IT Operations Support

The collection of technologies that
process, store and communicate information.

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Business Issue: Vendor on-time delivery and communications

Auto Manufacturer R&D suffers from poor vendor on-time delivery and communications.

Approach Used by Flow Conulting:

Selected and implemented Web-based PO collaboration tool that allowed buyers to focus on exceptions instead of chasing suppliers for information.

Results:

Supplier PO confirmation improved from average of eight business days to less than 36 hours, and on-time delivery improved from less than 60 percent to 92 percent.

Business Issue: Warehouse space and shipping capacity

Rapid growth of manufacturer and distributor of restaurant supplies struggled with warehouse space and shipping capacity.

Approach Used by Flow Consulting:

Redesigned warehouse flow to reduce operator travel time and installed a carousel storage system integrated with SAP; along with SAP Warehouse Management and custom RF transactions.

Results:

Reduced warehouse OT by 80 percent, increased warehouse capacity by 25 percent and reduced shipping errors by 50 percent.

Business Issue: Control of spending in oil fields

Oil and gas exploration and production company needed to gain control of spending in the oil fields for better management and analysis.

Approach Used by Flow Consulting:

Selected and implemented invoice approval and workflow system that integrated several legacy ERP systems accessible via various remote applications such as telephones, remote laptops and public computers.

Results:

Reduced invoice approval process from three weeks to four days, and improved accuracy of purchasing to allow for better future negotiations and eliminated purchasing related SOX audit items.

Business Issue: Company merger failed to properly integrate IT systems

Two industrial supplies distribution companies in France had merged but failed to properly integrate IT systems causing extensive customer service disruptions.

Approach Used by Flow Consulting:

Performed post mortem on the failed integration and presented management recommendations for an IT support system accessible to all employees, realigning employees and a reimplementation of certain ERP components.

Results:

Organization morale improved, as did issue resolution and prioritization and system reliability and predictability.