Lisa Veeck talks to dealers about the tech-based providers helping their businesses thrive
AOSware
New York City-based Jason Office Products began looking for a new software provider because its existing system was expensive and unstable and didn’t have the capabilities and value that others seemed to offer. Vice president Jason Novatt was investigating alternative platforms when he met Sonny Arora, a managing partner of AOSware. Novatt liked what he saw and signed up with AOSware on December 1. The new site went live exactly one month later.
Novatt suggests that the key features of AOSware are its ease of use and expanded product selection: “The site is self-explanatory: customers can easily find what they need with the improved search engine. Purchasing is better now: we can track customers’ buying history, account pricing and bulk savings opportunities. Previously, we could only show certain vendors’ products, but now customers can search all manufacturers, including new items like ISG furniture and janitorial supplies.”
“You don’t have to, but we use QuickBooks for our accounting,” he continues. “AOS interfaces easily with QuickBooks, but the actual statements are generated through AOS. So if customers say they didn’t get an invoice, we can check and see exactly when it was sent. Punchouts are also integrated seamlessly. Our old system charged us $3,000 to set up, but AOS included it when we switched. The team created the punchout in two days and it has been working flawlessly ever since.”
Novatt and his team also appreciate the system’s intuitiveness: “We received training, but it’s still different once it goes live, especially for actions you don’t do often. Within two days, though, we were comfortable and able to do everything we needed to.”
And should any problems arise, AOSware is extremely responsive. “Sonny is always available by text or phone,” says Novatt. “So far, there hasn’t been anything major; but if there is an issue, it is usually resolved within a couple of hours.”
Novatt would recommend AOSware without reservation, reiterating: “The AOS team uploaded two years of data—including pricing, customer contracts and order history—and got all that information in the system and the new site up and running in one month!”
ECI
Emerald Business Supply, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been using ECI software for a while, but was keen to upgrade its user experience for existing and potential customers. Last year, at an industry event, Emerald management heard some dealers discussing ECI’s EvolutionX and decided to contact the company to request a live demonstration.
“The greater functionality—having more control over the visuals and greater overall customization capabilities—was appealing,” explains vice president of sales and marketing Jaret Lyons. EvolutionX is a B2B-specific e-commerce platform that integrates with most leading enterprise resource planning systems to create a seamless online shopping experience.
Over the following months, ECI had weekly meetings with Emerald during which they studied other websites and identified the pros and cons of each, analyzing everything from functionality to imagery. “It was a lot of work,” Lyons admits, “but the final product is worth it. We’ve built a website and storefront that have taken us to the next level. It tells a better story, showing what our company has achieved and is capable of. And at the end of the day, it provides a better experience for our customers. They can find their products more easily. If they want to check out and pay, they can do this effortlessly and get on with their day.”
EvolutionX makes it possible to create landing and other pages in-house, explains Lyons. “I also like the analytics tab, which tells us what customers are searching for and if they found it. The analytics help us maximize our goals of putting customers first.”
Customer service is another plus, especially the chat feature: “The responses are AI-generated, but there is a real person overseeing it.” In fact, Lyons suggests that one of the most attractive attributes of the software overall is its human element. “Shawn Westphal is by far one of the best representatives for EvolutionX,” he enthuses. “In fact, he is one of the reasons we came on board. He is one of the nicest, most incredible people. He got on weekly calls—sometimes more often—and made the whole experience the best it could be.”
While training was provided, Lyons acknowledges that uptake is often a matter of personal preference: “We have a mix of employees— some are more old school and don’t really want to learn a new system and would rather use our older interfaced systems. However, a lot of our employees are really taking to the new system. It’s a learning process because it offers much more functionality.”
“The return on investment is worth it,” he asserts. “It’s a great refresh—a whole new look for the site—and the feedback we’ve received from customers has been phenomenal.”
So, would Lyons recommend the software for other dealers seeking to enhance their customer website experience? “Based on the success Emerald is having, including having more control over the site and the enhanced functionality, 1,000% yes!”
Fortune Web Marketing
Core Office Interiors in San Antonio, Texas, wanted to switch to a web services provider with more advanced sectoral insight. In March 2025, it engaged Fortune Web Marketing—a full-service agency in Asbury Park, New Jersey, specializing in digital presence, search engine optimization (SEO), social media and inbound strategies.
“Fortune has extensive experience in the independent dealer channel, so it is more aligned with our industry and has more knowledge in the furniture vertical and in general marketing,” reveals vice president of marketing and IT Travis Metheny. “We started using Fortune for SEO. Now we use it to create better content. I manage the email and social media in-house, but we use Fortune to supplement our content. We use programs like HubSpot and the integration is seamless.”
According to Metheny, Fortune is great at helping Core stay ahead of the curve: “Last year, Fortune started talking about AI and the need to adapt. Their team helped us start optimizing our website so we will appear in AI search results.”
Metheny also appreciates Fortune’s input on the e-commerce side: “Fortune has helped us grow. I get feedback from other dealers who refer to our site as the standard they want for their own sites.”
Indeed, Core’s website is a visual feast, starting with a landing page that portrays a breathtaking local nature scene, through a number of office interior shots interspersed with San Antonio landmarks, and into a young worker arriving at his desk on a scooter. Popping out of the background is Core’s branding, “Pioneering Tomorrow’s Work Environment, accompanied only by a “Start a Proposal” call to action. In addition to Core’s product offerings, searchable by product and manufacturer, the site includes industry news, insightful blogs, case studies and financing terms. All of this is served up in a crisp, clean format that allows customers to find what they need—and discover options they had not considered—swiftly and smoothly.
Metheny reports that Fortune’s pricing is also competitive, especially considering the payoff: “They have different levels of service. We use their SEO services and ongoing site management. We are adding email consulting so they can take that over, allowing us to focus on other areas. We are also working toward having them manage our advertising budgets for platforms like LinkedIn and Google.”
But where Fortune really excels, suggests Metheny, is customer service: “Our previous web company was not responsive. A lot of its team didn’t understand the industry. Fortune has great people—a fantastic team, who are all very knowledgeable—and their responsiveness is incredible. If I call to change a strategy, Fortune gets it done. In today’s modern digital space, you need to move fast. It can be hard to do, but Fortune’s team recognizes this need. It’s a pleasure to work with them.”
GOPD
Given the speed at which modern technology moves, any software company that can retain clients over two decades must be doing something right. For Cody Martin, president of Martin’s Office Solutions, Granbury, Texas, GOPD is one such provider. Martin’s Office signed up with GOPD in 2006 and has been delighted with its service ever since.
“We needed more features and a more robust platform than our former provider offered,” recalls Martin. “We chose GOPD and have been very pleased. It’s a good fit for a company of our size. GOPD has continued to make enhancements over the years and the system has the flexibility that allows us to grow.”
According to Martin, the system is straightforward to use for both employees and customers: “The software allows a high degree of customization, so we can easily change the look and behavior of the program without having to hire a full-time tech person. If we want to change colors or content, we can do this ourselves. If a more extensive design change is needed, GOPD will do it for us. Our customers also like its flexibility and ease of use. Overall, it has improved and enhanced our e-commerce capabilities.”
GOPD also dovetails neatly with other programs, reports Martin: “GODP links seamlessly to QuickBooks, which makes it easy for our accounts receivable and payables. We outsource these functions, which means we don’t have to maintain an in-house server. They do it for us. The GOPD platform also interfaces with our wholesaler. We were an Essendant first call. Switching over wasn’t painless, but GODP helped us make the transition in three weeks.”
GOPD’s superlative client care is another plus. “I’ve heard horror stories of dealers posting a problem to their supplier and being unable to get a reply or get hold of anyone,” says Martin. “The GOPD team has always been responsive, sending us an answer immediately or in a few hours—never days or weeks. They excel in that regard.”
Meanwhile, pricing is keen and doesn’t involve any add-ons, although different packages are available.
“I would highly recommend GOPD to other dealers,” concludes Martin. “I’d tell them what I’m telling you and why GOPD lists us as a reference. We are pleased with the software and find it a good fit for us; we’ve stayed because if something’s not broken, why fix it?”
Interbiz Group
When prices started fluctuating weekly, daily and even hourly during the COVID pandemic, Walker’s Supply Co., Rocklin, California, knew it needed help with keeping up its margins.
“Before COVID, my brother and I would come in on weekends and review S.P. Richards’ and Essendant’s matrices and update our pricing,” says president and co-owner Jarrod Anderson. “It was not fun and not something we wanted to do. Then, when COVID hit, prices went crazy and became so volatile that we couldn’t keep up.
Walker’s turned to Interbiz Group, a consulting firm that examines companies’ profit and loss statements, margin trends and customer loyalty indicators to help them work out how best to improve their overall profitability.
“We look at Interbiz as our margin maintainer,” continues Anderson. “When our price goes up, our customers’ price needs to go up. It lets me decide things like ‘I want this manufacturer’s prices raised 2%; and this one, where we are not as competitive, lowered by 5%.’ I am very particular about the manufacturers I lead with and want a very specific price structure for the top 2,000 items. For the others, I want to be sure I don’t look bad, so that if someone searches for a metal filing cabinet, they won’t find a price that is way out of line. Interbiz enables me to have my pricing philosophy carried out by someone else.”
And Anderson reports that Walker’s has reaped impressive benefits from the move. “I’m a big proponent of outsourcing,” he says. “Some dealers want to control things by keeping everything in-house. When we started out, we lacked the resources to outsource. Now we have them, and I’m always trying to do more with fewer people. If I can outsource something and am happy with the results, that’s one less thing that we have to do. With Interbiz, I just upload one file a month and a quarterly business review. It gives me great peace of mind knowing the pricing is being done right and that it stays competitive. It gives us an outside perspective—third-party confirmation that I am not giving margins away.”
Anderson also applauds Interbiz for its superior customer service: “If there is something on my brother’s or my mind, or something we don’t want, we just pick up the phone and call, and we work it out. They are very responsive.”
“I would absolutely recommend Interbiz,” he enthuses. “If people are good at pricing and spreadsheets and enjoy it, that’s one thing. But it’s not what I like doing. Interbiz’s pricing is reasonable and I don’t mind paying someone for things I’m not good at or don’t want to do. Pricing is very important, but it’s not something I enjoy. So I procrastinate. Letting Interbiz handle this for me makes us proactive rather than reactive with our pricing. When I started out in business, I thought I had to do it all myself. But good management delegates. I read in a book that if someone else can do a job 80% as well as you can, you should delegate that task; and Interbiz does it 100% better.”
Logicblock
Rod Manson, a subject-matter expert at Rapid Supplies in New York, is no stranger to Logicblock, having used the software platform for 10 years at his previous company. He helped transition Rapid Supplies to the software in 2019–20, when its owners were looking to expand its offerings.
“Initially, Rapid specialized in unique labels and papers and carried about 2,000 SKUs,” explains Manson. “One of the owners had a janitorial background and wanted to bring on janitorial and other products, so they needed a more robust system. They chose Logicblock and now Rapid offers about 185,000 SKUs.”
A more sophisticated system required a revamped website, and Logicblock was ready to assist. “Logicblock has always been ahead of the curve—the capabilities built into the system are unbelievable,” says Manson. “Whenever we ask them, ‘Can we do this?’ the answer is yes. ‘Can we have a Google feed that updates every hour and connects to our analytics?’ Yes. ‘Can we track which customers are buying and which aren’t selling in real time?’ Yes. ‘Can we integrate this software with other programs we use to make our job easier?’ Yes. They tell us where to find it and how to use it; and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg because the features are already included.”
According to Manson, Logicblock’s integration with other software is a dream: “We are an Amazon seller and the communication between the two is excellent. Amazon order detail pages flow seamlessly into the Logicblock system, and we can pack and ship them mimicking the exact Amazon experience for customers.” He also highlights its integration with QuickBooks—which helps with hiring too, since so many recruitment candidates today are familiar with the program.
Logicblock’s “amazing customer intelligence dashboard” is another favorite feature: “The dashboard identifies customers at risk, showing products they should have been buying and in what timeframe, but are not. It highlights when a customer’s order is overdue—for example, if a customer should be buying a particular product every 60 days and it’s now 41 days past the due date, that customer is clearly at risk and it glares at you from the dashboard in bright red. Or you might find the customer is only 12 days past its usual order for labels, but 160 days over for copy paper. You don’t have to guess or pull a report. It’s all right there. But if you want, you can dig deeper; the order numbers and product details are all hyperlinked.”
Meanwhile, a product intelligence dashboard “tells me what we sell, how often and where. It shows products that are overdue to buy and flags ones that should be selling but maybe aren’t; so it really helps us with our inventory, so we don’t over or understock items.”
Manson goes on to hail Logicblock’s dedicated customer service and competitive pricing, given everything it includes without costly add-ons. “I would highly recommend Logicblock for any dealer who is looking for economies and who wants to retain and attract new customers,” he concludes.
OP Software
Gregory Modica—CEO and owner of Government Supply Services (GSS) LLC, El Dorado, Arkansas—initially planned to pursue a career in aviation after his military service, but the need to care for his ailing mother prompted a rethink. Instead, he launched an office product business from home 17 years ago. As a veteran-owned company, GSS soon began earning commercial and government contracts; but Modica gradually discovered that using Excel and ledgers to handle pricing was laborious and time consuming. He began researching software programs and, in 2012, signed on with OP Software LLC. What he didn’t realize at the time was that he wasn’t just getting pricing assistance; he was gaining a partner.
“All small businesses need support and their team—especially Lori, who is my contact—are likable, knowledgeable and available,” says Modica. “I email them for routine support and Lori gets back to me in a few hours or maybe overnight. But if it’s something more pressing, I can call; and if Lori or someone gets back to me in 35 or 40 minutes, the issue will be taken care of. I look at OP Software as a partner. They really understand and believe in small businesses. They are a smaller company and they understand the vital role small businesses play in the economy. They want us to be successful. Our relationship goes beyond being a satisfied customer; it’s a joint venture—a true partnership.”
Modica is also full of praise for OP Software’s tools, particularly its pricing capabilities: “I get pricing for 100,000 to 200,000 items from a supplier and my pricing depends on the sector—government versus educational institutions, for example. Also, we sell a wide range of products beyond office supplies across different industries. Lori puts in the product numbers and pricing for each of my vendors. The software checks what competitors in the specific industry are charging—commercial versus government, for example. We’ll add, say, 2% for freight and 3% for credit cards, since the ordering is online. It will add these and put in the percentage of profit I want to make—say, 15% on all items—and it has a floor to make sure I don’t sell items below cost. What used to take me three months to do takes 30 minutes with the software. It’s a gamechanger for a small business like mine.”
“It also helps with larger resellers like Office Depot, Staples and Grainger that want to know you have the capacity and ability to sell online like other bigger entities—OP Software gives you those capabilities,” he continues. “A lot of independent dealers aren’t aware that OP Software is available, so I like to spread the word. It’s a terrific resource that I highly recommend.”
Prima Software
Daniel Bayman, the president of Lee Office in Valdosta, Georgia, acquired the company in January 2025 and quickly recognized the need for a more flexible and sophisticated software provider. After in-depth comparisons, Bayman opted for Prima—a robust system well suited to challenges such as drop shipping and future expansion. Lee signed with Prima, received training in September 2025 and went live the following month.
“The company has been around for 78 years and was still using a software ledger before we switched to QuickBooks and Prima,” explains Bayman. “We have employees who have been here 20–40 years and not all of them loved the transition, but we worked it out.”
According to Bayman, Prima has been fueling Lee Office’s prodigious growth, including a rise in annual sales from $1.5 million in 2025 to $3.3 million and an increase in employee numbers from seven to 17.
“Prima has helped transition our customers from calling to going online, which has freed up our sales and customer service reps to sell more,” he reports. “It’s much more useful than the software Lee was using and offers a great online experience for customers, which was one of the main reasons we switched to it. We have integrated other software with Prima, but it’s seamless—so when customers visit our website, they see one consistent shopping environment. It allows our site to function more like a big-box website, which helps us compete.”
“We also like the accounting features,” he adds. “It integrates easily with QuickBooks, which saves us a lot of time. It allows us to match sales and send invoices, and lets customers track their invoices, accounts payable etc. through the system. It also allows us to track shipments, send pictures of delivered product and communicate with customers in real time, versus delivering product and having to wait for paper signatures.”
Prima is now collaborating with Lee Office to build its first punchout, scheduled to go live June 1, and thus far the process has been “pretty seamless.”
Bayman is also effusive about Prima’s stellar client care and can-do attitude: “Most important are the team’s quick—usually immediate—response times and constant drive to improve. Prima offers robust 24/7 support across three time zones, so if there’s an issue, someone is always working on it.”
“I would recommend Prima to other independent dealers,” he asserts. “It’s set up to interact with customers in a way that makes them comfortable buying from our company and allows us to reach a broader audience. Prima not only meets our current needs, but also where we are headed.”
SSI
Total Office Source, Cincinnati, Ohio, had been considering switching software providers for a couple of years, but president Dave Siefring admits that he missed his first opportunity to do so: “Our previous provider was very expensive; and we wanted a more user-friendly site with greater control and a fresh look. However, I missed the renewal deadline because I wasn’t watching the calendar.” In October 2024, with the contract due to clock over in the new year, he realized he needed to take swift action to avoid getting locked in for another 12 months.
“A friendly local competitor suggested software he was using. I looked into it, but I had some questions and concerns. Then someone else suggested I look at SSI.”
The compressed timeframe initially seemed a challenge. “SSI said switching takes four months, so with only 60 days until January 1, I voiced my concerns,” recalls Siefring. “SSI, through my rep Shawla, committed to meeting the tighter schedule—though it warned there might be a few hiccups.”
True to SSI’s word, the site went live on January 1, 2025, with minimal hiccups, and Siefring couldn’t be happier with the outcome: “The navigation is easy, I like the look and feel of the site, and it fits our budget. It’s web-based, so working remotely is easy, and it lets you grant different levels of access to different people.”
“SSI’s customer service is outstanding,” he continues. “They are very responsive—I appreciate being able to pick up the phone and get an immediate answer. I have the direct cellphone numbers of most representatives, making it easy to reach them. SSI also handles tasks that many other dealers expect to take care of in-house.”
“I also like the pricing and customer contract features. Pricing updates daily from vendors that offer it and creating contracts just take a few keystrokes. It is so much faster and easier to create and customize the customer experience. Punchouts are also easy to create. Also, we sell a wide range of products, including janitorial and medical supplies, and the site is optimized for the various categories. And we used to use QuickBooks, but now we don’t need to, so there is one less software system to keep updated and pay for.”
And what do customers think of the site? “They like it and find it easy to navigate; they say it has a ‘softer feel’ to it,” replies Siefring. “Of all our customers, I’ve only had one person say he missed the old site, and I think that was just a case of me sitting down with him for 15 minutes to show him how easy the site is to use.”
As a caveat, Siefring clarifies: “We have five employees and annual sales of $2.5 million. If you are a dealer with 150-plus employees, you might need something different. But if you are a dealer like us with 25 or fewer employees, I would highly recommend SSI.”