How a leading Flooring distributor transformed its processing capabilities from legacy software to top of the line Infor M3 CloudSuite for Distribution enterprise solution
The Challenge
The current system is constraining growth, has inefficient processes and lacks business diversification, that are not aligned with organizations growth goals
- Scalability and growth restricted - No manufacturing system to support custom manufacturing. Quoting, sampling, production, delivery processes disconnected. Manual demand planning and MRP with limited systems support.
- System holes and limitations - Weak accounting and reporting systems. Outdated greenscreen legacy system (1980s technology) with field size constraints, compatibility issues and lack of integration. Due to the nature of legacy system, it represented huge risk when it came to security. The problem with unsupported legacy systems is that they do not receive updates and patches to address security vulnerabilities and had poor customer support.
- Efficiency compromised - High-level of manual touchpoints and spreadsheet workarounds. Lack of modern workflow and optimization features was time consuming, and customer lacked automation benefits. Workloads were planned in silos and these silos required manual intervention between them resulting in delays, inefficiencies, errors, and a lack of visibility. All these lead to a hindered ability to react when issues arise. This lack of automation reduced business agility for customer.
- Constrained ability to manage the business at a more granular level - Lacks support for branch level P&Ls. Inadequate cost controls (e.g., inventory leakage, fleet maintenance purchase controls and forecasting, etc.).
- Lack of competitive differentiation in technology - Lack of integration created information silos that made it hard to get a complete picture of how the business was performing. It created inefficiencies that slowed down decision-making and increased redundancies across the business. Lack of integration also created subpar experience for end users who couldn't easily access on-premises information or applications.
- Limited visibility and usage of data, difficulty reporting - Unable to manage effective costing. Unable to track inventory end-to-end. Difficulty consuming and reporting on sales data. With the challenges of disparate solutions, productivity and collaboration were not in unison the business goals.
The Solution
Birlasoft Infor team implemented Infor M3 CloudSuite Distribution Enterprise application (Infor M3) along with edge solution capabilities. Streamlined business operations by enabling integrated process, real-time communication between distributors, partners, finance and sales teams through cloud-based platforms.
Key Solution Levers:
- Implemented Infor Distribution Enterprise solution suite of products
- Multi-site, multi-company, multi-currency, and multi-language solution with capabilities that encompass everything from inventory and warehouse management to financials, multi-channel sales orders, purchasing, value add, and more
- Birlasoft Accelerator based process & tools for Distribution business
- Fully integrated solution with edge applications such as Avalara, ADP, Concur, TMS, UPS, Sales Portal, EDI, SnapPay
- Data Conversion Pack for Data Management
- UPA based Adaption Pack for learning and user training
Infor Solution Delivered is Distribution Industry focused solution deployed as SaaS solution is available on AWS cloud platform with Infor enabled architecture and offers.
- Deeper functionality in comparison to other tier 1 ERP solution
- Offers Industry Best in Class processes
- Integrated applications suite - reducing complexity
- Financial consolidation capabilities
- Available on cloud as multi-tenant SaaS subscription
- Single source of truth - uniform data and powerful reporting capabilities
- Reduced support cost
The Impact
A connected, growing and streamlined organization - The new platform has brought together and help collaborate a large ecosystem of suppliers, retailers, sales reps, influencers, and back-office folks. At a time, more than 300 users are working simultaneously on the application and collaborating on building new business along with serving existing clients. The sales teams don't spend time on non-revenue generating back-office tasks. Technology and process streamlining have freed up their bandwidth to win more business and improve their market share across organized and unorganized segments.
In a nutshell, this innovative solution has established a digital platform to fuel growth at-scale, streamline front and back-office operations, drive analytics-led decision making, and build consistent, user-friendly experiences. While Birlasoft was helping the customer in its new transformation, our team was additionally working on building the second phase of this transformational project. This new phase would help the sales rep get better at cross-selling complementary products and services to clients and help gain market share.
Strategic Impact
- Customer Service – Enhanced customer service experience
- Growth – removes uncertainty of ERP replacement & supports growth (with limited additions) and exit strategies
- Scalability – enable the core business and accelerate integration of acquisitions (Operations and Financials)
- Visibility - improved insights and decision making through data-driven analytics
- Profitability – Improved operational efficiency
Direct Benefits
- Inventory – drive more sales through optimized inventory Demand/Supply Planning, reduction in Leakage, Visibility across the operations – on the ground, lost sales avoidance
- Purchasing – Optimization/EOQ fully realize manufacturer incentives
- Supply Chain – Network Optimization, Fleet Management, Freight Costs, Delivery Bands/Times (Surcharge ability), via increased visibility & collaboration to overseas suppliers
- Reduce low-margin sales/adjust pricing
In-Direct Value
- Operating Efficiencies (planning and ordering, process improvement facilitation, Sales Tax compliance, OS Sales team visibility into orders/Inventory, Marketing campaign execution, etc.)
- Quality (quality metrics)
- People (new hire training and effectiveness)
- Improved Analytics (branch P&Ls, development of KPIs, Customer profitability)
- Demand Planning – more effective tool for demand sensing
- Accelerate Financial Close - allows quicker decision making
- Sales Administration – increased efficiency in managing, vendor and customer rebates, file backs and promos
