Success Recipe for Nigerian Trading Industry Volume #1 Sep. 2012 | Page 5

here’s how..continued The company was able to provide an online interface for its retailers, who could place orders while checking the stock and their credit balance on real-time. The PO order was approved by the managers and a delivery order issued automatically to the store manager. Even the corresponding invoice was generated automatically and mailed to the retailer. Soon the management realized that there was no work left of the staff, so moved them to a more strategic role of planning. The Sales team was now churning data from the system to predict stock movements and placing predictive orders with the suppliers/manufacturers. The accounts team was proactively managing insights into the accounts receivable and payables, and following up well in ahead to ensure it remains on target. The warehouse team was predicting well in advance on stock expiry and sending detailed information to marketing team to run promotions on near expiry stock sale. The management were sitting at their houses and observing real-time dashboards with clear insights into sales based on territory, sales person, margins, and more parameters. They were able to see the financial health of the company on a daily basis and advice the accounts team accordingly. Steve and Rebeca are now looking for new business opportunities as they know that this distribution business of theirs is on auto-pilot. 5 About STPL STPL is a full capability service provider founded in 2000 in Nigeria and has been consulting large enterprises and SME’s on global best practices to implement technology that either creates a new revenue stream for the clien t or creates enough savings to start a new line of business. STPL is also the first Silver Level Partner of OpenERP in the entire Sub-Saharan Africa. STPL has developed proprietary software products readily integrated with OpenERP and completely tuned for the Nigerian Industries, some of these include automated Paywings® HRMS, Payroll and Tax Management, Paywings Connect® Electronic Payments integrated with Nigerian Switch Providers, Warehouse Management System, and more. All these products provide a local flavour to OpenERP and also provide a seamless integrated experience to the end customer. STPL Services offer a hybrid offshore-onsite delivery model that not only leverages the best talents available in India and OpenERP HQ, but also passes on the cost savings to its customers. iMS is STPL’s ITIL Certified, MSP Alliance Certified, Managed IT Infrastructure Services division, that takes the pain out of customers with large & small IT network setup. It also drastically reduces the client’s annual outflow from Information Technology budgets. Website: www.stplglobal.com Contact us: [email protected] 57, Adeola Odeku, VI, Lagos, Nigeria 6 THE AUTHOR Palash Bagchi, Executive Director– Technology. veggie & organic 5