Rochester Concrete Products builds a strong data foundation with BT Partners and Domo
Industry
Manufacturing
Solution
Domo
Client Since
2021
Rochester Concrete Products
Family-owned and three generations strong, Rochester Concrete Products has led the way in manufacturing high-quality concrete hardscaping products since 1914. Operating out of four manufacturing facilities in Wisconsin and Minnesota, the company is a dynamic operation with a licensing arm for concrete technology and a specialized engineering team. Recently, after years of consistent success, Rochester re-embraced a growth mindset, expanding its horizons and focusing on data as a strategic asset. When they sought a partner to help them turn that data into actionable insights, Rochester Concrete Products found precisely what they needed in BT Partners’ Executive Analytics team.
"We don’t invest in technology for technology’s sake - we need answers to the right questions, and BT Partners gives us those answers without us having to expend our internal time and resources."
Building blocks for actionable data
An early adopter of business intelligence (BI) technology, Rochester began using IBM Cognos in 2001 to pull insights from its ERP system. As time passed, though, the software’s limitations became clear – it could only run pre-set reports from office computers, rendering data inaccessible to most team members. “We wanted to democratize our data, to make it available to everyone in the company,” says Chris Price, CEO. Rochester also wanted a more flexible, web-based platform that could grow alongside their business and deliver real time insights from anywhere.
After a thorough evaluation process, Rochester chose to partner with BT Partners, who came highly recommended by Domo. “We were impressed by BT Partners’ deep understanding of data and their hands-on approach,” says Price. “We needed a partner who could build out the system for us without depending on our limited IT resources, and BT Partners delivered that expertise.”
Reinforcing sales with flexible, dynamic insights
BT Partners handled the entire implementation, working closely with Rochester to transition their data infrastructure into a more flexible, accessible solution. Starting with a foundation of essential reports, BT Partners carefully replicated Rochester’s key metrics and then expanded the platform to incorporate data from additional sources, including spreadsheets and ADP. The result is a comprehensive, user-friendly system that has transformed how Rochester’s team interacts with data.
Instead of static reports that only a few people can access, Rochester now has dynamic dashboards that fuel real time insights exploration. For example, Rochester’s new AR report doesn’t just show customer balances – it lets users drill down by salesperson and click on customer names to access invoice details in real time.
“It’s empowering,” says Price. “Now, salespeople can see how they’re performing daily, adjust their strategies, and respond to customer needs faster.” With this accessible, flexible reporting structure, Rochester’s sales-driven organization now relies on data to inform every conversation and opportunity.
Beyond the sales team, the management side now has a clear understanding of product performance. With real time insights into which items are moving and which aren’t, they can adjust marketing efforts or run targeted promotions to boost sales on slower-moving products. BT Partners’ custom dashboards make it easy for Rochester’s leaders to see trends and make decisions that impact profitability.
Cementing a data-driven culture
As Rochester grows, sharing data has become essential to making informed decisions across the organization. “We realized that holding data close and not sharing it would set us back,” Price says. “Sharing data means expanding our resources and making smarter decisions.”
The move to Domo allows Rochester to use data to drive profitability and shape their strategic direction. For example, the company is currently using Domo-generated insights to guide an overall SKU reduction strategy. By analyzing annual, three-month, and three-week sales trends, they can identify products to phase out, ensuring that inventory aligns with demand.
Rochester’s shift to a more accessible data culture brings significant cost and time savings. With data available on-demand, employees no longer rely on limited static reports or sift through spreadsheets. Sales teams now have access to real time insights right in the field, making it easier to respond to clients with the information they need at their fingertips. “When data is more accessible, it actually gets used—and that makes it more valuable to us,” says Price.
The right mix of product and partnership
For Rochester, BT Partners’ Executive Analytics team is even more valuable than the Domo data platform. “Our relationship with BT Partners is worth more than any tool,” says Price. “We don’t invest in technology for technology’s sake – we need answers to the right questions, and BT Partners gives us those answers without us having to expend our internal time and resources.”
For ongoing projects, Rochester purchases blocks of consulting time from BT Partners, giving them flexibility while maintaining continuity. Price appreciates the relationship’s responsiveness.“BT Partners knows our business, so when we make a request, there’s no wasted time,” he says. “They respect our time and deliver exactly what we need very quickly.” This consultative approach has provided Rochester with the value of a full analytics team without the overhead of hiring in-house data analysts.
Building a partnership that supports future growth
With BT Partners managing their analytics needs, Rochester can focus on growth and strategic decision-making rather than managing technology. “The partnership with BT Partners is worth more than any tool—they’re a true extension of our team,” Price adds. “They know our business and data inside and out and make recommendations that keep us moving forward.”
By simplifying data access and making insights actionable, BT Partners is helping Rochester turn their information into an engine for growth – laying the groundwork for the company’s next century of success.