How Biom Scaled Retail Operations with Crstl's EDI Platform

Andres Marcos joined as the COO of Biom after a decade of experience in DTC. 

Biom recognized a pressing environmental problem—90% of all wet wipes contain toxic ingredients and microplastics that never break down, and their packaging generates billions of pounds of plastic waste annually. The Biom team spent months researching and a year prototyping before launching their groundbreaking solution.

Biom created the first refillable wipe system, made with 100% plant-based, biodegradable materials. Each product eliminates single-use plastics while using natural ingredients safe for both humans and pets.

"We built a beautiful dispenser that is designed to live on your countertop and that’s super easy to refill and use, which eliminates single use plastic tubes " explains Marcos. "And any typical disinfecting wipe has a ton of toxins and chemicals that are known to cause various harmful effects in humans as well as pets, so we redesigned the wipes to remove all toxic chemicals and made them home compostable as well."

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Challenge: Wrestling with Legacy EDI Systems

As Biom prepared to launch in Target, they needed an efficient EDI solution to handle their expanding retail operations. 

Their existing setup with a legacy EDI provider proved inadequate for their growing needs.

Manual processes plagued every aspect of their operations. Staff members had to log in manually to retrieve orders and route them to the warehouse. 

The warehouse team needed to confirm shipments separately, while accounting had to ensure all data properly synced with their systems.

"I had gone through the process of setting up integrations with this EDI provider, and it was very cumbersome and time-consuming," Marcos recalls.

The situation worsened as the business grew. Each issue required coordinating between multiple support teams and logging into separate portals, creating unnecessary complexity and delays.

"There was another portal you had to log into… another set of customer service representatives outside of the EDI provider that we had to interact with. All of this was suboptimal, to be generous," says Marcos.

Solution: Crstl Streamlines Operations

Biom discovered Crstl through a community. 

After discussing implementation timelines and customer service capabilities with Dipti, Crstl’s approach resonated with their needs.

"When I talked to the Crstl team about how the platform worked and the implementation times and the customer service, it was enough of a pitch. I was willing to try it. If you can save me the headache that I’ve had to go through implementing another EDI provider, I’m willing to give it a shot," Marcos explains.

The transition to Crstl proved remarkably smooth. The platform automated order routing to their warehouse and synchronized updates with QuickBooks. Most notably, Crstl’s customer service model eliminated the communication bottlenecks that had hindered their previous EDI experience.

• Direct Slack channel access to support team
• Real-time notifications for incoming orders
• User-friendly interface for troubleshooting
• Simple SKU mapping to set up their QuickBooks Online integration in minutes
• Bi-directional 3PL integration with RJW to automate fulfillment workflows
• Automated warehouse routing

Impact: Time Savings and Operational Excellence

Crstl’s implementation transformed Biom’s EDI operations, drastically reducing the time spent managing orders and resolving issues.

"To me, the real difference with Crstl is how fast they respond. There’s always going to be issues, but just knowing that the Crstl customer support team is there and will respond quickly if we have an issue makes all the difference," Marcos emphasizes.

The streamlined system allowed Biom’s team to focus on their core mission - creating sustainable cleaning products. Manual intervention requirements dropped significantly, while order processing efficiency increased.

"Just spending way less time worrying about EDI and sorting through EDI related tasks. It’s just saved me a ton of time every week," shares Marcos.

Results

• Automated order processing and routing
• Instant notification system through Slack integration
• Reduced support resolution time
• Simplified SKU management
• Seamless QuickBooks integration for automated invoicing
• Powerful 3PL integration with RJW
• Significant weekly time savings on EDI-related tasks

Biom continues to make strides in sustainable cleaning solutions, now supported by an EDI system that matches their innovative spirit. Their partnership with Crstl ensures smooth operations as they expand their retail presence and work toward their mission of fixing the wipes industry.

Ready to modernize your EDI operations? Book a demo with Crstl today and learn how automated order processing, real-time notifications, and responsive support can streamline your retail partnerships.