Process Improvements and Automation

Challenge

The Client’s Retail Store, located in 76 cities worldwide, provides a shopping experience for customers with the convenience and variety of multiple brands, products, and solutions in one location. Customers can purchase computer hardware, software, and consumer electronics, while also receiving advice, support, and service from teams of technical specialists right in the store.

While successful in managing direct sales to customers paying with cash and credit cards, the Retail Store point-of-sale system did not have a system or process that could accept a Purchase Order (PO) as a form of payment from a commercial or business customer.

These customers were referred to a different sales channel designed to process POs and volume software licensing. However, this sales channel was not fully capable of selling the same array of systems and services available to a Retail Store customer paying with cash or a credit card.

Commercial customers preferred the same convenience and variety of solutions available at the Retail Store location. The Client realized that its inability to provide that same Retail Store experience had become a pain point for a broad number of business customers.

Solution

Wimmer Solutions was engaged to develop a process to understand and recommend a solution that would win back the favor of commercial customers. This solution would involve multiple teams engaged with both the Retail sales channel and the infrastructure team managing the tools across the sales and distribution environments.

The proposed solution was far more complex than initially thought because of the multiple tools, processes, sales channels, and distribution solutions in place across The Client’s ecosystem. In addition, there was no workflow system available to cover the complexity of the problem.

Beginning with a three-person team, Wimmer Solutions kicked off a nine-month pilot program in 44 of The Client’s Retail Stores. Initially supporting a $3M revenue target, the team created a workflow system involving four Microsoft technologies on Microsoft SharePoint. This workflow enabled a commercial customer to shop in a Retail Store location, choose their equipment and services, pay with a PO, and receive delivery of the order in an average of four days. In addition, the commercial customer received price and software incentives to maximize their purchasing power.

The Wimmer team also ensured that the solutions addressed the need to work across several applications and services. These included Microsoft CRM, Dynamics AX, SQL, The Client’s internal credit solution, and SAP.

Innovation & Impact

Wimmer’s process improvements and automation helped streamline and mature the process to such a degree that The Client decided to migrate the work offshore for maximized ROI and with the following benefits:

• Streamlined Operations: Enabled purchase order payments across 44 stores, simplifying the purchasing process for commercial customers and boosting operational efficiency.
• Revenue Growth: The new system supported a $3M revenue target, demonstrating significant financial impact and fostering long-term client engagement.
• Enhanced Customer Experience: Provided commercial customers with the same convenience and variety of solutions available to retail customers, improving overall satisfaction.
• Sustained Client Relationship: The success of the project led to continuous engagement with the client on new opportunities, showcasing the value of the implemented solutions.