There is no planet B. As the world focuses more on environmental sustainability, Eco-Drip is leading the way with innovative irrigation systems that help farmers use less water, prevent waste, and grow crops more efficiently. By using Odoo, Eco-Drip has simplified its operations, making it easier to manage services, sales, and projects.
Eco-Drip was founded by Hubert and Annette in West Texas in 1984. At that time, irrigation systems were inefficient and water-intensive. Hubert, an innovator, worked closely with researchers to develop subsurface drip irrigation (SDI), which delivers water directly to the crop root zone. This method reduces evaporation and runoff, ensuring that every drop of water counts. Today, Eco-Drip operates across Texas and Nebraska, with more than 275,000 acres of SDI systems installed.
“Every day, we are focused on helping our producers maximize their production while decreasing fertilizer and irrigation inputs.”
Eco-Drip doesn't just sell irrigation systems. The company offers a full-service solution with three key divisions: drip irrigation, field service, and automation technologies. The goal is to provide end-to-end support to clients, from installation and service to data collection and automation for smarter farming.
Eco-Drip’s holistic approach helps farmers maintain a competitive edge in an evolving agricultural landscape. “Before we implemented Odoo, managing day-to-day operations was a challenge. We were using various systems that didn’t integrate well, making it difficult to track inventory, service calls, and project accounting. We knew we needed a more streamlined solution to scale our operations efficiently,” Kristen Hillger, said.
Why Odoo? The search for better business management
For years, Eco-Drip relied on Microsoft Dynamics. While it served them well initially, the company’s growth revealed several limitations. “Dynamics was a good product in its time, but it couldn’t integrate well with other systems, and we lacked inventory management,” Hillger recognized. “We also couldn’t access it on the go—everything was tied to the desk, making it difficult for our field teams to stay updated.”
As Eco-Drip expanded, they needed a more flexible, all-in-one solution. After narrowing down their options, Odoo stood out for its customizable features, affordability, and ability to manage both service and sales operations in the field, while accommodating multi-location management.
Streamlining operations for better efficiency
The transition to Odoo in August 2019 was not without its challenges. The team spent two months handling double entries between Dynamics and Odoo while getting familiar with the new platform. “The implementation process took longer than expected due to limited resources on our side, but once we got everything set up, the difference was outstanding,” Kristen compared.
With Odoo in place, Eco-Drip experienced significant improvements in several areas of its operations. One major change was in project accounting. Previously, accounting for special projects could take up to 70 hours per week. Thanks to Odoo's analytic tags, Eco-Drip can track transactions in real-time. They can instantly see how a project is doing, track all related transactions, and make data-driven decisions.
Field operations also improved significantly, as service teams can now access inventory information directly from their mobile devices, which has saved them countless hours.
"Our guys had to drive to the office to check part availability. Now, they can do it in 2 seconds while out on the field."
Communication across the company has been drastically improved as well. With Odoo's ability to add followers, log notes, the Eco-Drip team can now collaborate more effectively. “Everything is in one place, and we can see all updates in real-time, which makes communication so much smoother,” Hillger added.
Since implementing Odoo, Eco-Drip has seen tangible improvements not only in operational efficiency but also in the team productivity. For instance, the administrative team has significantly reduced the time spent on various manual processes, which has allowed them to take on additional responsibilities over. The alerts also help them to manage stock levels proactively, which leads to avoid shortages or overstock of any kind.
“Before Odoo, our project accounting was a major bottleneck. Now, several admins can handle the workload, and one person can multitask across purchasing, invoices, and more.”
Looking to the future
The inventory module has also been a game-changer, offering Eco-Drip the ability to track parts and supplies, all in one place. And, with Odoo implemented, CRM module has also played a crucial role in growing the sales side of the business.
“We didn’t have a CRM system before, so Odoo has helped us grow our sales side and ensured we never forget about a lead,” Kristen shared.
These impactful features have empowered Eco-Drip to grow, enhance operational efficiency, boost productivity, and improve overall communication, paving the way for continued success. As the company expands, Odoo remains a vital tool in its mission to streamline processes and support smarter decision-making. If you’re looking for a comprehensive, customizable solution to transform your operations and help your business scale efficiently, Odoo is the tool that can make it happen.
