Broan-NuTone, a leader in residential ventilation products, faced a familiar challenge: they were overwhelmed by manual processes, fielding around 6,000 monthly calls from customers asking about inventory, invoices, and order statuses. Their goal was clear: streamline operations, cut down on support costs, and deliver a better customer experience.

The Challenge

The stakes were high. Broan-NuTone needed to reduce the time and effort spent on manual customer service processes, which were overwhelming their team. The key was to create a streamlined system that would eliminate the “swivel-chair” data entry between siloed systems and the ERP for order placements. But it wasn’t just about making things easier for the internal team—it was also about providing a better experience for customers when they contacted Broan-NuTone for support or to place orders. After all, service teams don’t just solve problems, they drive loyalty.

Despite heavy investment in Salesforce, Broan-NuTone wasn’t fully leveraging its potential. Legacy system integration, product data management, and user account structure challenges kept them from realizing the full value of their tools. That’s where Saltbox stepped in.

The Solution

Our mission was ambitious: automate as much of the customer service process as possible. By integrating a new B2B portal with Broan-NuTone’s existing ERP and Document Repository (Mobius), we created a streamlined, user-friendly platform. Now, distributors could access order statuses and inventory without any manual intervention.

In just 14 weeks, we delivered the first phase: a read-only portal for order visibility, a searchable inventory system, and integrated document access. This wasn’t just an upgrade—it was a foundation for ongoing automation and efficiency.

The Results

Saltbox’s solution transformed Broan-NuTone’s manual customer calls into automated self-service options, drastically reducing call volumes. This freed up their customer service teams to focus on more valuable work. As Ken Garfinkel, CIO at Broan-NuTone, said, “Our people are now repurposed for more value-added work.”

The portal not only reduced calls but gave customers 24/7 access to order info, inventory availability, and key documentation. This shift boosted both customer satisfaction and internal efficiency, allowing Broan-NuTone’s teams to work smarter.

Ken was quick to commend our work, saying, “Your team did a fantastic job. They communicated well, managed the project professionally, and were incredibly efficient. My project manager, who’s been with me for years, said this was the best project he’s ever been involved in.”

Conclusion

This project proves why choosing the right partner is crucial. Commerce is complicated, and too often companies are let down by empty promises. Saltbox isn’t about hype—we’re about results. We helped Broan-NuTone transform their inbound calls into a seamless self-service experience, freeing up resources and boosting customer satisfaction.

As Ken put it, “You met your budget, didn’t nickel and dime us, and kept every commitment. I’m happy to praise partners who truly help us—I’ll do it every day, and twice on Sunday.”

At Saltbox, we not only deliver on our promises but also set our clients up for long-term success, driving future digital transformation that continues to add value.

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