Full Stack Development

Instant Inventory Service (IIS) started in 1980 and specializes in providing premium inventory services to pharmacies and other retailers in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota and Iowa. Some of its clients include Fairview, Mayo Clinic, Stanford Health, Health Partners and Allina.

When IIS’s aging inventory system needed an upgrade, it came to a technological crossroads. Owner Gary Kimlinger found the different hardware components he was looking for, but he needed a way to integrate the various components.

“The operating system of my new scanners was different than the rest of my equipment. I needed a seamless solution. I also needed someone who could develop a software system with a list of specific functions,” said Gary.

A colleague suggested he contact Capmation. It was the beginning of a technology partnership that still exists today.

To begin the development process, Capmation CEO Dave Ward worked with Gary to uncover the company’s long-term business objectives.

“It’s been my experience that it’s sometimes difficult for technology professionals to really understand what non-tech people want and then translate those needs to the right technology. But, Dave is outstanding at that. He was immediately able to uncover exactly what we needed and make those objectives a reality on the development side,” recalls Gary.

Capmation recommended the business migrate its operating system to a Windows-based environment. This would provide a more seamless system down the road. He also created a design that included a host of new features.

“I gave Capmation a list of features we wanted and they came back with additional functionality based on industry best practices and upcoming trends. These were things I didn’t foresee, but have become invaluable to the way we operate.”

One of the features Capmation incorporated into the software was the ability to pull certain data elements directly from wholesaler catalogs by scanning product barcodes, saving the staff countless hours in data entry. It also designed the system’s search fields in a way that instantaneously locates specific products among catalogs of more than 50,000 items, dramatically improving the efficiency of the search.

Today, the software program still gives IIS a competitive advantage.

“I can’t tell you how many times a new client has told us we’re hands-down better than the company they’ve used before,” said Gary.

IIS’s custom-developed data terminals, along with its exclusive software, offer clients the highest degree of accuracy available today. Inventories take less time and require fewer auditors. That translates to better customer service and more cost-effective pricing for clients.

“Dave is the first person I would recommend for any IT project. Capmation tackled some very difficult obstacles in our project and came up with ideas we didn’t think of that dramatically changed the way we do business,” added Gary.

• More efficient inventory-taking process
• Better customer services
• Competitive advantage