Success Stories

SCA Packaging: More Efficient Sales Calls With SAP CRM Solution

Client:

SCA Packaging

Challenge:

Streamlining the business processes in order to exchange smoothly information and to manage a transparent customer relationship system.

Solution:

The design, develop and implement of a customized SAP CRM system.

Results:

SCA salespeople have rapid access to consolidated customer information, and have succeeded in saving a great deal of time thanks to this streamlining of their business processes.

SCA packaging was able to successfully complete its transition from a producer of corrugated cardboard into a full service packaging provider by means of a number of strategic acquisitions. The integration of these new capabilities was the beginning of an exciting new chapter in SCA’s growth story – and some small growing pains were to be expected. Parallel systems had proliferated throughout the company, posing a challenge for the smooth exchange of information and transparent customer relationship management.

In order to address these issues and seamlessly integrate the various elements of the new IT environment, SCA asked CSC to design, develop and implement a customized SAP CRM system. Now that the new system is in place, SCA salespeople have rapid access to consolidated customer information, and have succeeded in saving a great deal of time thanks to this streamlining of their business processes.

Too many systems, too little transparency
SCA Packaging constitutes one part of the larger SCA Group, a global consumer goods and paper company. As a European leading packaging provider, SCA Packaging offers a broad portfolio of packaging types, whilst providing state of the art design and services such as supply chain management and packaging consultancy. The acquisitions that were made, transformed the company into a full service packaging provider, which made the need for easy data transfer within the company and the transparency within the sales departments even more important. Another bottleneck was the fact that information was often tied to one individual, and SCA risked losing and leaking information if that person left the company. A structural and transparent way of dealing with customer information was therefore imperative.

SCA looked for experience, cultural fit

SCA Packaging wanted a partner with strong SAP CRM credentials to implement a new system, and chose CSC in 2005. It had the right experience, and SCA Packaging recognized the cultural fit between the two companies. Both companies operated on a similar scale, and that level of compatibility allowed CSC to come up with a tailor-made solution.

CSC and SCA assembled a broad team from all the important sales and IT departments that would work with CSC for the duration of the project. This approach ensured a solution that would be accepted throughout the entire organization. Another advantage was that this approach allowed best practices from different countries to be incorporated into the system.

Stefan Debois, Principal at CSC, says, “The design and construction of the new system happened as a validation process of feedback sessions with continuous involvement of the business stakeholders. It was thoroughly thought through.”

Easy access crucial, but so is security

CSC started the project by mapping the specific needs of SCA Packaging. SCA representatives had to be able to gain access to essential data using their laptops, even when on the road or with clients. At the same time, the design had to prevent further fragmentation of this information. Moreover, the system required the ability to record new experiences with clients and to make this information available for a more effective sales approach.

The challenge, therefore, was to combine the remote retrieval and editing of data with the ability to save the data in a centralized database accessible to all those concerned. By linking the central system to the local laptops, CSC and SCA Packaging managed to coordinate activity and opportunity management from a central point.
A second specific choice was to limit access to the system for security reasons. Sales representatives can use a customized log-in screen to obtain information about their customers, but sensitive information about other customers remains secured within the system. CSC developed a solution in which the data transfer within the system takes into account those security aspects.

Notes Debois, “This is another good example of how the tight partnership takes specific issues and sensitivities into account. The project is not just a technological implementation but also a business transformation. CSC puts strong focus on that dimension, as it is crucial for the success of the partnership.”

“CSC offered both the know-how of the basic package as well as the expertise to customize this for the client,” explains Katia Schotte, Project Leader of the Pilot implementation. “The last element was crucial to keep our people motivated and to avoid the feeling of a compulsory approach. CSC’s team was easily accessible and flexible in meeting our needs, and that really fueled the partnership.”

New system producing results

The results of the new SAP CRM system include:

New sales representatives settle into the job much quicker than before.
Processes between internal and external sales teams are more structured and streamlined.
There is less dependency on arbitrary and verbal agreements, and more face-time with the client.
SCA realized increased efficiencies through streamlined processes and saved time.

After only a couple of months, the sales representatives are acknowledging the advantages of the new system for their daily work. It is allowing them to be more disciplined and structured, which is enabling them to approach customers more efficiently and professionally. The impact is equally tangible on the customers’ side. Their perception of SCA Packaging has improved because the new system is allowing easy access to all historical information and quicker responses to enquiries.