Case Study:

Carefree of Colorado

How a Leading RV Awnings Manufacturer Cut Configuration Time by 74% and Enabled 24/7 Self-Service Sales with Configure One Cloud

Challenge

Carefree faced outdated configuration systems that required specialized knowledge. Their highly configurable RV awnings—with billions of possible combinations—demanded a sophisticated, user-friendly solution that would integrate with their existing ERP system.

Outcome

Configure One Cloud delivered complete integration between Acumatica ERP and Carefree of Colorado’s website, automating 74% of part number creation, saving over three hours each day, and enabling 24/7 product configuration for dealers nationwide.

By implementing Configure One Cloud, Carefree of Colorado turned their 3-hour manual configuration process into an instant, automated system. The Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) solution connected their ERP and website together, saving 3.5 hours daily, eliminating configuration errors, and enabling 24/7 customer ordering. What used to be a major operational constraint became a sales advantage.

Beyond Basic Configuration

Carefree of Colorado manufactures RV awnings with billions of possible configurations, making their product lineup inherently complex. Their legacy systems—an AS400 ERP with built-in configurator capabilities and custom Java-based web configurators—had fallen into disrepair as personnel who understood these systems left the organization.

“We didn’t have the bandwidth to hire Java programmers to update these older systems,” explained Mark Ferguson, Director of IT at Carefree of Colorado. “It just didn’t make sense to invest that level of effort into outdated technology.”

When Carefree migrated to Acumatica ERP, they discovered its built-in configurator lacked the sophistication required for their products. Kathy Pizzo, who manages product configuration at Carefree, noted, “The built-in Acumatica Configurator was far more clunky than our internal folks were used to. It wasn’t sophisticated enough to handle all the variances in our products.”

Most critically, they couldn’t use Acumatica’s configurator on their website—a deal-breaker since their customers configure products directly before placing orders. Without a proper configurator, approximately 80% of their website sales would be impossible.

Connected Systems Lead to Growth

Carefree of Colorado discovered Configure One Cloud at an Acumatica Summit and recognized it as the answer to their configuration challenges. They implemented the CPQ solution to connect their new ERP system with their website, creating a unified configuration experience across all channels.

The advanced rules engine in Configure One Cloud handles Carefree’s highly complex product configurations without requiring custom coding. The platform automatically creates accurate bills of materials (BOMs) and item information, eliminating manual setup processes. When dealers or customers configure a product, the system instantly creates the part number in Acumatica with all required attributes.

“Configure One Cloud creates valid configurations through intuitive, dynamic questioning. It prevents errors in both configurations and pricing,” explains Kathy. “The platform’s ability to integrate the exact same configurator into our ERP system and our customer-facing website ensures a consistent experience for everyone.”

The integration capabilities were a decisive factor in Carefree’s selection process. As Mark notes, “The fact that it can integrate with anything means I’m not worried about what our next software system will be. That’s a big selling point—moving configurators into a system you can count on for the next 15 years.”

The Configurator is set up so you can't make a mistake. You can't set up a product that's not allowed, and you can't set up bills of material or pricing that have errors. "

Kathy Pizzo
Product Configuration Manager

Connect Once, Configure Everywhere

Since implementing Configure One Cloud, Carefree of Colorado has transformed their product configuration process from a labor-intensive bottleneck to an efficient, error-proof system. The solution has replaced their disconnected systems with a single, reliable platform that serves both internal teams and external customers.

For Carefree’s internal operations, the time savings have been substantial. The configurator saves 7-10 minutes per part number setup, translating to approximately 3.5 hours saved daily during regular periods and up to 6.5 hours during peak season. This efficiency gain effectively eliminates the need for additional headcount—a $50,000 annual savings.

The impact extends beyond time savings. Configure One Cloud has improved forecasting capabilities by creating standard item numbers in the ERP system rather than the “pseudo” part numbers their previous system generated. This provides greater visibility into sales history and allows for more accurate demand planning.

For dealers, the 24/7 availability of the configuration system has reduced lead times significantly. Weekend orders that previously had to wait for manual processing on Monday can now be entered directly into the system, ready for processing first thing on Monday morning.

Key Outcomes

74% faster part number creation now that the configurator generates 128 part numbers weekly vs. 40-50 manual entries
3.5 hours saved daily during regular periods, up to 6.5 hours during peak season
$50,000 annual savings from eliminated headcount needs
24/7 self-service ordering enabled customers to configure products anytime, anywhere
Instant order processing of weekend orders that now enter the system immediately, ready for Monday morning
Error-free configurations with Configure One Cloud that intelligently prevents invalid product setups and pricing mistakes
Improved forecasting through standardized part numbers in ERP enhance sales tracking and demand planning
Better inventory management with real, traceable part numbers that replace previous "pseudo" numbers patch solution
Future-proof foundation now that the configuration system operates independently, providing flexibility for future system changes

"The integration with our website is absolutely impactful. Many orders of configured products are coming through the website, 24/7 anywhere in the world versus having to have staff at their desk."

Kathy Pizzo
Product Configuration Manager

What's Next for Carefree of Colorado

Carefree of Colorado is just beginning to tap into Configure One Cloud’s potential. As they build out more configurators, they anticipate even greater time savings — potentially eight hours daily — and expanded self-service capabilities for customers.

Their roadmap includes implementing visual configuration features, allowing customers to see their RV awning designs in real-time, further enhancing the customer experience and reducing the learning curve for new dealers.