Data strategy & digital platform immediately increases turnover by 6%

PE-backed trade retailer

Value Highlights

A private equity backed acquisition strategy resulted in four technologies and processes used by previously disparate companies coming together under one group. Trading in a market with an immature technology starting point, Panamoure was asked to create and implement a data strategy and digital platform that would provide them with a competitive advantage.

What were the challenges?

  • One company had no technology basis e.g. punch in / punch out time keeping was still in operation, and manual stock counts and paper delivery manifests were prevalent
  • There was no single “source of truth” for reporting across the group
  • Most of the on-site workforce were not technically savvy in any way – mobile technology was, to some, an anathema
  • Small centralised IT team had little experience other than desktop support and some in-house system knowledge
  • Inefficient manual processes were creating a value drag and hindering growth
  • The group IT Director had vision, but did not know where to start, being tethered to an ageing ERP
  • Many of 30+ proposed and in-flight IT projects had not been aligned strategically to the immediate or longer term needs of the business

So, what did we do?

  • Defined the overall data strategy and digital implementation plan, prioritising the areas that were fastest to market and thereby generating the most rapid ROI
  • Created apps to automate delivery, stock counting, picking and receipting that were mobile based, user friendly and efficient
  • Defined and built a Data Warehouse / Azure Data Lake with Power BI reporting across the group
  • Redefined processes to minimise manual effort
  • Introduced ML for stock counting – recognition based straight to inventory
  • Implemented e-commerce platform, linking to Azure Data Lake and smoothing customer journey
  • Created a working technological environment more efficient than competitors, reducing overall costs and increasing service levels
  • Readied IT infrastructure and applications to efficiently integrate with forthcoming acquisitions, anticipating new branch openings and launch of “one stop shop” products and services platform

Let’s discuss what we could achieve for your business

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Richard Hamerton-Stove

Partner, Data Strategy

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