The enterprising story of Softlabs ERP

Introducing @AuManufacturing’s latest sponsor – SoftLabs enterprise software company. In this sponsored article, Peter Roberts talks to the company Director, Sreeni Pillamarri about the history and philosophy of this unique business.

A glance through Sreeni Pillamarri’s Linkedin profile tells you a lot about about the Hyderabad, India born businessman, and a lot about how he leads his 30 year old enterprise software company.

Every few days he posts from out in the community officiating at a community event, or more likely meeting, supporting and shining a light on an enterprising local business in his role as Councillor for Hornsby Shire Council in northern Sydney.

Often seen alongside the Mayor of Hornsby Shire, venerable former federal politician Philip Ruddock, Pillamarri takes service to the community very seriously, as he does a focus of listening, and the level of service he tries to instil through his family-owned business.

He told @AuManufacturing: “Every customer is an individual with individual issues.

“When we go to a customer, we set out to understand their business, to understand their pain points and to respond to that.

“We have to wear different caps for each and every customer – the philosophy of the business has always been the same.”

Pillamarri migrated to Australia in 1998 to be with his wider family settled in Sydney since 1991. With a background in technology, training, business consulting and innovation, he joined the business then renamed as SoftLabs in 2012 from roles at Woolworths and in media.

The SoftLabs philosophy is built on a technology and innovation background, melded with learnings from a training and business consulting approach.

Pillamarri said: “But what I see from the Australian point of view, the Australian education system and the Australian business system is that innovation is often in small pieces

“It doesn’t have to be a demolition of the company as it exists, but rather ‘I am going to have this elephant in small pieces’.

“Every business is looking for more automated processes to prosper in today’s market conditions.”

While SoftLabs has long worked with key partner, ERP giant Epicor, the company has developed its own software, GRAPE ERP, which it customises to meet SME company needs in terms of budget and management – business leaders of many SMEs are very focused on operating their businesses rather than on IT.

Including modules such as Inventory Management, Sales Management, Quoting, Project Management, Ticketing, and HRMS (Human Resource Management System), GRAPE ERP is attuned to Australian SME businesses looking to streamline their operations and improve their overall efficiency.

“Because I come from this family business tradition we see Epicor as part of our own family.

“But we have added the missing parts of the puzzle to the product as well.

“Customers want to have that ease of technology to be used in their particular business.”

Traditionally focused on aged care and government services, SoftLabs has been increasingly penetrating manufacturing since 2020.

Earlier this week the company celebrated its history and its sharper focus on manufacturing in a gala event in Sydney attended by clients and community leaders including Mayor Ruddock, Damien Tudehope MLC, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Councillor Emelda Davis, City of Sydney Council, and Greg O’Loan, Regional Vice President of Epicor in Australia and New Zealand.

Pillamarri said: “We are already labelled as an Australian owned small business – we have all our resources working from Australia and delivering our services.

“Moving forward for SoftLabs we want to be seen as the ERP company for Australia, with our own products, and with Epicor as our long term partner, being a system integrator for them.”

Pillamarri said that doubling down on its efforts in manufacturing was a response to a revival in in the sector.

“Manufacturing in Australia is coming back.

“Many are starting to look again at local manufacturers doing local manufacturing again.

“We are there to provide complete automation and digitisation end to end.”

For more information on SoftLabs enterprise software services please contact: Garima Sharma, Director Operations, [email protected] or 0424 455 918

Picture: Sreeni Pillamarri