows
No more five-person order chains.
Scalable product catalogue
15,000 - 20,000 SKUs ready for import once product families are finalised.
Clear roadmap for automation
Everyone - from sales to leadership - can now see where the business is going and why.
Better customer experience incoming
More complete product information means more confidence, fewer support queries, and higher conversion.
The real challenge in a transformation of this scale isn’t the technology - it’s creating space for new ways of operating in a fast-paced, well-established business.
For leaders who have successfully grown the company over decades, investing in foundational digital infrastructure can feel like a significant shift. It requires:
- Trust in a long-term roadmap
- Space to rethink familiar processes
- Confidence that the investment will unlock future scalability
As the team began to see Akeneo in action - and how automation would streamline day-to-day work - momentum grew quickly. The Change’s leadership were highly engaged throughout, asking the right questions and focusing on what would deliver meaningful value.
Throughout the project, our role has been a blend of technical expertise and strategic guidance, helping ensure decisions made today will support the business for years to come.
What’s Next?
- Website Performance FixesThe current BigCommerce frontend is too slow. We’re now implementing enhancements to bring page speed scores into the 90s - an instant win for user experience and internal teams.
- Customer-Specific PricingOnce fully integrated with the ERP, The Change will be able to offer: customer-level pricing, contract pricing and real-time availability. A complete game-changer for B2B.
- International ExpansionTheir German arm is next on the list.
- Full end-to-end automationFrom inventory → product → order → fulfilment → customer. Phase by phase, this business is becoming a modern, scalable, digital-first distributor.
Visit The Change Organisation here:
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