This case study is an illustrative example built from typical situations in our projects. Figures are indicative.
Context
Regional food distributor, 3 warehouses, ~90 employees, ~4,000 order lines per day. The existing system could no longer cope: inaccurate stock, paper picking, manual integrations with key accounts.
The challenge
The company had already received a quote from a vendor recommended by a partner, with a 6-month “standard” implementation. Management couldn’t assess whether the system covered its specifics: lots with expiry dates, multiple deliveries per day, complex commercial terms per customer.
The approach
We mapped the critical processes (receiving, picking, delivery, returns, invoicing) and wrote 22 test scenarios on the company’s data. We identified 5 suitable vendors, ran scripted demos with a common scoring grid, calculated the 5-year total cost and negotiated the contractual requirements and acceptance criteria alongside the client.
Results
The initially recommended system failed 6 of 22 scenarios. The chosen solution cost 31% less over 5 years and covered all critical scenarios. Implementation started with clarified processes and a contract with acceptance milestones – a completely different base from the starting point.