Case Study
Successful Oracle SCM Cloud implementation transforms supply chain operations and inventory management for construction products distributor
CLIENT
With over 1.6 million customers across North America and the U.K., this company distributes plumbing, heating, and building products. Known for delivering high-quality construction and maintenance supplies, the company consistently expands its offerings to meet client needs. Its strong market presence and commitment to service excellence has earned the company a reputation as a trusted partner in the distribution industry.
CHALLENGE
Replacing an existing systems integration partner to save an Oracle SCM Cloud implementation
The company wanted to streamline supply chain management operations and improve performance in its U.K. business. As part of the initiative, the IT team worked with a systems integrator (SI) to deploy Oracle SCM Cloud in a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model and Oracle Middleware in a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) model. However, the incumbent SI struggled with the project, leading the company to seek a more effective partner. The new SI partner needed to:
- Review the current implementation—to identify gaps
- Propose a strategy—to optimize system performance, ensure long-term scalability, and provide a more robust support structure
- Ensure a seamless deployment—of the Oracle SCM Cloud application and underlying infrastructure
- Maintain and manage a complex landscape—of SaaS, PaaS, and on-premise applications
- Provide reliable L2 and L3 Oracle SCM Cloud support—to maintain system stability and address issues promptly
TRANSFORMATION
Successfully implementing Oracle SCM Cloud with robust application and infrastructure support
After replacing the existing SI, UST established a transition team that created a customized service catalog tailored to the company’s needs and documented standard operating procedures (SOPs), baseline SLAs, and metrics for ongoing application support. We also cross-trained resources in Oracle Financials, Oracle SCM Cloud, and Oracle Middleware.
Once the transition was complete, we implemented an Oracle SCM Cloud support solution following this 4-pronged strategy:
- Prioritizing real-time stock visibility—enabling the company to monitor inventory levels across multiple locations to improve stock management and minimize risks of stockouts or overstocking, a capability that was not possible previously
- Planning and analyzing stock levels—so merchandise planners can accurately forecast demand and make informed inventory replenishment decisions to enhance overall supply chain efficiency
- Streamlining stock purchasing and logistics—to optimize procurement processes, reduce order lead times, and cut costs
- Improving order entry and management—to ensure retail customer orders are processed swiftly and accurately, boosting customer satisfaction and operational efficiency
Using a complete Oracle technology stack, the solution provides:
- Orchestrated, automated business processes—using service-oriented architecture (SOA) and business process execution language (BPEL)
- Automated message routing between applications—using Oracle Service Bus (OSB)
- Application data exchange integrations—using Oracle web services
- A scalable Java development platform—using Java Cloud
- Sophisticated data analysis and reporting—using Oracle Analytics Cloud (OAC), Oracle Transactional Business Intelligence (OTBI), Business Intelligence Cloud Service (BICS), and Business Intelligence Publisher (BI Publisher)
By performing a systematic impact analysis of Oracle’s monthly maintenance packs and quarterly SaaS and PaaS releases, followed by thorough regression testing, the company’s IT team gained confidence that the regular updates posed minimal risks of issues and business disruptions.
IMPACT
Streamlining IT support, cutting costs, and improving operational efficiency
The deployment team handled more than 100 support tickets per month during the project to ensure a successful Oracle SCM Cloud application, infrastructure, and support implementation. The distribution company now enjoys:
- Enhanced supply chain visibility—The tailored solutions improved inventory management and increased demand forecasting accuracy, enabling better inventory management to reduce stockouts and overstocks.
- Improved operational efficiency—The company accelerated support response cycles, reduced IT infrastructure complexity, and streamlined IT operations by consolidating support services under a single umbrella.
- Reduced costs—The integrated approach resulted in year-over-year cost savings. This financial efficiency enabled the client to reinvest resources into other critical business areas, driving further growth and innovation.
Discover how UST's tailored IT solutions can improve operational efficiency and reduce costs for your company. Contact us here to learn how our cloud services empower innovation through robust IT support, advanced analytics, and scalable infrastructure.
RESOURCES
https://www.ust.com/en/insights/lora-cecere-report-infographic-v3.pdf