Reader ROI
Executive Summary
CIO 100 Winner: HCC, the brains and brawn behind the Bandra Worli sea link, needed a portal that would eliminate manual data entry - filling physical forms for tasks such as quotation submission, request for proposal and so on. The solution deployed consisted of components of supplier relationship management and document management software.
On 30 June 2009, India got its first eight-lane freeway over the open sea. Thanks to Hindustan Construction Company (HCC), the Bandra-Worli sea link is, like they say, a marvel. And so is the company that built it.
Case Study Highlights
In the business for over eight decades, HCC, a 3,000- strong construction enterprise wanted to take IT beyond the organization's boundaries - to its suppliers and sub-contractors. It had reasons. "Establishing a long-term connect with suppliers and sub-contractors was important because of the changing eco-system which increases dependency on them. At the same time, there is now the possibility of working with global service providers," says Satish Pendse, CIO, HCC.
What Pendse needed was a portal that would eliminate manual data entry - filling physical forms for tasks such as quotation submission, request for proposal and so on. The solution he deployed consisted of components of supplier relationship management and document management software.
Also, the supply chain comprises large volumes of documents and the need arose to provide access to suppliers across locations. What Pendse needed was a portal that would eliminate manual data entry - filling physical forms for tasks such as quotation submission, request for proposal, purchase order and payment details.
The solution deployed consisted of components of supplier relationship management and document management software. The project was a combination of in-house and out-sourced development.
But like all big projects, this one wasn't devoid of challenges. "Getting buy-in from different classes of suppliers and sub-contractors to appreciate the utility of the portal was difficult. A change in mindset was necessary to interact with HCC and move to a Web-based mode of interaction," says Pendse. On the company's part, it required extensive communication, training and perseverance. Another challenge was to get a buy-in across hierarchies within the organization, which was achieved through extensive involvement of user teams throughout the initiative.
The results are easy to see: the cost and time invested in communicating with vendors has reduced. Pendse says, "The platform facilitates access to larger number of suppliers and service providers, including global ones, giving us an edge in negotiations." Another benefit is the transparency across supply chain, developing mutual trust, critical for a long term relationship with vendors.
The results are easy to see: the cost and time invested in communicating with vendors has reduced. Pendse says, "The platform facilitates access to larger number of suppliers and service providers, including global ones, giving us an edge in negotiations." Another benefit is the transparency across supply chain, developing mutual trust, critical for a long term relationship with vendors.
The Person Behind It
The supplier portal offers access to a larger number of suppliers giving us an edge in negotiations
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