In this Acceleration Case Study, learn how ASSA ABLOY France (AAF), a global leader in door security solutions, improved efficiency by updating its website interface. The company recognized frequent website issues involving code configurations. AAF needed a solution to decrease these order errors and create a more efficient internal process. By partnering with Experlogix CPQ and implementing Dynamics AX, AAF was able to achieve business goals. Read how they achieved this next level of digital transformation through optimized user experience and increased sales orders.
Business Challenge – Improve Efficiency & User Experience
ASSA ABLOY France specializes in the manufacturing of armored and entry doors for individual and residential homes. The company has an international reach. It has departments across Belgium, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Switzerland. Also, AAF has over 1,300 employees. The company develops more than 2,600 configurations each month, which is over 31,000 per year.
AAF constantly dealt with various issues each day. For instance, the company had to code configurations on a specific website. Only the subcontractor hosting the site could make modifications to each configuration. This created a much slower and inefficient process that resulted in a high risk for errors. AAF was always in reactive mode if any problems arose, which made the jobs of each employer that much more challenging.
Retailers also struggled with handling a mandatory set of questions that were required for orders. This configuration process wasn’t very flexible, as customers didn’t know what the product looked like beforehand. It became a significant drawback for sales. Previously, AAF used an ERP system with a configurator. However, the rules that defined the product range weren’t already written in the tool.
While customers could see the official range of products available from the factory, they still had to make assumptions about any options or variations. Many times the back office received orders that couldn’t be manufactured. This resulted in unhappy customers. Many of the documents created for customers didn’t include the latest information, as they were often out of date.
Software Solution – Experlogix CPQ
AAF eventually stopped using web pages solely dedicated to configuration. They replaced them with Experlogix CPQ. They made this decision because it automatically created exchange files to send to Movex. Performing this change made it much easier to prepare the website for using Dynamics AX. Implementing Dynamics AX allowed the company to use the CPQ tool document generation capabilities to automatically feed Dynamics AX.
The team could also continue to use CPQ for their website and their ERP system without experiencing any disruptions or having to perform any workarounds. Due to the capabilities being virtually the same, AAF can easily connect CPQ to Dynamics AX for creating sales orders within the ERP solution. This process eliminated the need to separate the website, configurator, and the ERP system. Additionally, it didn’t matter that the Dynamics AX and website were installed using two different servers. CPQ can quickly work with either one.
Transferring information to ERP was very fast, simple. It allowed the company to make updates and changes themselves while using both systems. According to the project manager, it was now much easier and more efficient to change, build, and maintain configurations. Now, teams can take a proactive approach to manage any issues while reacting much faster if any problems arise.
The Results – User Experience Improvements and Other Benefits
The web-based interface of the CPQ enables retailers to work directly with AAF. After choosing a product range, clients can make changes to specific products by using a guided process without following a required sequence of questions. This same process is also used for managing sales administration. This has improved the overall user experience.
Whether they use CPQ standalone or CPQ for Dynamics AX, each user can rest assured knowing that they have the most up-to-date product information. Also, the checks and balances system within CPQ notifies users if an option isn’t feasible. This saves the back-office and production a lot of time and effort.
Overall Benefits:
There were several benefits that AAF experienced from this partnership:
- Less Time Creating Configurations
- Improved Flexibility
- Increased Access to Configurator Information
- Fewer Costs
- Better Sales Results
- Enhanced Sales Efficiency
- Substantial Return on Investment (ROI)
AAF no longer spends additional time managing updates or errors that constantly plagued the company before switching. Now, the R&D department can quickly fill the system with new products and improve existing products. Meanwhile, the IT team handles static and dynamic data. Overall, due to its improved efficiency, greater flexibility, lower costs, and many other benefits, using Experlogix CPQ was an excellent choice for AAF.
