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BI Data Insights Revolutionize Shutterfly's Inventory Management
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Inventory Management Systems
- Functional Applications - Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
Applicable Industries
- Retail
Applicable Functions
- Procurement
- Warehouse & Inventory Management
Use Cases
- Inventory Management
- Picking, Sorting & Positioning
Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
Shutterfly, a manufacturing and retail company with over 10,000 employees, was facing significant challenges with its inventory management. The supply chain management and procurement team were spending hours manually compiling inventory data to identify part numbers that required attention. This inefficient process often led to urgent issues, such as stockouts, which negatively impacted Shutterfly's customers and put undue pressure on the buyers and planners. The lack of access to accurate inventory data also resulted in E&O expenses, with unnecessary stock costing the company both money and space. The data lag and lack of visibility were also problematic for Shutterfly's leadership, as rigid legacy reports hindered any real understanding of how the organization was performing.
About The Customer
Shutterfly is a large-scale manufacturing and retail company with over 10,000 employees. The company's supply chain management and procurement team were struggling with inefficient inventory management processes, which led to stockouts and unnecessary expenses. The lack of access to accurate inventory data and the time-consuming manual compilation of this data were significant challenges. The company's leadership also struggled with a lack of visibility into the organization's performance due to rigid legacy reports.
The Solution
Shutterfly implemented Incorta, a real-time analytics platform, to streamline its supply chain management processes. Within six weeks, the company was able to integrate exception management workflows into its processes, reducing stockouts and E&O expenses. Dashboards displaying EBS data now guide buyers and planners to the highest-priority tasks, improving efficiency and effectiveness. Incorta also helped Shutterfly develop the 'Days on Hand' metric, which allows buyers to prioritize parts and avoid stockouts, thereby enhancing customer satisfaction. The procurement teams can now run lightning-speed queries and get instant answers, enabling them to address needs as they arise. Shutterfly also plans to integrate Incorta with its data warehouse to manage its external manufacturing network more effectively.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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