SAP is expected to fuel our growth

How rightly does ERP blend on the dining tables?

Last fifteen years, different software were in use for different
departments, on a variety of platforms. So we went for ERP to have an integrated
system. We have our own production units so it was important to have an
integrated ERP solution. Thats how we went ahead on shortlisting our options
and thus selected SAP. It had the right production planning capabilities for our
needs. Adopting SAP for consumer products is expected to fuel Nirulas growth by
enabling greater enterprise wide visibility, improved operating margins, and
process transparency whilst strengthening stakeholder, customer and partner
relationships.

What importance does the end-user play in such IT decisions and how does a
CIO ensure they are part of the process?

We put the use in spotlight throughout. A major hurdle in any technology
decision is of user acceptance. At the evaluation stage itself, we included each
and every department through two representatives from each department. We got
major inputs from the end users. Based on the feedback received, and through
involvement of business process owners from every department subsequently
contributing to the study, we went ahead on improvements. In fact the first
phase of demo, which solicited users to find gaps, were taken into account too.

And what expectations have you outlined so far?

Consolidating the system well was our first challenge, and the next
challenge is ROI. We are looking at better production planning, reduction in
wastage, better raw-material management, better inventory planning, and improved
tracking of raw-material and finished goods.

The creation of the online platform has given us greater visibility in cash
flows from procurement to sales. We now have increased clarity into food
preferences across each of our restaurants. As a result, we can stock our
restaurants suitably and drive promotions accordingly at each outlet.

Pratima Harigunani/CIOL

maildqindia@cybermedia.co.in