FROM SUPPLIER TO TECHNOLOGY PARTNER: A RELATIONSHIP THAT SUPPORTS BUSINESS GROWTH
Innovative FOTO is North America’s largest manufacturer, operator, and distributor of digital, self-service photo kiosks. Started in 1995, Innovative FOTO now operates nearly 3,000 photo kiosks within marquis destinations, major malls, theaters, zoos, museums, aquariums, casinos, and hundreds of other high traffic outlets and tourist locations. Innovative FOTO is also a supplier to domestic rental operators and international distributors in over 30 countries.
SITUATION
Maintaining a fleet of photo booths worldwide while keeping up with customer demand, one of the biggest challenges Innovative FOTO faces is the ability to keep enough raw material on hand for just in time production without increasing costs. Innovative FOTO began working with another Value Added Reseller, but quickly realized that WEI’s customer service and solution oriented approach was unmatched.
“We customize photo booths to suit a variety of requirements for a wide array of customers. This customization can require a variety of unique parts be on-hand at all times. As a result of working through WEI, we have been able to leverage their established relationships with the manufacturers of these parts and complete production on time.”
– Innovative FOTO’s CFO Carl Annese
SOLUTION
Innovative FOTO partners with Technology Solutions and Service Provider, WEI to fulfill their production needs. WEI’s ability to source directly from multiple vendors and pass down their pricing discount means that Innovative FOTO’s customers are shielded from price increases. In addition, WEI warehouses parts required for custom orders providing quick delivery when components are needed to fulfill the company’s production needs.
RESULTS
Purchasing in bulk, warehousing and delivery are just part of the solution provided by WEI. As a supplier, WEI offers guidance on vendor selection, pipeline, and forecasting; keeping the customer informed of end of life issues or any changes in technology that could impact manufacturing.
“Working with WEI simply takes the headache out of us having to negotiate with so many different manufacturers,” explains Annese, “not to mention the dollars we save by buying through them and using their warehousing facility to store critical components in large quantity. From the beginning, they’ve worked with us to understand us—our objectives now and into the future—they have used their expertise in the industry and relationships with manufacturers to creatively identify the best solutions to meet these objectives.“
Today, WEI is one of Innovative FOTO’s largest suppliers.
As Annese explains:
“They act more like our partner than our supplier, they are always thinking on our behalf. For example, they stay abreast of end of life issues associated with parts and helping us secure alternative components to bridge the gap created by technology-related end of life. That is a real business partner and we couldn’t be more pleased having them as part of our team.”
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