Retail Giant’s EDI Integration | Case Study ⚐ Comarch

3 Main Business Challenges

1. Visibility within the Order Management System

The absence of a centralized channel for suppliers to provide feedback on orders led to uncertainty regarding the timing, location, quantities, and packaging details of products supplied in specific orders. This lack of transparency posed a significant risk, particularly for products with short expiration dates or those requiring refrigerated storage. Failure to coordinate effectively with warehouses could result in substantial losses for the retailer and empty shelves in stores.

2. Standards in Communication with Suppliers

Convincing suppliers to align their business processes with the retailer's chosen standards and adopt technologies like the SSCC-18 shipping label was an ongoing challenge. In some cases, suppliers lacked the resources and/or expertise in EDI technology, making it difficult to implement and utilize standardized systems effectively.

3. Technical Hurdles

This problem was particularly relevant to suppliers with varying levels of sophistication in their internal EDI structures. Some utilized in-house solutions, others relied on external EDI providers, while some had no EDI capabilities at all. Technological diversity in EDI landscapes presented a challenge in creating a tool that could be leveraged to accommodate suppliers at different stages.

Implemented Solution

To address and successfully overcome these technological challenges, the Comarch Document Tester Application was deployed as a user-friendly portal accessible to the retailer’s suppliers 24/7. This unlimited accessibility both facilitated testing without time frame constraints and empowered suppliers to verify the accuracy of their ASN (Advanced Shipping Notice) structures and generate shipping labels that meet the retailer's standards. The application also featured a feedback mechanism, enabling suppliers to provide input, report issues via an integrated ticket system, and download requirements. This streamlined communication ensured rapid identification and resolution of any discrepancies.

Project Benefits

Simplified EDI Onboarding

Our streamlined process focuses on an online application that automatically validates ASN data transmission, reducing manual effort and risk of errors. The Comarch Document Tester generates reports and guiding corrections for ASN errors allowing suppliers to complete the entire onboarding process independently.

Enhanced Inventory Management

By unifying the order shipping process with ASNs and enforcing compliance, we minimize discrepancies in inventory management and order fulfillment. The flexible Document Tester ensures comprehensive onboarding for suppliers at all levels of EDI proficiency, enabling effective order management and data-driven inventory strategies.

Strategic Resource Allocation

Outsourcing onboarding communication to Comarch frees up resources for strategic roles, allowing the retailer to focus on higher-level and strategic tasks. Comarch ensures the accuracy of ASN and shipping label data independently, relieving the client of onboarding challenges and responsibilities.

Improved Visibility and Reporting

Our Document Tester Application includes an additional panel for retailers, providing personalized reports and statistics regarding the onboarding progress. Real-time tracking and transparent communication with suppliers by means of the ticket system enhanced visibility throughout the process.

The Onboarding Process of 1,000+ Suppliers

The implementation process required collaboration with over 1,000 suppliers as Comarch worked to understand each supplier’s readiness for standardization and aid in the transition to EDI as the communication channel. This eliminated the manual exchange of delivery data, resulting in enhanced efficiency.

Streamlined communication, clear requirements, and defined deadlines emerged as crucial factors for successful onboarding. The project also facilitated a comprehensive audit of vendor data and cooperation rules, documented through digital tools and reports accessible for the retailer. These resources allowed for real-time tracking of onboarding progress and served as a repository for supplier and partner insights.

A big part of the project's success was the joint effort with third-party EDI providers serving the retail giant’s supplier. Despite being competitors, cooperation was established to effectively onboard their partners, demonstrating a collective commitment to the project's success.

Moreover, this project showed how important it is to have positive relationships and access to current contact details of merchants or key accounts in order to achieve successful cooperation with business partners. Detailed reports were provided outlining the completion status of each vendor's stage in the onboarding process, with comprehensive records including certified labels, ASNs, and full communication histories accessible upon request, ensuring both transparency and accountability throughout the process.

The collaboration between the retailer and the Comarch team throughout the onboarding project was very proactive and productive. We maintained weekly meetings to discuss progress, address any challenges, and strategize on next steps. The retail giant took an active role in assessing escalations, sending out communications to suppliers, and providing valuable advice when needed. The success of the project can be attributed to our strong partnership and effective communication throughout the process.

Additional Info about the Project

To increase communication with suppliers, Comarch regularly hosted virtual workshops in which onboarding portal demonstrations were conducted to guide suppliers through the onboarding process, ASN testing, and shipping label approval. Each session concluded with a live Q&A panel addressing key concerns, with recordings distributed to registered suppliers.

Throughout the onboarding project, suppliers also had the opportunity to request individualized assistance through use-case specific sessions and seek specialized guidance via the ticket system's Service Desk. Technical experts, such as mappers were available to troubleshoot ASN structure, mapping errors, and parsing issues. Project updates, goals, and timelines were consistently communicated by the project manager.