Background

JJVC is a £1bn company that manufactures and supplies contact lenses globally. Within the European region there was significant disenchantment with the new IT system and overall credibility of IT support amongst the business community. JJVC Europe had recently gone live with SAP R3, outsourcing the accounts payable and implementing a new outsourced IT support structure.

Users of the new system had many issues: some of the requested features had not been implemented; system performance during certain times of the day prevented some from working; and transactions could not be done due to data errors or code issues. In addition, key account management submitted urgent requirements from a variety of customers to integrate their purchasing systems into JJVC ordering systems (EDI).

Baxter Thompson Ltd was engaged to resolve these issues.

Approach

Define the Strategy

1. Triage the issues into day to day operational issues (system process) and long term strategic requirements.

2. Review capabilities vs requirements and lobby informally for a change in organisational model. This included a review of IT support process maturity, resources capacity and capability.

3. Commissioned a third party study on EDI strategy, opportunities and threats.

Define the Programme

1. Write a Business Case for the operational support of IT Supply Chain Europe and Global EDI solution. Review with stakeholders and achieve consensus.

2. Hold a board level meeting for agreement on the recommendations.

3. Prepare RFI and RFQ documents for the implementation and a fully costed solution of the EDI project and obtain funding agreement for operational support and EDI project.

Deliver the Benefit

1. Write a Business Case for the operational support of IT Supply Chain Europe and Global EDI solution. Review with stakeholders and achieve consensus.

2. Hold a board level meeting for agreement on the recommendations.

3. Prepare RFI and RFQ documents for the implementation and a fully costed solution of the EDI project and obtain funding agreement for operational support and EDI project.

Business Benefit

• Improved shipping accuracy, on time delivery and customer satisfaction.

• 11 new customers live on a new EDI platform with in excess of £3M worth of transactions and 17k order lines per week in the first 6 months of operations.

• 93% to 97% improved system availability.

• Standard of Leadership award for collaboration.