Software AG Case Studies Digitalization: Prescription for Success

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	Digitalization: Prescription for Success Software AG

Digitalization: Prescription for Success

Software AG

Technology Category	Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics Application Infrastructure & Middleware - API Integration & Management Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Connectivity Platforms Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Data Management Platforms
Applicable Industries	Healthcare & Hospitals Retail
Applicable Functions	Business Operation Sales & Marketing
Use Cases	Inventory Management Retail Store Automation Supply Chain Visibility
Services	Software Design & Engineering Services System Integration
Challenge	The retail pharmacy company, a global enterprise with nearly half a million employees and operations in numerous countries, was facing challenges due to heightened competition from digital disrupters like Amazon, increasing healthcare costs and changing regulations, growing customer choices and expectations, and a boom in IoT healthcare devices. One of the biggest changes in the company’s history was the recent merger of two major companies that created it. This massive undertaking brought together two iconic brands with complementary footprints, but very different IT architectures. The newly formed company was dealing with a very complex environment—and many different technologies across the enterprise. It needed a solution to standardize global operations—a “cook once, serve many” solution. Read More
About Customer	The customer is a retail pharmacy company, the first global enterprise of its kind. It employs nearly half a million people, operates more than 10,000 stores and hundreds of distribution centers in numerous countries, and delivers products to nearly a quarter million healthcare providers. It is also one of the world’s most admired companies. One of the biggest changes in the company’s history was the recent merger of two major companies that created it. This massive undertaking brought together two iconic brands with complementary footprints, but very different IT architectures. Read More
Solution	After considering SAP®, Oracle and its current IBM® technology stack, the company found Software AG was the clear choice. Software AG presented a clear and compelling business case for a digital business platform. Rather than buy more tools (and add complexity), the company would invest in a unified set of software capabilities to achieve productivity improvements with faster application development, more reuse and reduced maintenance costs, improved infrastructure stability— greater reliability, less downtime and faster issue resolution, lower OPEX by optimizing the application portfolio, and lower inventory costs, thanks to end-toend supply chain integration and visibility. The company focused in on the value of vendor independence. Rather than being locked into one vendor’s proprietary approach, it would be free to use and choose any IT as well as build on current investments in SAP and IBM systems. Technology-agnostic, Software AG’s Digital Business Platform would work with all systems as an “independent federation layer” now and with future acquisitions. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - API Integration & Management

Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Connectivity Platforms

Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Data Management Platforms

Applicable Industries

Healthcare & Hospitals

Retail

Applicable Functions

Business Operation

Sales & Marketing

Use Cases

Inventory Management

Retail Store Automation

Supply Chain Visibility

Services

Software Design & Engineering Services

System Integration

Challenge

The retail pharmacy company, a global enterprise with nearly half a million employees and operations in numerous countries, was facing challenges due to heightened competition from digital disrupters like Amazon, increasing healthcare costs and changing regulations, growing customer choices and expectations, and a boom in IoT healthcare devices. One of the biggest changes in the company’s history was the recent merger of two major companies that created it. This massive undertaking brought together two iconic brands with complementary footprints, but very different IT architectures. The newly formed company was dealing with a very complex environment—and many different technologies across the enterprise. It needed a solution to standardize global operations—a “cook once, serve many” solution.

About Customer

The customer is a retail pharmacy company, the first global enterprise of its kind. It employs nearly half a million people, operates more than 10,000 stores and hundreds of distribution centers in numerous countries, and delivers products to nearly a quarter million healthcare providers. It is also one of the world’s most admired companies. One of the biggest changes in the company’s history was the recent merger of two major companies that created it. This massive undertaking brought together two iconic brands with complementary footprints, but very different IT architectures.

Solution

After considering SAP®, Oracle and its current IBM® technology stack, the company found Software AG was the clear choice. Software AG presented a clear and compelling business case for a digital business platform. Rather than buy more tools (and add complexity), the company would invest in a unified set of software capabilities to achieve productivity improvements with faster application development, more reuse and reduced maintenance costs, improved infrastructure stability— greater reliability, less downtime and faster issue resolution, lower OPEX by optimizing the application portfolio, and lower inventory costs, thanks to end-toend supply chain integration and visibility. The company focused in on the value of vendor independence. Rather than being locked into one vendor’s proprietary approach, it would be free to use and choose any IT as well as build on current investments in SAP and IBM systems. Technology-agnostic, Software AG’s Digital Business Platform would work with all systems as an “independent federation layer” now and with future acquisitions.

Impact #1	Greater agility to react to market challenges and opportunities
Impact #2	Better product availability and visibility for omni-channel fulfillment
Impact #3	Easier decision-making with access to timely, accurate data

Impact #1

Greater agility to react to market challenges and opportunities

Impact #2

Better product availability and visibility for omni-channel fulfillment

Impact #3

Easier decision-making with access to timely, accurate data

Benefit #1	200-person Integration Center of Excellence set up
Benefit #2	All retail stores to be migrated onto webMethods in 2018
Benefit #3	70-page reference architecture created

Benefit #1

200-person Integration Center of Excellence set up

Benefit #2

All retail stores to be migrated onto webMethods in 2018

Benefit #3

70-page reference architecture created

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Overview

Digitalization: Prescription for Success

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit