When CFO Latif Jamani noticed a bold purple billboard that read “Sorry SAP,” his curiosity was piqued. That moment led Elevate Lighting to discover Odoo. Today, the company runs smoothly and confidently using a fully integrated system covering 12 key business functions, from sales and inventory to CRM and accounting, all in one platform.
Based in Calgary, Alberta, Elevate Lighting is a commercial lighting distributor serving office buildings, warehouses, hotels, and multi-family residential projects. The company not only supplies lighting products but also offers design and consultation, product sourcing, and installation services.
What sets them apart is their deep domain knowledge: over 50 years of collective lighting expertise and a specialization in understanding and upgrading legacy lighting systems in existing buildings. With a hands-on approach and solutions tailored to modern energy and design needs, Elevate Lighting has earned a reputation as a trusted provider in Canada’s commercial property market.
"Our specialty is quickly understanding existing lighting systems and recommending tailored solutions with the latest products available."
Before Odoo: Disconnected Tools and Complex Costs
Prior to switching to Odoo, Elevate Lighting tested various combinations of software. At first, they used a combination of QuickBooks and Prospect CRM, which soon proved to be ineffective due to integration issues between platforms. The software stack was simply not built to scale or communicate smoothly across departments.
Their next move was to NetSuite, which offered more features but came with a heavy cost. While functional, this software was expensive and difficult to customize. For a lean startup, the overhead and rigidity of such systems felt burdensome and unsustainable.
“With NetSuite and SAP, you know you need them, and they know you know. So they squeeze every last dollar. It didn’t feel good.”
Why Odoo Works: Tangible Wins Across the Board
Elevate Lighting timed their NetSuite contract renewal with the switch to Odoo, choosing a solution that offered flexibility, affordability, and robust functionality.
Since adopting Odoo, Elevate Lighting has integrated 12 applications into their daily operations, including Sales, Purchase, Inventory, Accounting, CRM, and Contacts. The team values the cloud-based nature of the platform, which supports their hybrid setup and allows for easy access from any device.
One of the most appreciated aspects is Odoo’s affordability. Latif emphasizes how good it feels to pay for a solution that delivers strong value without exploitative pricing, especially compared to the high costs of competitors like SAP and NetSuite.
Odoo’s intuitive interface and flexibility have also been key. The system is easy to implement and learn, enabling Elevate to manage and adjust processes internally without relying heavily on outside support.
"What I really like is how, within the Sales app, you can see the exact margin, both per item and for the total sales order, while you're building the quote. It makes it easy to price within the right range, and that kind of visibility was hard to get in other systems."
Latif Jamani also highlighted the strength of Odoo’s Purchase and Inventory management features, noting that the forecasting tools are especially helpful for tracking arrivals and planning, benefits that positively impact accounting.
With each app seamlessly connecting to the others, Elevate Lighting now enjoys centralized control of their business: inventory is accurate, sales are streamlined, and accounting is transparent. And with CRM and Contacts integrated, customer relationships are better managed than ever.
"With Odoo, we run a business that feels like it has ten people with just five. I used to spend 10 hours a week on invoicing, now it takes me just one. Odoo is robust, easy to adjust, and has space for us to grow, without stress."
The Road Ahead: Scaling Smart with Odoo
Elevate Lighting plans to expand its eCommerce offering and scale its services to more developers and property managers across Canada. By leveraging the existing Odoo modules, they can continue to enhance customer experience without adding new layers of complexity.
A key focus is growing the business by reaching new geographic regions through e-commerce, an opportunity the team is especially excited about. They also plan to take full advantage of Odoo’s marketing capabilities, including email campaigns, to boost outreach and engagement.
The company sees additional potential in automating workflows and strengthening analytics with more of Odoo’s ecosystem, ensuring every decision is backed by real-time insights and operational clarity. If your company is juggling multiple software systems or overpaying for inflexible tools, Elevate Lighting’s journey proves that a better solution exists. Whether you’re a lean startup or a growing enterprise, let Odoo light the way to a smarter business.