If you can measure customer satisfaction by whether a customer chooses to return to a business, Goal Zero might be ROI’s most satisfied customer. Since 2012, Goal Zero has implemented IN-SYNCH connections for their Sage 100 ERP with a Shopify storefront, multiple Amazon Marketplace accounts, Walmart, eBay, shipping software solutions (Starship, FedEx, UPS), and a Hubsoft customer portal with the ROI API.
Clearly, Goal Zero and ROI work well together! As Michael Miller, manager at Goal Zero, notes, “With the multiple threads of connectivity and information needed to flow into Sage 100, Goal Zero required a one stop shop that could provide that seamless integration no matter the platform or data-sets needed to come into our ERP and workflows. ROI has solved this problem with its robust IN-SYNCH solution.
Rachel Nelson, Sage administrator at Goal Zero, adds, “we need real-time processing, accurate transaction posting, reliable connectivity, and scalable solutions for our multiple platforms running our e-commerce or information flows. These results have continuously been achieved with each integration conducted with the ROI team.”
Goal Zero: A Company on a Mission
Goal Zero has been on a mission since day one. The company was founded in 2009 by Robert Workman after he traveled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and noticed the urgent need for sustainable, easy-to-install electric power. Soon, Goal Zero began producing portable solar-powered products that could provide power under nearly any circumstances.
Since then, Goal Zero (an NRG company) has expanded its product lines, upgraded its technology, and created more ways for their power stations to connect to lights, homes, cars, and more. They’ve even started a mobile app through which their customers can control their power stations. Today, Goal Zero employs over 100 employees in the Salt Lake City office.
However, Goal Zero isn’t just about business growth. True to its founder’s vision, the company has participated in many different humanitarian efforts. They’ve donated portable power stations to those affected by the 2011 Japanese tsunami, Hurricane Sandy, Typhoon Haiyan, the 2016 Nepal earthquake, Hurricane Harvey, and the 2021 Haitian earthquake.
Beyond short-term aid, Goal Zero has also worked with disadvantaged communities the world over to provide sustainable, long-term electricity and lighting. They’ve lit up schools and orphanages in the Philippines, India, Ghana, Peru, and the DRC. Goal Zero employees make frequent trips to the Navajo Nation here in the U.S. every year to provide electricity for remote homes.
Global Reach Requires Stellar Software
It’s very apparent that Goal Zero has a lot going on. To manage their global marketplaces, complex manufacturing operations, and varied distribution strategies, Goal Zero needed powerful software solutions integrated seamlessly with each other. Enter ROI.
Miller describes how the partnership works: “The ROI team works closely with our PMO and IT teams to ensure we are aligned on the development progress and IT testing outcomes. Throughout this iterative process, Goal Zero and ROI can typically deploy the integrated solution into production within 6–12 weeks, depending on the scope and size of the project. Additionally, with any project go-live, the ROI team is on hand to address any last-minute adjustments or questions should they arise. It is a collaborative effort with a great partnership.”
One great example of how ROI has helped Goal Zero has to do with their fulfillment strategy. Goal Zero had a unique need: when they received orders for large items from the eastern U.S., the fulfillment needed to happen through their east coast 3PL warehouse. However, for those same states, smaller items still needed to be fulfilled through their main Salt Lake City warehouse. ROI helped configure the split fulfillment logic that allowed this process to take place automatically.
Another more recent project has involved Goal Zero’s Canadian ecommerce. They needed an IN-SYNCH integration for the Canadian markets using Shopify and Amazon. Goal Zero gave ROI a timeline of 3 months for at least one of the integrations to be done. ROI completed both integrations in 2 months.
We’re Not Done Yet
Miller says that ROI has helped Goal Zero grow and reach an international market: “ROI and the IN-SYNCH solutions have definitely allowed for growth through their scalable development and connections. We can expand our international marketplaces utilizing repeatable capabilities with development updates for every country we are engaging in e-commerce business. Additionally, Sage 100 integration has unique specifications for any integrations required, and ROI with the IN-SYNCH solution is the best in the field to accommodate our specific needs with Sage integrations.”
But we’re not done yet! ROI and Goal Zero’s partnership is still going strong. “Just about every project on the roadmap for 2024 and 2025 will involve ROI in some fashion, Miller says. “Any time we have a project where Rachel and I know we’re going to need some specific coding or information, that’s when we say, ‘Call ROI!’”
