Meet the team - Liam Merrick

Early in his career, Liam was employed as a graphics operator at a sign manufacturing company in Auckland, New Zealand. He observed the owner processing quotes using memory, pen and paper. However, he noted a lot of inconsistency. Each day the same owner would take almost identical enquiries, yet detailed different sets of costs.

“There has got to be a more accurate and consistent way”. He knew then and there that he was taking the first steps in operations management that ultimately led him on a path to his current role as a Solutions Engineer for software products that include M1 and JobBOSS ².

Can you tell us about your first experience with business management software?

Because I was the young computer-savvy guy, I was tasked with evaluating and implementing software to improve the business and its operations after the owner had attended a seminar on the E-Myth principles by Michael Gerber. The software that was settled on arrived in a box with a stack of about 20 floppy discs and a huge manual of approximately 400 pages. I read that manual from the first to last page and implemented the whole system on my own over a period of approximately four months.

After the first year of that new system being live, the business had tripled its turnover without increasing staff. A lot of that success was down to having a system that could manage all the business operations from quote to cash, rather than relying on memory, word of mouth, record repetition, or long tasks looking up costs from multiple sources. From there, I was officially promoted to the role of Operations and Systems Manager.

“I thought to myself, If I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it properly”. So I put myself back though university, into business school, to formally learn about business and operations management.

The company you bought the original software from became ECI Solutions. How did that happen?

A bit further down the track, and looking for a career change, as well as an opportunity to follow my passion for, and further enhance my experience in business operations, I answered an opportunity to join the software provider as an application specialist for a new presence being set up in Sydney, Australia. Back then, application specialists did the role of implementing the software for new system sales, as well as customer support and after-market services. When the business was acquired by ECI Solutions, I stayed on. As such, my journey went from customer to employee, and it’s been more than 20 years. I have enjoyed all my positions, including my current role as a solutions engineer. There are some things that keep you with an employer for a long time, more than just financial reward.

How many businesses and people have you helped over this time?

In my time as an application specialist, I completed approximately 120 implementations across Australia, New Zealand, and a few in North America. Each business has many people in all roles. Multiplying that out means that I have helped thousands of people as business owners, managers, and all the other employees. As a solutions engineer, I still continue to help all our customers.

I know that each business is a point in a supply chain and by enriching the individual business, I am also assisting the enrichment of those supply chains. Improvements in these companies helps someone further downstream or further upstream as well. I do have a passion for seeing local businesses succeed, and that's where I come from.

When people enjoy the benefits of their healthier business, I feel like we have partnered and build a healthier, stronger, and more sustainable future together.

Is creating that healthier business your job satisfaction?

Knowing that they've modernised, that they've made themselves healthier and stronger for the future, and to actually see them quickly reap the benefits, absolutely makes me happy. Before we get started on an implementation project, I have seen many, many unhappy manufacturing employees who don't want to go to work because they're drowning in paperwork and mundane tasks. To be able to turn that around, improve their mental health, and give job satisfaction back to these people is extremely rewarding for me. When they're happier with their workflow, meaningfully contribute more to their businesses, and make said business more profitable and sustainable, that is exactly where I get my personal and job satisfaction.

I obviously have a passion and love for the manufacturing products and solutions we offer. My happiness comes from supporting local manufacturing businesses and seeing them succeed with the right technology and computing tools to run these amazing companies.