Achieving successful digital F&A transformation across industries

In this article, we’ll focus on how D-GPM works as a key enabler of Capgemini’s digital transformation platform (Digital Global Enterprise Model – or D-GEM) to mitigate the challenges of transforming finance and accounting (F&A) operations that arise across industries such as pharmaceuticals, retail, consumer goods, media and entertainment, utilities, and manufacturing.

What influences impact different industries

Imagine living in a world where running a business is the same regardless of what services you provide or what you produce. It’s a wonderful vision – but the reality is very different.

At Capgemini, our experience of helping clients transform their businesses has taught us that while many processes are common across all industries, each client still comes with their own challenges. Because of this, there simply isn’t one model that fits all. Each and every business has its own specific needs, characteristics, and risks based on the specificities of the industry sector within which they operate that require a tailored approach.

The question is then – what are the indicators that define the diversity within each sector, and what influences them? The first and most important specific indicator is what a particular company does – meaning what it produces or distributes. When looking at a company through this prism the following factors must be considered:

• Are the goods produced or distributed dependent on external factors such as seasonality or dictated by consumer preferences?
• Is the company exposed to fraud, litigation, and reputational damage?
• Is the company’s activity dependent on a specific piece of equipment or intellectual property that it can’t operate without?
• Does what is produced have a significant impact on the environment and CO₂ emissions?
• Does the company struggle with broad product segmentation?

And these are not the only questions that need to be answered. All organizations need to handle segmentation between vendors and customers; however, this can create challenges when handling special business relationships – for example what additional factors need to be considered when doing business with utility or pharmaceutical companies. They also need to attract a high volume of specific vendors or customers which may cause business to stagnate, and generate relationships with government or regulatory entities which brings more scrutiny to every activity the organization undertakes.

All of these areas need special attention when it comes to redesigning your business processes. Ignoring red flags related to distinctive risks and challenges is a recipe for disaster. This means that like it or not, all of the above factors impact the success of any digital transformation across all industries. So, how can you keep these challenges in check?

Digital transformation across industries made easy

Our D-GEM digital transformation platform leverages D-GPM’s sector-specific process models to mitigate certain process characteristics resulting from sector specificity across industries. Specific  business knowledge of each sector enables us to understand the differences between sectors, and any challenges that may arise, which helps us to better identify and prioritize opportunities for process improvement.

All of this enables us to reimagine and transform our clients’ business operations, helping them achieve – what we call – the Frictionless Enterprise.

To learn more about how Capgemini’s D-GEM reshapes and streamlines your business processes to deliver a truly Frictionless Enterprise, please feel free to contact: joanna.jaroszewska@capgemini.com

Joanna Jaroszewska works to develop Capgemini’s Digital Global Process Model platform, driving the digital transformation of her clients’ business operations.