With nearly 12,000 stores worldwide, this global retail giant boasts one of the most sophisticated and advanced supply chains on the globe. They looked to SDI to optimize their Facilities Maintenance (FM) parts supply chain strategy.
The retailer strove to improve the quality of their maintenance program by streamlining the parts ordering process. Their objective: improve work order completion time, including the critical first-call completion rate.
What Needed Fixing
The customer wanted to improve their FM parts ordering process. The idea seemed simple: increase work order completion times by improving data visibility, lead times, and the parts ordering process. But they knew they wanted to leverage a partner to help them.
- Multiple channels existed through which users (technicians) could purchase parts
- The Facilities Management team was ordering thousands of parts from hundreds of suppliers, adding to the complexity of the parts ecosystem
- They required stakeholder coordination across channels to address overlapping initiatives
Root Cause of the Problem
Parts outages on HVAC/Refrigeration (HVAC/R) assets affect dollar sales – shutting down in-store refrigerators impacts grocery sales, customers can’t buy their cold foods…not a productive cycle.
Smarter supply chain management is critical for positively impacting revenue-generating assets, equipment uptime, in-store customer experience, and labor/technician productivity (wrench time and first-time completion). The longer it takes to get parts, the longer it takes to fix refrigerated cases, the greater the chance for revenue bleeding.
Collaborative Solution
SDI has specialized in integrated parts management (IPM) for plant and facilities maintenance over five decades. To address the specific performance outcomes and needs of this retailer, we modernized, updated, and improved the parts management process to align and integrate with their Facilities Management (FM) strategy, letting them address and optimize the 20- 30% of annual FM budget that’s often out of reach.
By aligning specialized expertise, centralized processes, and scalable digital supply chain technology, our proven solution delivers both immediate ROI and long-term business transformation.
Specifically, we utilize ZEUS, our purpose-built digital supply chain platform, which includes:
- Inventory Management
- Master Data Catalog Management
- Order Management with an easy-to-use mobile ordering app for real-time tracking and omni-channel fulfillment options – deliver to store, to a locker, or buy online/pick up in store.
- Supplier Management
- Transaction Processing
- Tech Vault, our cloud-based, searchable hub for up-to-date service manuals, parts lists, reference material, training videos, etc.
Both in-sourced and third-party technicians can leverage the digital supply chain to locate and purchase FM parts and materials for both preventive and reactive maintenance.
Outcomes and Results
This global retailer was able to streamline their parts ordering process, while improving technician productivity and creating a hassle-free technician shopping experience. Our IPM solution integrates seamlessly into the customer’s work order management system (WOM) – in this case, ServiceChannel. It also integrates via API with major shippers and LTL carriers for full visibility, end-to-end.
- Lower Overhead
- Improved Maintenance Technician Productivity
- ZEUS provides easier access for store service technicians to find and place orders directly: includes suppliers, customer support service desk, transaction processing, Work Order Management integration, and UPS/Fedex API for real-time order and shipment tracking
- Platform reduces the number of calls from technicians to reduce administrative burden and supplier costs
The customer has successfully evolved from a traditional KPI-driven facilities management program to one focused on reliability. Their reliable parts supply chain has improved the reliability of their assets, improved asset uptime, improved the first-call completion of work orders for their technicians – not to mention the impressive savings on their parts overall. To learn how Integrated Parts Management can improve your business outcomes, contact us today.
