From Forza to Avanue: A Conversation on the Next Era of Dealer ERP
Our founder Gary Shergill recently sat down with Michael Stramaglio, founder of MWA Intelligence and original creator of Forza, on the Straleio Show. They talked about the journey from Forza to Avanue, the real role of AI in ERP, and where the dealer channel is headed. Here are the highlights.
From a booth visit to an acquisition
It started almost by accident. Gary stopped by the Forza booth at an SAP summit and found a strong product held back by an aging SAP Business One stack.
Gary has worked with SAP Business One since its US launch in 2004, and is one of only two consultants still with it from the start. He knew the platform could do much more. He acquired Forza, rebuilt it on modern SAP technology, and renamed it Avanue: your path forward.
Today the Avanue team includes about 150 SAP Business One specialists who have implemented in 27 countries and provide 24/7 support. All of that growth came through word of mouth, without a sales team.
Changing ERPs is hard. Standing still is harder.
Many dealers say switching ERPs feels like a sharp stick in the eye. Gary agrees the fear is real, but says businesses that don't modernize risk falling behind or being acquired.
He shared a simple example. At one North Carolina warehouse, incoming stock wasn't visible to the office until paperwork was keyed in after lunch. Putting tablets on the forklifts meant inventory updated in real time, so orders could be picked right away.
"Switching ERPs feels like a sharp stick in the eye - but businesses that don't modernize risk falling behind or being acquired."
- Gary Shergill, CEO of Avanue
AI needs actual intelligence
AI is here to stay, but Gary believes it must be grounded in real dealer workflows, not hype. He sees it evolving in stages: first finding information fast, then alerting you to issues like an expiring contract, and finally acting for you by preparing the renewal.
The goal isn't to replace people. It's to automate the routine work so teams can spend more time with customers. See how this plays out across the platform on the AI for Office Technology page.
One platform, fewer vendors
Avanue brings CRM, warehouse management, dashboards, OCR and voice-driven reporting into one platform. Instead of calling four vendors to solve one problem, dealers make one call. Since the acquisition, the team has shipped a new innovation every month.
A stronger, more collaborative channel
Gary's vision for the next three years is a dealer network that shares ideas and builds tools once instead of four times. He also urges leaders to bring younger team members into the boardroom, because the next generation expects modern, easy-to-use technology.
Above all, he believes it comes down to trust. As he put it, there's plenty of business to go around, and a rising tide lifts all boats.
"There's plenty of business to go around, and a rising tide lifts all boats."
- Gary Shergill, CEO of Avanue