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RS Components enables its team to focus on business-critical analysis
Technology Category
- Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics
Applicable Industries
- Electronics
Applicable Functions
- Sales & Marketing
- Warehouse & Inventory Management
Use Cases
- Inventory Management
- Supply Chain Visibility
Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
RS Components, as part of the global Electrocomponents PLC group, operates over a large geographical footprint. With the components business being fiercely competitive, the management team considered it mission-critical to be able to make business decisions swiftly. However, their existing decision support system was achieved through the manual consolidation of data directly from their ERP and CRM application systems (JD Edwards and Pivotal). This meant that they were spending too much time on data consolidation before any analysis could be made, delaying important decisions as a result. To tackle this, RS Components realized it needed a management tool or system that could provide strategic insights on the performance of its business across all functions. The system should be able to provide data for their Key Performance Matrixes, and assist management with their strategic discussions thereby improving their decision-making process. In order to achieve this, this system should be able extract data from multiple robust and complex systems spread across a diversed geographical region to provide a common view of the business which everyone in the company could rely on.
About The Customer
RS Components is a world-leading distributor of electronic components, and part of Electrocomponents PLC in the United Kingdom, a FTSE public listed company. The global company has over 4,000 employees, while RS Components employs over 1,000 throughout Asia Pacific. The company has a range of 450,000 electronic components and industrial products that it supplies to over 1.6 million customers worldwide in over 80 countries. Products include semiconductors, connectors, capacitors, resistors, LEDs, relays, switches, indicators and power supplies, batteries, cables, control gear, fans, HVAC, security, tools, plumbing, hosing, books, IT, safety and test and measurement products. Its business in Asia Pacific generated GBP 104 million in revenue for the financial year 2009.
The Solution
RS Components implemented the QlikView solution to provide management oversight to its entire business across the Asia Pacific. The solution draws 8 primary data sources from Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan, to a centralized repository, reducing reporting time and freeing up resources to concentrate on performing analysis. The RS Components IS team needed to pull data from 8 primary sources, instances of JD Edwards and Pivotal, physically located in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan. At each source, data is drawn into QlikView data files daily, and transferred to a central QlikView server for users to analyze business information without having to connect to the actual JD Edwards and Pivotal systems. Data and insights are properly segregated based on user profile. Sensitive data remains secure as user rights are managed and controlled via their Active Directory integration with QlikView.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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