British Pepper and Spice, one of the UK's oldest companies,
has streamlined its accounting processes by using software modules
downloaded from an online SAP catalogue.
SAP, once seen as only offering complex enterprise software for
large companies, is now keen to target smaller businesses, such as
British Pepper and Spice, which manufactures seasonings, herbs and
spices.
The company was using the Report Corners software to generate
reports, such as sales order analysis, within two weeks of placing
its order.
Finance director Andrew Hetzel, who runs British Pepper and Spice's
IT function, said the company's main goal was to make better use of
the data held in its SAP systems and give customers better, more
timely information. British Pepper and Spice has been using SAP R/3
Financials, Sales and Distribution, Warehouse Management, Materials
Management and Purchasing modules since 1999.
It now takes British Pepper and Spice just one transaction to get a
report from its SAP systems, compared to three or four transactions
with the previous system. The improved sales order analysis and
ability to check stock balances means customers can contact the
company and find out where their orders are more quickly.
"The SAP reports help us to be a bit more proactive and identify
problems before they occur," said Hetzel. For instance, it can
inform customers in advance of potential delays to their orders.
Analyst Gary Barnet of Ovum said the launch of SAP's
catalogue-based model earlier this year showed that the ERP
supplier has been listening to what SMEs want from a supplier - and
other big software suppliers should take note.
"It is a kind of 'stoop to conquer' strategy and it has a hint of
the on-demand idea, where the user does not pay for stuff they do
not need," he said.
British Pepper and Spice identified the products in the SAP Direct
catalogue, ordered them via e-mail, received e-mail confirmation
and then downloaded them in Zip file format from a secure website
ready for testing. The catalogue contains a range of fixed price,
off-the-shelf products, all of which come with a 30-day delivery
guarantee.