Transparent control

Transparent management based on facts and clear data is a key requirement for corporate leadership—especially for CFOs, but also for all other decision-makers and employees with performance responsibility.

What matters here is the clarity, reliability, and speed of availability of the underlying data.

Challenges

64%
of companies worldwide report that their IT systems are not capable of meeting future business requirements

44%
of companies in Germany feel that a lack of digitalization is impairing their competitiveness

40%
of executives identify the complexity of internal data as one of the greatest challenges for decision-making

"Transparent control"

1. The client has grown from a sole proprietorship into a corporate group, now also including subsidiaries abroad. Further acquisitions are foreseeable.
2. Various IT systems are in use, particularly different ERP and CRM systems.
3. Monthly reporting takes too long and is only partially comparable and meaningful: reports are not available until at least three weeks after month-end. However, due to varying definitions and processes, reliable conclusions regarding the content and quality of the figures cannot be drawn.
4. The company’s management has decided to initiate several IT projects to create the foundation for more effective control from the headquarters. A unified ERP platform and a modern, cloud-based CRM system are to be implemented. All data will be stored in a central data warehouse.
5. The project must be initiated and carried out with strong communication skills and sensitivity to local particularities. Not all ‘local leaders’ will be enthusiastic or cooperative. Nevertheless, standardized target processes must be defined—in collaboration with the most qualified employees—which will be binding for all units going forward.

Solution approach

1. Recording, visualization, and analysis of the IT landscape, including a comprehensive description of existing and required interfaces, as well as documentation of the database structures to be used.
2. Subproject 'KPI Definitions and Harmonization' to ensure the comparability and completeness of the required operational and financial key figures. This includes the active involvement of employees from various group companies—both from management and operational levels—to ensure acceptance of the resulting management approach.
3. Development of a data warehouse as a digital single point of truth.
Selection of a BI tool for the analysis and decision-oriented preparation of data from the data warehouse. Support in the tendering process and selection of the required service providers.
4. Rollout planning and execution, including training and post-go-live support.