World’s Largest Beverage Distributor Teams with SAP to Develop Mobile Business Solutions to Optimize the Performance and Merchandising of the Beverage Industry
ATLANTA, Ga. — SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) and Coca-Cola Enterprises (NYSE: CCE) today announced that they will join forces for a strategic development initiative that will result in a new generation of solutions to improve direct store delivery, full-service vending and equipment service for the beverage and other consumer products industries. The new developments will include mobile solutions that will enhance and support these lines of business. The software will leverage the integrated solutions of mySAP™ Business Suite to facilitate the interaction between field sales, inside sales and logistics functions, reduce associated costs and enhance customer service. The initiative combines the expertise of Coca-Cola Enterprises in beverage market development and execution with the software development capabilities of SAP to produce a next-generation software solution supporting the direct store delivery process from order to cash and settlement.
SAP will broaden its current direct store distribution solution through this joint development initiative with Coca-Cola Enterprises, the world’s largest bottler of non-alcoholic beverages. The initiative will leverage the best-in-class processes of Coca-Cola Enterprises, gained from decades of managing direct store delivery services, to further develop the capabilities of mySAP Business Suite. SAP will market the new capabilities and functionality, increasing its support of global companies with diverse product lines to help them improve execution of merchandising, improve pricing and promotion, grow market share, increase customer satisfaction and reduce logistics costs. The development initiative seeks to create the most comprehensive and advanced distribution models in the beverage and other consumer products industries.
“In an environment where increasing consumer and customer satisfaction is key for any company to survive and grow, consumer products companies must be able to meet demand and service requirements on time, according to expectations and as effectively as possible,” said Léo Apotheker, executive board member, SAP AG. “As an industry leader, Coca-Cola Enterprises represents a partner with business expertise, enabling SAP to further develop its solutions for mobile business and industry-specific capabilities for the entire beverage industry as well as other companies who utilize the DSD process such as the food industry.”
SAP and Coca-Cola Enterprises will focus on the seamless integration of mobile and back-end activities, leveraging the SAP NetWeaver™ open integration and application platform to enable SAP® Mobile Infrastructure. The new capabilities will allow Coca-Cola Enterprises to significantly enhance the support it provides to its associates in the marketplace and ultimately directly to its customers as they engage with consumers.
“This initiative will help us to better utilize the information gleaned from our daily operations to enhance customer service, improve execution efficiency and grow our business,” said Pat Mannelly, senior VP and chief financial officer, Coca-Cola Enterprises. “SAP offers us more than 30 years of industry expertise, broad global business support, financial strength and the significant return we are already seeing from our use of mySAP Business Suite solutions.”
The relationship between Coca-Cola Enterprises and SAP is long term and encompasses deployment of mySAP Business Suite solutions, including mySAP™ Customer Relationship Management (mySAP CRM), mySAP™ Supply Chain Management (mySAP SCM), SAP® solutions for mobile business and mySAP™ ERP. Coca-Cola Enterprises selected SAP for this relationship following an extensive evaluation process.
Direct Store Delivery, Full-Service Vending and Equipment Service
Direct Store Delivery (DSD), full-service vending and equipment services are key components of bottlers’ business operations and profit centers. With tight integration between bottlers’ back-end IT systems and mobile devices, field sales representatives, delivery drivers and equipment service staff can quickly and more effectively respond to a comprehensive range of customer requests. Specifically, DSD from SAP helps companies improve logistical performance and efficiency and better monitor, analyze and integrate data in near real-time from sales to settlement. By eliminating unnecessary paperwork, ensuring proper cash settlement and minimizing wasted cargo space, DSD improves delivery productivity and reduces costs. With DSD, companies also can identify and profitably acquire and manage new customers and market opportunities. The initiative with Coca-Cola Enterprises will result in enhanced capabilities to manage price lists and promotions in a mass customer environment. Further, merchandising and customer prospecting capabilities will be addressed with new, improved handheld application support.
Full-service vending consists of processes related to service and fulfillment of vending machines, including handheld support for direct upload and download of sales information. SAP’s full-service vending capabilities manage accounting for monies collected from the vending machines for products sold.
With equipment services capabilities from SAP, food and beverage companies can better manage repair parts, periodic maintenance and refurbishment, collection of service information and equipment inventory. New tools to be developed will address purchasing and configuration, in addition to asset accounting and periodic maintenance, repair and refurbishment services.
About SAP
SAP is the world’s leading provider of business software solutions. SAP® solutions are designed to meet the demands of companies of all sizes—from small and midsize businesses to global enterprises. Powered by the SAP NetWeaver™ open integration and application platform to reduce complexity and total cost of ownership and empower business change and innovation, mySAP™ Business Suite solutions are helping enterprises around the world improve customer relationships, enhance partner collaboration and create efficiencies across their supply chains and business operations. The unique core processes of various industries, from aerospace to utilities, are supported by more than 25 industry-specific SAP solution portfolios. Today, more than 21,600 customers in over 120 countries run more than 69,700 installations of SAP® software. With subsidiaries in more than 50 countries, the company is listed on several exchanges, including the Frankfurt stock exchange and NYSE under the symbol “SAP.” (Additional information at <http://www.sap.com>)
About Coca-Cola Enterprises
Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: CCE) is the world’s largest marketer, distributor, and producer of bottle and can liquid nonalcoholic refreshment. Coca-Cola Enterprises sells approximately 80 percent of The Coca-Cola Company’s bottle and can volume in North America and is the sole licensed bottler for products of The Coca-Cola Company in Belgium, continental France, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Monaco, and the Netherlands.
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