Customer Story
How Spartan Systems & Spartan Critical Systems Chose ROM from Day One
When industry veteran Doyle Freeman launched two manufacturers’ rep firms simultaneously, he chose Rep Order Management’s purpose-built rep software from the start, building a quoting operation that is faster, more professional, and visibly ahead of the competition.
The Challenge
The High Cost of a Platform That Was Never Built for Reps
Doyle Freeman knows what it costs to force a generic ERP into a rep firm workflow. At a previous organization, his team spent hundreds of thousands of dollars customizing a major ERP into a quoting and order management platform. It never worked. Workflows stayed cumbersome, adoption stayed low, and the customization bills kept coming.
When Freeman launched Spartan Systems and Spartan Critical Systems, two distinct rep firms serving separate markets, he wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice. From day one, he needed four things.
A quoting tool built for rep firms, not adapted from something else; a fast implementation that delivered value without months of setup; branded proposal output that would differentiate Spartan in competitive situations; and a platform flexible enough to serve a regional rep firm and a continent-wide data center supplier under the same roof.
“We spent hundreds of thousands of dollars attempting to take a canned product and mold it into a platform that worked with our company. It never really became what we envisioned.” — Doyle Freeman, President, Spartan Systems & Spartan Critical Systems
Why ROM
Purpose-Built for Reps. Ready on Day One.
Freeman evaluated multiple options before selecting Rep Order Management, including several large ERP providers. ROM won in every category that mattered: lower first cost, lower ongoing licensing cost, a platform designed specifically for rep workflows, and a support team with a demonstrated commitment to customization and long-term partnership.
Unlike enterprise systems that demanded extensive configuration before they could be useful, ROM was ready to deploy the moment Spartan launched. There was no protracted implementation, no expensive consulting fees, and no painful gap between what the software offered and what the business actually needed.
“We considered going through the large ERP providers, but they lost in every category. It was a slam dunk to bring on ROM as our business partner.” — Doyle Freeman, President, Spartan Systems & Spartan Critical Systems
Implementation & Onboarding
A Team That Delivered from the First Conversation
The ROM team’s onboarding approach set the tone for the ongoing relationship. Rather than handing Spartan a standard template and stepping back, the team worked directly with Freeman to tailor every element of the platform’s proposal output, incorporating Spartan’s logo, brand colors, and terms and conditions into a finished product that Freeman describes as the best-looking proposals in the industry.
The result is a customer-facing document that goes well beyond what competitors are putting in front of clients. Colorful, logically structured, and enriched with product photography, Spartan’s proposals set a new standard for professional presentation in the rep space. In a business where first impressions influence perception, that difference is measurable.
The partnership has continued to grow since launch. As Spartan’s operational needs have evolved, the ROM team has continued to build out custom reporting functions, adding capabilities that help Freeman and his team run both businesses with greater precision and less friction.
Results & Operational Impact
Faster Proposals, Distributed Visibility, and a Clear Competitive Edge
The impact of ROM on Spartan’s operations spans the full arc of the sales process. On the customer-facing side, the ability to produce polished, branded, image-rich proposals quickly has become one of Spartan’s most effective competitive tools. Freeman’s teams present proposals that are visually above the industry standard, structured for easy reading, differentiated by design, and reflective of a firm that takes its presentation seriously.
Internally, ROM’s distributed access model has proven equally valuable. With team members spread across North America serving both the regional construction market and the continent-wide data center market, the ability to retrieve any quote from any team member’s pipeline in just a few clicks keeps collaboration tight and response times fast.
ROM’s win/loss tracking has added a strategic layer to Spartan’s operations as well, giving the leadership team the data they need to understand closure rates and continuously sharpen the firm’s sales performance over time.
“The value proposition of first cost, licensing cost, customized reports, and the ongoing support from the ROM team truly make this the best product on the market. It was a slam dunk to bring on ROM as our business partner, and we wouldn’t dream of being with anyone else.” — Doyle Freeman, President, Spartan Systems & Spartan Critical Systems
About Spartan Systems & Spartan Critical Systems
Spartan Systems is a manufacturers’ representative firm serving the commercial and institutional construction markets across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Spartan Critical Systems is a dedicated HVAC equipment supplier for data center environments, operating across North America.
Both companies are headquartered in Bermuda Run, N.C., and are led by President Doyle Freeman. Product lines include chillers, air handlers, pumps, boilers, DOAS units, and other commercial and institutional HVAC equipment.
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