Capgemini Advisory Services

Many ERP platforms have stagnated over time.  They might be perceived negatively by the business and may have become a bottleneck to achieving digital and strategic ambition.

In parallel, ERP platform capabilities have evolved significantly in recent years; a modern ERP has a clean core, is predicated on best-practice, has an in-memory database for real-time processes and insight, is highly connected and integrated with SaaS applications, leveraging Cloud and intelligent technologies. It pushes the boundaries of how we have thought about ERP previously.

So, putting this together, there should be clear and significant benefit that can be delivered through a modern, intelligent ERP that plays a role in enabling business strategy.

How can Capgemini help you understand the value and how to release it?

Why are we different?  A business reference model to link  ‘the why’ and ‘the how’.

We apply a business reference model to structure the right thinking for ERP change. This is not a one size all for all, this is adapted based on different industry drivers.

The seven layers of the model are organised by business architecture (layers one through four) and enabling architecture (layers five through seven, with ERP sitting at layer six).

Navigating the layers drives alignment of the future direction of your ERP platform to your business model and strategy whilst at the same time driving a complete view of the required change.

This highlights the reimagination of ERP transformations, it is not centred around one product anymore. It relies on the value being brought in from the non-ERP Applications and an Agile architecture.

Understanding the why.  And shaping the Golden Thread.

Without the right business sponsorship and buy-in, even the most well-polished roadmaps, target architecture assessments or other types of strategies can quickly unravel.

So how do you get that commitment?  An exciting case for change is crucial: a clear articulation of the extent of transformational change required and how this enables business strategy and outcomes.  A credible roadmap and business/supplier resource plan is equally important and we’ll come to that later.

We help you navigate layers one through three to understand and apply business strategy and capabilities, desired outcomes and organisation change to shape the right business case for investment.

We bring that to life in a concise articulation of the case for change in what we call the ‘Golden Thread’: a connected, small number of high-level, high-impact outcomes across the enterprise with executive sponsorship and focus.

The Golden Thread runs from business strategy through the ERP programme, flowing from the business case and desired project outcomes to the delivery of those outcomes and continued innovation and improvement.  And, of course, driven by executive sponsorship.

Aligning on when.  Shaping your ERP roadmap.

How do you decide on the sequencing and duration of the programme?

We recently conducted a survey of the biggest influencing factors on the duration of ERP transformation programmes across multiple industry sectors including utilities, asset intensive and complex manufacturing.

The results were interesting.  Some were expected; data cleansing and transformation scored highly as a key factor.  Also, the results also showed that managers saw change management as a lower priority consideration.  However, in our experience, comprehensive and innovative approaches to change, driving the business to standard best-practice and delivery of successful change and transformation, is more critical than ever.

Every ERP transformation will be different but rigorous consideration and prioritisation of all the influencing factors on the roadmap is important to best avoid problems in programme and project execution.

Why is Capgemini different?

We are an innovative, engaging, rigorous team.  Here’s a few of the reasons we think we’re different.

Our breadth of capability

We work end-to-end using real life business scenarios.  And we do this by using reference models, specific to each sector, aligned with Industry 4.0.  The breadth and diversity of our Group capability enables us to draw upon industry expertise, one of the largest global SAP capabilities, business, strategy and innovation consulting, analytics and data, and unique capabilities including our Capgemini Engineering business.

Bringing it to life

For us, ‘seeing is believing’.  We recognise the importance of ERP demonstrators of key functionality, integration and UX to help key people become familiar with proposed solutions.

Driving business alignment and buy-in

Getting business buy-in is key to success and producing quality output, whilst essential, is nothing without delivering critical outcomes:

Roadmap agreed Scope confirmed Costs understood Benefits identified Business & I.T stakeholders aligned

“The Capgemini advisory team [secured] business buy-in to the conclusions, with over 70 business representatives and the UK Exec collaborating in their unique Accelerated Solutions Environment.” Chris Harrison, ENGIE Business Transformation

We use techniques such as our Accelerated Solutions Environment (now operational fully virtually if required) to drive business alignment, buy-in and solve complex problems

Underpinned by digital tooling

We use digital collaboration tooling by default, with pre-configured templates and methods, to engage your business in innovative and productive ways.  Our approaches work face-to-face, fully remote and in a hybrid delivery.

Our proprietary Capgemini Advisory Services Online (CASO) platform digitises our change approach, from the business strategy all the way through to understanding the business change impact on differing personas and the action required to start working in the new way.

This platform ensures adoption is monitored and impactful decisions are made using a single, online, up-to-date repository instead of multiple, complicated documents.

In our experience, understanding resistance, driving minimum levels of compliance, as well as creating enthusiastic advocates is more critical than ever to delivering programme outcomes.

What our clients say about us.

Our simple and human-centric advisory approach is a proven and adaptable method, used in our advisory engagements across Capgemini, to help our clients answer key questions and challenges.

Our UK team is recognised in the market – shortlisted for Transformation Team of the Year 2021 (ERP Today) – and our client stories below bring to life our collaborative, innovative approach, delivering useful, practical output and securing business buy-in and momentum.

Aerospace and Defence client

“By using Capgemini 5 stage process, we were able to gain buy in from everyone involved in this project. The methodology is logical, easy to understand and work to. It enables a co-creation of the roadmap between our business and Capgemini. By following this process we were able to understand the vision of the team and shape the programme of work going forward, this helped cater the maturity workshops to something real and relevant to the stakeholders involved and gained the desired output of a shared maturity level and ambition of where they wanted to go in the next 24 months.

By keeping the same teams involved, they were able to relate to each stage of this process and continue to add value to each stage. Throughout this project, we have had to cater this process to suit multiple areas (Logistics and Transport, Material Delivery, Indirect Procurement & Service Contracting and Direct Procurement. As we have approached each area, the workshop process has stayed the same, only the questions have adapted to suit the area. This shows that this process is not just suitable to a supply chain business but easily adaptable to any area that involved providing a service.

I have myself been able to identify other areas of my own business where this methodology could be used and implemented.”

A&D, Supply Chain Director.

ENGIE UK

“The ENGIE UK business unit faced a challenge in bringing highly disparate divisions together to implement SAP S/4HANA, replace four different ERP platforms, and align with Group-mandated data structures and reporting models.  Aligning the business, agreeing the programme scope and the roadmap as well as developing the benefits case, were significant undertakings.

The Capgemini advisory team, using its 5-step approach and expertise, helped us firstly to engage the business through interviews, interactive maturity assessment and best practice workshops in multiple locations, and secondly to secure business buy-in to the conclusions, with over 70 business representatives and the UK Exec collaborating in their unique Accelerated Solutions Environment.

Together Engie with Capgemini achieved what we wanted – roadmap, scope, a way forward, a benefits case and aligned stakeholders, thereby making the programme feel real and achievable.”

Chris Harrison, ENGIE Transformation Director.

SEAT

As an existing SAP user, SEAT wanted to keep up with the advancement in ERP technology and understand the implications of a transition to the SAP S/4HANA logistics platform.

SEAT worked with Capgemini to perform a thorough examination of its existing systems and processes, and develop a transformation roadmap predicated on SAP S/4HANA adoption.

Alex Bennell

Principal Applications Consultant

Alex works with our clients to shape ERP change and transformation programmes.