How Zest Dental Solutions Increased Automation and Efficiency Using Aptean Discrete Manufacturing ERP

When it comes to diversified dental solutions for a continuum of patient care, from the preservation of natural teeth to the treatment of total edentulism, Zest Dental Solutions is the global leader in the industry. Since 1972 the California-based company has been known for designing, developing, manufacturing and distributing overdenture attachments, with its flagship product, the LOCATOR Attachment System, now considered the premier solution for overdenture restorations.

In 2003, Zest enlisted Aptean to provide the company with purpose-built enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. Over the years, the business has expanded the use of Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP Made2Manage Edition in its operations.

Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP is a discrete manufacturing ERP for mixed-mode or to-order discrete manufacturers who want to increase shop floor efficiency and flexibility while quickly responding to supply chain disruptions and customer demands.

Improving Zest’s Business Operations with Aptean’s Inventory Management Features

Zest’s chief technology officer, Ahmad Rashidi, tells us about the Zest team’s experience with Aptean and how the company leverages Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP to improve business operations.

Rashidi emphasized the importance of accurate inventory records for fulfillment of customer orders. With Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP, Zest leverages the robust inventory management features to ensure its stock is always updated, which is critical when fulfilling orders.

Customers tend to get frustrated when a manufacturer fails to fulfill orders after confirming their purchase orders. But with Aptean’s inventory management features, manufacturers can have real-time updates of their production volumes, inbound shipments, outbound orders and stock levels, and that data can be used for proactive customer communications that lead to a better overall experience.

"Partnering with the Aptean team has been an incredible experience for us,” said Rashidi, who has nearly two decades of experience in the dental solutions industry and four years’ tenure at Zest. “And we continue to have projects in motion right now to keep building and improving the customer experience—for our own customers internally and externally.”

Zest’s Experience with Aptean’s Customer Success Team

Rashidi recounted his first experience working with the Aptean customer success team four years ago when Zest brought him onboard. “Even though Aptean is a very, very large organization, I feel that we are being treated as part of the family. That's the relationship and the trust that I have been fortunate to establish with Aptean.”

Because discrete manufacturing ERP systems often require continuous support, Aptean is committed to long-term customer service and ensuring a collaborative approach with our customers’ internal teams. Each time Zest needed assistance with its ERP system, Zest team members have been able to reach out and work together with Aptean’s hardworking customer success professionals.

Rashidi stressed the importance of being able to rely on Aptean’s support staff to ensure that Zest is getting the most out of its industrial manufacturing ERP.

“We all say that ERP is the heartbeat of an organization,” Rashidi said. “[Aptean has helped us] unify and bring a community of people together to keep that heartbeat healthy.”

Achieving Business Growth and Operational Efficiency Through Automation

To stay on top of the business, Zest leverages Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP’s state-of-the-art automation capabilities. Rashidi explained how they improve workflow efficiency by automating repetitive, high-volume tasks like the manual transfer of order data to the shipper for each order that comes through.

Aptean Smart Hub Allows Users to Automate Workflows

Zest is using Aptean Smart Hub integrated into their Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP to automate key workflows. One example is for the creation of shipments, allowing Zest to save time and prevent human errors, especially when processing multiple orders. With Smart Hub, discrete manufacturing companies like Zest can leverage the following features:

• Exception notifications – allows users to get alerts when production is behind schedule or when an item in inventory falls below the preset reorder level, eliminating the need to constantly monitor operations and stock.

• Routine activity automation – allow for the elimination of repetitive manual tasks such as sending invoices, late material notices to vendors or order shipping notices to customers with FedEx/UPS tracking numbers.

• Integration – allows users to seamlessly build and manage integrations and data imports/exports with third-party internal and external systems, without requiring coding skills.

Additionally, the robust mobile shop floor manager, advanced reporting and advanced shipping capabilities of Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP have helped to further streamline Zest’s operations.

“As Zest continues to grow and our usage of our ERP continues to grow, having this ability to keep looking at areas where we can increase efficiency, improve processes and automate good processes allows us to continue to scale the system and our company,” Rashidi said.

Advice for Implementing an ERP

Aptean has designed its discrete manufacturing ERP to solve specific business challenges with tailored functionality that you won't find in other ERP solutions. Rashidi’s experience with Zest’s digital transformation has lent him a unique and valuable perspective on the process that he’s happy to share with businesses considering implementing an ERP.

What Makes Aptean Stand Out?

The successful long-term relationship between Aptean and Zest Dental Solutions is a testament to Aptean’s commitment to supporting our customers and helping them unlock the full value of their Aptean solutions. We’re dedicated to solving tomorrow’s unique challenges today with unrivaled, purpose-built software and superior customer experiences.

Aptean provides leading solutions and offers outstanding support to keep our customers’ operations functioning smoothly. Our highly dedicated professionals work hard to add value and act as a partner to all clients—helping to ensure better business outcomes and produce the results that modern manufacturing businesses need to remain competitive.

To fully support discrete manufacturers like Zest, Aptean also offers enterprise asset management (EAM), customer relationship management (CRM) and transportation management systems (TMS)—all with features designed to manage the highly specialized processes of complex operations.

Contact us today if you want to learn how Aptean’s industry-specific ERP solutions can help you streamline your day-to-day operations. Get in touch to request a personalized demo. We'd love to chat.