How a company overcame its challenges through successful ERP selection – Case study

Case study in digital transformation for a company in the pharmaceutical industry

What was the company’s initial situation?

Our latest digital transformation project highlights a thriving company in the pharmaceutical industry. With exceptional growth, they faced a major challenge: a lack of transparency in inventory management and an overload of administrative tasks. Their CFO took the initiative to contact us, sharing their struggle to reconcile rapid growth with the constant need to provide reports to the board of directors.

Additionally, another obstacle emerged. Each division of the company was isolated with its own information system, leading to the creation of numerous redundant reports with little added value. This monopolised their time, preventing them from focusing on more strategic tasks. 

After an in-depth analysis, another significant problem was discovered: they could not clearly see how their supply chain was functioning. This meant they were recording the same information multiple times without being sure it was reliable.

Why were we chosen? On what criteria did we make a difference?

We were selected because we did not present ready-made methods or solutions from the start. During our initial discussions, we listened to and understood them, and this attitude made the difference in the eyes of our client.

Moreover, they noticed our great ability to adapt to their needs and resources. Indeed, during the mission, there was an ongoing audit of their supply chain, so we immersed ourselves in this project for several days to better understand them.

What methods/tools did we apply?

We followed three steps:

Step 1: framing/defining the scope/decision to implement a single ERP for the group with standard features.

This step involved understanding the client’s needs by putting ourselves in their shoes. We met with the different teams and spent time with them to fully understand their problems. Thanks to our expertise in IT and business consulting, we were able to quickly choose the right ERP system.

Step 2: requirements specification and needs analysis by measuring gaps against known process standards

Our knowledge of business processes and standard ERPs allowed us to propose target processes.

To formalise the expression of needs, we decided to take the lead by drafting a preliminary specification. Indeed, in 80% of cases, experience teaches us that these documents are made up of the same standards. In other words, a purchase order remains a purchase order. Our added value lay in showing the specificities of one environment compared to another to identify the important points on which we could act.

We also chose to break the project down into several stages to show that not all solutions are necessarily available from the first version of the software, thus avoiding creating unrealistic expectations. 

After validating the specification with our client, we helped them launch calls for tenders and select service providers.

Step 3: preparation of selection criteria/call for tenders and selection

Contrary to what is generally thought, we do not simply choose software, but rather a “publisher and integrator” pair. Our goal was to find a tailored solution adapted to the client’s size and field.

Preparation of selection criteria

We agreed together on the pairs to evaluate, the selection criteria, and a two-step process including a presentation of the offer and a demonstration with the finalists. We managed the sending and receiving of calls for tenders.

Analysis of all proposals

Nous avons analysé attentivement toutes les propositions, car notre client n’avait pas le temps de les examiner en détail. Notre travail était de lui faire gagner du temps en effectuant une comparaison objective et en nous assurant de bien comparer ce qui peut l’être.

Preparation of tests and software demonstration

We carefully analysed all proposals, as our client did not have the time to examine them in detail.

Our job was to save them time by making an objective comparison and ensuring that we compared what could be compared.

For the evaluation, we strive to bring as much fairness as possible to the judgement. This is why we provided evaluation grids to the company’s members so they could rate their reactions during the demonstrations. These evaluations helped us choose a publisher and integrator, who were not the favourites at the start.

Anecdotes and highlights

• The choice of the tool (an ERP) took less time than expected, and the tool ultimately chosen was not seriously considered at the start of the study.
• Rather than starting from scratch, we arrived with a draft specification to discuss with the team.
• Our team interacted with people not part of the ERP project group to inform and facilitate this transformation throughout the company.

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4 key points of the article

1. Initial situation of the company
   The company faced a lack of transparency in inventory management and an administrative overload. Each division operated with its own information system, creating redundant reports. They did not have a clear view of their supply chain, leading to duplicate information.
2. Choice of the consulting firm
   Ad Valoris was chosen for its listening and understanding of the client’s needs. It demonstrated great adaptability to the client’s needs and resources, notably by immersing itself in an ongoing audit.
3. Methods and tools applied
   Step 1: definition of the scope and decision to adopt a single ERP with standard features. Step 2: drafting of a specification based on known standards, then validation with the client. Launching calls for tenders and selecting service providers. Step 3: preparation of selection criteria, analysis of received proposals, and organisation of software demonstrations to choose the right “publisher and integrator” pair. t intégrateur”.
4. Anecdotes and highlights
   The choice of the ERP was faster than expected, and the tool ultimately chosen was not initially considered. The team arrived with a draft specification to facilitate discussions. The consultants interacted with people outside the ERP project group to ensure a smooth transition throughout the company.