Cookware manufacturer identifies process improvement and cost savings opportunities during ERP software evaluation process

Client background

An American-owned company that manufactures and markets exceptional quality, premium multi-ply stainless steel and cast aluminum cookware. In business for over 100 years, the company employs 300 associates across its manufacturing, global sales and distribution facilities. The company drives approximately $85M+ in annual revenue through both its direct sales model and B2B/B2C eCommerce channels.

The business challenge

• A dated legacy ERP system dependent on numerous customizations and third party extensions that were added over its 19 year lifespan
• Highly manual sales forecasting process that lacks integration to critical business applications
• Inability to efficiently manage the company’s complex commissions structure required for its direct sales model
• Limitations to grow internationally due to the legacy system’s inability to easily handle localization and multi-currency requirements

Strategy and solution

• Met with executives and key stakeholders to identify strategic objectives to help guide the software evaluation process
• Facilitated discovery workshops to generate critical and unique business requirements used to create a Request for Proposal (RFP)
• Scored, organized, and presented RFP responses to the company’s core team so that an unbiased, fact-based selection of vendor finalists could be made
• Facilitated a scripted demonstration of each finalist’s software to determine its ability to use the company’s data and address their unique business challenges
• Identified and documented numerous process improvement opportunities to be considered during the ERP implementation that will streamline future state business processes
• Significantly increased the company’s confidence that their new platform will support more robust and integrated eCommerce site deployments and their international growth aspirations
• Coached the company through contract negotiations to identify cost savings and clear Total Cost of Ownership