Vinarius

Challenges

AThe business relied heavily on spreadsheets and disconnected systems to manage customer relationships, order history, and logistics. Manual processes were time-consuming and prone to error—particularly around statements, invoicing, and delivery tracking. There was no centralised platform linking sales activity, customer data, and reporting.

Additionally, B2B pricing structures were complex and required customer-specific tiered pricing and purchase workflows. Vinarius pride themselves on their curated product offering, responsive service, and strong trade relationships. As their business grew, so did the complexity of managing orders, customer accounts, delivery logistics, and internal reporting. Vinarius needed a system that would modernise and streamline their B2B operations without disrupting what was already working.

Process

We began with a Digital Roadmap Session to align the leadership and sales team on pain points, future needs, and digital goals. This led to the development of a clear 360° Game Plan focused on Phase 1: B2B backend systems.

The backend was built on WooCommerce, but heavily customised for internal use only. Sales staff now have access to a quick-entry order interface that is optimised for speed and simplicity, rather than customer browsing. Tiered trade pricing, customer-specific discounts, and custom fields for purchase order numbers were integrated directly into the workflow. We also implemented custom packing slip templates with internal metadata for logistics use.

Jetpack CRM was integrated to ensure that customer profiles and order histories are automatically created. We customised the CRM to support statement tracking, delivery preferences, credit terms, and account status. Automated workflows now generate invoices and link them directly to the relevant CRM record.

For reporting and insights, we connected the platform to Metorik, allowing for powerful filtering, visual dashboards, and automated reporting. The leadership team can now track sales performance by salesperson, region, account type, and time period with ease.

Custom functionality was developed to support how Vinarius operates on a day-to-day basis. Each customer is assigned to a salesperson, and the system now supports monthly commission tracking with exportable reports. Delivery scheduling logic was added based on postcode and customer preferences. We also developed a tool to generate customer statements, display outstanding balances, and automate invoice due date tracking and payment reminders.

Results

Vinarius partnered with EMBARK to design and implement a fully bespoke backend sales and CRM platform tailored to the unique needs of their B2B wine distribution business. This was a non-public, internal system focused on streamlining day-to-day operations and preparing for scalable digital growth.

The backend B2B system has significantly improved operational efficiency. Sales reps can now enter and manage orders in seconds, eliminating the need for manual entry. Invoices and statements are generated automatically, saving hours of admin time each week. Sales performance and commission data is tracked in real-time, giving management greater visibility and control.

The CRM now acts as a central hub for customer data, pricing structures, and historical activity, while reporting via Metorik supports informed decision-making.

Summary

Vinarius now has a custom-built backend sales and CRM platform that supports how their business actually works. It streamlines admin, simplifies reporting, and allows their team to focus on service—not spreadsheets.

With Phase 1 successfully delivered, EMBARK will continue supporting Vinarius through future phases of the 360° Game Plan, including customer self-serve portals, marketing automation, and payments integration. This strong operational foundation sets them up for scalable, tech-enabled B2B growth.