“StarShip streamlined our shipping and eliminated hours of manual work. The automation and accuracy we’ve gained have transformed how we fulfill orders and how quickly we get paid.”
– Steve Varon, President, Crown Metal Manufacturing
The Challenge
Shipping was becoming a pain point for Crown Metal Manufacturing. Although the company had invested in a modern ERP, shipping workflows were still manual, inefficient, and increasingly difficult to manage at scale. After adopting Acumatica Cloud ERP, the company expected smoother processes across the board, but shipping workflows were still holding the business back.
Orders were being pushed through multiple carrier systems, with employees copying and pasting tracking numbers, closing orders manually, and double-checking details across disconnected tools. The process worked, but only at the cost of speed and accuracy. A single incorrect entry could trigger customer questions, internal follow-ups, and wasted time across departments.
As volumes increased and delivery timelines tightened, it became clear that shipping needed to be integrated with Acumatica. Crown Metal was looking for a solution that could automate shipping tasks, eliminate duplicate work, and support the team without adding complexity to daily operations.
The Solution
To modernize shipping operations, Crown Metal Manufacturing turned to Crestwood Associates, a trusted Gold Certified Acumatica partner for guidance. After assessing the company’s workflows and growth plans, Crestwood recommended StarShip by V-Technologies, an ERP integrated shipping solution built to support manufacturers and distributors.
What set StarShip apart was its ability to bring shipping into one solution, and integrate bi-directionally with over a dozen major ERPs. Carrier processing, tracking updates, and order completion all occur within StarShip—removing the need for standalone UPS and FedEx applications. Automation replaced manual steps, while real-time shipment data became instantly accessible to customer service and management teams through the bi-directional integration with Acumatica.
The implementation, led by Guillermo Pineda of Crestwood Associates, was quick and low-touch. Configuration was tailored to existing workflows, allowing the team to begin shipping almost immediately. “I don’t think I did anything,” joked Steve Varon, President at Crown Metal. “Guillermo took care of everything. It was up and running quickly.”
The Outcome
With StarShip’s bi-directional connection to Acumatica, daily shipping operations became noticeably smoother. Warehouse staff could process shipments without navigating multiple systems, and order data flowed automatically from shipping to invoicing without manual intervention.
The biggest shift came in visibility and responsiveness. Tracking details were always available inside Acumatica, allowing teams to resolve questions on the spot. “One time a VP at a store said our product hadn’t arrived. I pulled the tracking number from Acumatica and told him who signed for it. The conversation was over in seconds,” Varon shared. “That kind of visibility is a game-changer.”
Although staffing levels remained unchanged, efficiency improved throughout the organization. Fewer errors, faster order completion, and quicker invoicing helped the business keep pace with growing demand, without adding operational strain.
Key Results
- Order and tracking data automatically writeback from StarShip to Acumatica
- Time saving, elimination of duplicate data entry and manual order updates
- Improved visibility on shipping data for customer support and executives
- Reduced data errors tied for tracking and routing
- Simplified user experience for warehouse staff
- Scalable integration for growing company
