Roca Group is a family business world leader in the design, production and marketing of bathroom space products for architectural, construction and interior design purposes. The company was faced with the need to improve its online presence and optimize internal operations, with the revitalization of the omnichannel strategy as a key objective.
The main objective was to implement a solution that would provide a seamless purchasing experience for B2B customers globally, while ensuring efficient inventory and order management in their existing SAP ERP system. This need had to be adapted both to business growth opportunities and the expansion of the catalog to products from other Roca Group brands, since the company has 76 plants worldwide. Therefore, scalability was a key requirement for the project’s success.
The challenge
The core of the project was the design and implementation of its B2B platform in SAP CX that fulfilled the business-to-business processes defined by its stakeholders to, in this way, optimize and exploit this business channel in the multiple markets in which that the group operates and with the different brands that make it up. The aim was to grow geographically and create an interface to improve flows with distributors. Likewise, technical criteria of scalability, sustainability and operational efficiency had to be applied, meeting performance and security requirements. The new B2B solution also had to be aligned with the strategic pillars of Roca Group:
This new B2B platform had to coexist within the Roca Group’s technological ecosystem, with the fastest and most standard integration possible to enhance business capabilities and operation flows. One of the catalysts was, therefore, to maximize out-of-the-box functionalities to solve common business problems.
The solution
At hiberus, we have implemented an end-to-end solution that focused on ensuring scalability, flexibility, security and a B2C-like user experience for a B2B environment.
Those responsible for Roca Group IT and a business and architecture consulting team from hiberus, together with SAP consulting teams, completed a 6-month audit phase, developing a comparative analysis of different 360 solutions that allowed the best technical and operational solution to be determined based on SAP Commerce. The short and medium-term needs for the evolution of the platform were studied, paying special attention to the scalability capacity to the different countries it will have to cover.
The comprehensive solution covered several key work areas, such as hiberus Architects (Ecosystem/Omnichannel), which implemented a Decoupled and Scalable Architecture, a front-end layer with the objective of adapting to the growth of users and transactions.
Another of the essential teams for the development of the project was UX/UI, designing the Similar-to-B2C User Experience, with a responsive design for intuitive navigation on mobile devices and tablets.
The SAP teams, made up of SAP Commerce, SCPI and SAP ERP, have been in charge of the integration with SAP ERP, implementing various functionalities:
- Portfolio Control and Tracking Documents, allowing real-time access to purchase history, billing and the automatic generation of invoices and shipping notes.
- Automatic Synchronization of Available Stock, continuously integrated and automated in real time between SAP Commerce and SAP ERP.
- Integration with SAP ERP through SAP BTP SCPI, accurately and automatically synchronizing product data, customer and pricing conditions.
- Personalization of Content and Specific Offers for each client or segment, recommending automated promotions or news from Roca Group.
- Promoted Orders and Authorization Systems with approval flows, allowing rigorous control in the authorization of orders.
- Cart and Checkout Management, allowing you to save and manage multiple carts and simplifying payment processes.
- Online Order Transactional System, with a real-time simulation of prices and stock availability.
Finally, the hiberus data team implemented a Real Time Integration, through which each distributor has constantly updated data on what happens in their order.
Key to success
The B2B transformation with SAP Commerce and decoupled architecture, together with SAP ERP integration through SAP BTP SCPI by hiberus, allowed Roca Group to offer a next-generation e-commerce platform that meets B2B standards and optimizes operational efficiency. Flexibility and scalability for all the brands and markets was thus obtained.
Thanks to this collaboration, the objectives set were met: the incorporation of new functional requirements, meeting the standards of B2B technological solutions, best practices and real-time operation flows optimized to offer the best experience to Roca Group’s customers.
Results
The collaboration between Roca Group and hiberus resulted in a cutting-edge B2B solution, easy to use, flexible and scalable, with great operational efficiency and that can be deployed quickly and safely for the different Roca Group brands and in the multiple markets in which operates.
- Improvement in customer satisfaction by providing an efficient and personalized B2C-like catalog experience.
- Increase in conversions thanks to a B2C-like shopping cart, including an optimized checkout, specific offers and price and stock simulation.
- Greater control of operational and financial planning provided by order book details and tracking documents.
- Improved operational efficiency thanks to the automation of processes and queries in real time.
- Optimization of the returns process and management of promoted orders with approval flows.
The final result of the platform for Roca Group is one of the most powerful eCommerce in the SAP Commerce solution internationally.
Next Steps
Roca Group is constantly growing globally and is embarking on a multitude of projects, such as the expansion of its markets to countries like Poland and, as a future challenge, the roll-out of its products to China. Thanks to the new solution, these plans can be carried out without technical complications, since it is adaptable to any environment and area of operation.
The B2B platform solution also allows the subsequent incorporation of other brands within the same instance of the Roca Group, providing a solution to an entire group of different industrial supply manufacturers, gradually expanding their product catalog. In short, assured growth for a global leader in the industrial supplies sector thanks to its commitment to technological renewal and innovation.
At hiberus, we make the digital transformation of your company a reality. We have a multidisciplinary team, experts in all areas of digital business action. If you are thinking about implementing this solution or migrating your SAP solution to the cloud, do not hesitate to contact us. Our SAP experts will be happy to advise you.
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