Manufacturer WaterCo Connects ERP and CRM for Sales Insights
Before WaterCo upgraded their sales tech stack, every customer conversation depended on what a rep remembered—or jotted down in a notepad. As a manufacturer of pool and spa products, WaterCo had a solid ERP system (Epicor) to manage operations, but no central place to track customer relationships or insights.
That changed when they brought in SugarCRM and sales-i. With customer data and insights now at their fingertips, WaterCo’s reps walk into every conversation prepared, informed, and ready to act. For manufacturers still managing customer data in silos, WaterCo’s story is a glimpse at what’s possible.
Based in Sydney, Australia, WaterCo manufactures pool and spa products across residential, commercial, and aquaculture sectors. Their reps are the face of the business, working with a wide network of customers and retail partners.
But behind the scenes, something was missing: a clear link between customer interactions and operational data.
“We didn’t have a proper tool to measure what was happening with customers,” says Marco Contreras, ANZ IT Manager at WaterCo. “There was a gap between financials and the human side of things.”
No Central Place for Customer History
WaterCo relied on reps’ personal knowledge—what they remembered or wrote down in a notepad. When a rep left, so did the customer insights. There was no continuity, no shared visibility, and customers often had to start from scratch with new reps. Trust eroded. Context disappeared. Without shared insight, WaterCo struggled to spot changes in buying behavior or act on them.
“Everything was in someone’s head—if the rep left, so did the knowledge. You, as a customer, are the one who suffers.”
Marco C., ANZ IT Manager, WaterCo
CRM & ERP for Consolidated Customer View
WaterCo uses Epicor, a manufacturing-focused ERP system. But with no robust CRM in place that linked front and back-end operations, sales and service teams lacked access to meaningful customer data. That changed when they implemented SugarCRM and integrated it with Epicor.
SugarCRM gave them a centralized platform to manage customer relationships, track interactions, and give reps full visibility into every account. WaterCo also started using sales-i, a revenue intelligence tool that analyzes buying behavior, uncovers trends, and highlights new opportunities for growth.
“If a customer is buying less or less often, we can ask why—and take action.”
Marco C., ANZ IT Manager, WaterCo
Empowering Reps, Elevating Experience
WaterCo’s CRM-ERP integration isn’t just about data. It’s about enabling people.
Now, WaterCo’s reps walk into every meeting prepared—with real-time insights into past purchases, seasonal trends, and gaps in buying behavior. With SugarCRM and sales-i, they have the context, confidence, and data they need to make every customer conversation more productive.
“It’s really about preparing the rep for a productive conversation. We want them to walk in confident—and walk out with results.”
Marco C., ANZ IT Manager, WaterCo
Smarter Selling Through Seasonality
In the pool and spa industry, sales follow the weather. For WaterCo, seasonality is a big part of the business; when it rains, chemical sales go up; when it’s hot, demand shifts to other categories. SugarCRM’s sales-i helps the team stay on top of those trends. When demand shifts, reps are ready—with the right products and offers.
WaterCo chose to use SugarCRM alongside sales-i because they needed a more granular way to measure sales patterns, buying behavior changes and identify cross-sell opportunities. The company needed visibility into the details — to understand each part, to track customer behavior, to see what they’re buying and what they’re not buying.
“With the help of sales intelligence, sales-i, that is embedded with Sugar, we can predict when a customer starts dropping off the radar.”
Marco C., ANZ IT Manager, WaterCo
What’s Next: Smarter Promotions
With the CRM foundation in place, WaterCo is rolling out stage two: promotion tracking. The goal? Smarter management of offers across the commercial team and swim store partners.
“We’re keen to see what insights we can draw from it.”
Marco C., ANZ IT Manager, WaterCo
Why It Matters
WaterCo shows what’s possible when you connect CRM and ERP with a healthy dose of intelligent reporting.
By integrating SugarCRM with Epicor, they’ve moved from reactive service to proactive selling. Reps now have the tools, visibility, and intelligence to build trust and drive growth.
For manufacturers—especially those working with channel partners—this kind of clarity changes everything.
Ready to connect your ERP and CRM? Discover how SugarCRM and Epicor can help you turn disconnected data into connected experiences.
