Jinlong Machinery & Electronics Co., Ltd. manufactures best-in-class motors, structural components, LCD modules, and precision components of automation equipment. The company was founded in 1986. Since then, it has rapidly expanded and now supplies leading smartphone manufacturers around the globe with core components.
Jinlong went through a large-scale digital transformation with SAP. I had the pleasure of speaking to CIO Zhong Lei on how Real-Time Support helped Jinlong succeed in its digital transformation every step of the way.
Q: Jinlong has undergone an extensive digital transformation and cloud migration to expand factories and diversify the product portfolio – all with RISE with SAP S4/HANA Cloud. How did you come to the decision?
Lei: The prices of our raw materials, including chips and other high-threshold core components, have soared in the past couple of years. This led smartphone manufacturers to shift the cost pressure to lower-threshold component suppliers. We had to find a way to maintain or even lower the product prices while bearing the increased raw material costs ourselves. It became clear to us that a comprehensive digital transformation, where we strengthen internal risk management and cost management systems, was the only way to increase efficiency across the company and thus help us weather this industry-wide challenge.
What importance does Real-Time Support have in a transformation project like yours?
Having direct access to experts at all times helps make sure we complete project milestones on time. Some phases in the project leave no room for delay, such as the opening of new factories and monthly statement closures. With Real-Time Support, we could rest assured that issues would be resolved in time.
We once had a failed printing job during peak season. As the developers who were supporting us were in a different time zone, we resorted to a quick call with an expert who was online at the time. The issue was resolved in no time and we managed to deliver on time.
What do you like most about Real-Time Support?
The biggest benefit for us is being able to talk to experts in our own language, as not everyone necessarily feels the most comfortable talking about technical details in English. The service is also flexible – we get to choose whether a phone call, e-mail, or chat is the most suitable in our case. In particular, chatting with experts live minimizes downtime and allows us to get back to business as soon as possible. As a result, operation costs and time spent are significantly reduced and timely project delivery is ensured at all times.
Are there any other benefits to using Real-Time Support?
We enjoy the various options through phone, e-mail, and chat, but not all options are equally efficient in all scenarios. Traditionally, if we miss a call from an expert, there is no way to call back and we only have the option to leave a message in the ticketing system. But with Real-Time Support, especially with an expert that speaks Chinese, issues are often resolved within 30 minutes, sometimes even within 10 minutes. This saves us the trouble of back-and-forth communication, which would have been the case for traditional support.
What about Real-Time Support surprised you the most?
Being able to directly communicate with SAP product experts allows for more effective communication – a quicker, better understanding of the issues at hand. This is especially helpful for situations where more context is required. For example, when we started using extensions like Bank-Enterprise Direct Link Service, a local extension in China, we received recommendations of best practices from SAP experts to ensure a smooth adoption. This really goes to show the benefits of live interaction – immediate follow-up questions and clarification allow experts to better understand our unique needs, so that they can give guidance best suited to our situation. I truly appreciate how SAP experts go out of their way to not only provide resolutions and workarounds, but also give further recommendations on how to make the most out of the products we are using.
Would you recommend other customers to not only focus on product features, but also consider whether suppliers provide the right kind of support?
Yes, absolutely. Issues are inevitable. When you search for new products, you should always make sure the suppliers are providing the right support channels. Real-time communication facilitates quick resolutions and finding temporary workarounds. Only this way can collaboration remain sustainable and synergetic.
Cecilia Lo is part of Customer Solution Support and Innovation at SAP.
