Discover how CERA streamlined order processing and enhanced customer experience with SAP S/4HANA and SAP C4C
CERA Sanitaryware Limited is one of India’s fastest-developing home solutions providers with a commitment to fulfilling global sanitaryware aspirations with exquisite designs that celebrate intricacy and attention to detail. A public limited enterprise listed with SEBI, CERA Sanitaryware is spearheaded by Mr. Vikram Somany, Chairman and Managing Director, who turned his vision into a living reality in 1980.
For enterprises to mitigate disruption and streamline independent business processes, especially in the sanitaryware industry, technology is a potential driver for growth and transformation.
Considering the ever-growing demand for consumer essentials, organizations must leap forward and leverage future-proof technologies to inspire flawless customer experiences. With a relentless drive and the conviction to encourage innovation through quality and a customer-centric approach, CERA Sanitaryware was built on a foundation that transpires excellence through transformation.
On the path towards realizing their goals, Deepshikha Khaitan, the Joint Managing Director at CERA Sanitaryware Ltd, said, “The CERA Digital Era started with the dream of becoming the world’s finest brand built on the foundation of technology. Our commitment to technology lends us a competitive advantage that is unparalleled. Since its inception, we have invested in state-of-the-art manufacturing plants to achieve the highest standards of quality. From manufacturing precision to impeccable body finish, our factories ensure every product meets CERA’s quality benchmarks”.
Commenting on the CERA’s focus on growth via transformation, Anupam Gupta, Executive Director, Technology, said, “The CERA Edge is built on the foundation of technology. Our commitment to technology lends us a competitive advantage that’s unparalleled”.
For an enterprise to strive amidst adversity, a forward-thinking organization like CERA Sanitaryware Limited needs to leverage digital technologies to drive innovation. Especially in offering personalized customer experiences, the goal must be to design a framework that optimizes business excellence for a user-centric approach.
Driving Business Excellence and Streamlining CX with SAP
As an enterprise offering state-of-the-art sanitaryware solutions across diverse income classes, CERA is built on the foundation of technology that provides a competitive advantage. Furthermore, with quality as a core vision, CERA Sanitaryware Limited has invested in future-ready manufacturing plants, translating their commitment to providing the best customer experience.
Manish Chandegara, CIO at CERA, spoke to us about how the integration of SAP S/4HANA and SAP C4C in 2017, with PwC as their implementation partner, paved the way for business growth. This transition inspired possibilities that facilitated automation across independent business functions for efficient data management and control. 
Here are key business outcomes after the implementation of SAP C4C at CERA:
- Documenting order pre-requisites became easier and accessible on a unified platform
- Access to quotations, rates, and order status available on iPad/mobile/laptop, reducing the average turn-around time from 10 days to 1 day
- With a single click, the back-end team gets a detailed report about pending and completed orders, including the status of current projects
- Efficient consolidation of reports
- Assisting sales representatives at CERA to leverage digital platforms for an omnichannel experience
Creating Impact within CERA
Talking about his journey as a CIO, Manish Chandegara spoke about working with various corporate giants. Manish has served for more than 15 years in higher management positions, which lent him the experience to spearhead the transformational journey for CERA in customer experience.
“After the SAP C4C model was implemented, whenever our salesperson visits customer locations, he is empowered with rates, quotations, and other details on his mobile device. So, what sometimes used to take a few days has now shrunk to just one day. This is the biggest achievement”, Manish Chandegara quoted on CERA’s success with CX transformation.
In our brief conversation with a senior executive at CERA, he remarked how his team’s job had become much more manageable, seamless, and data-driven after implementing SAP C4C into their business systems. He added that large tiles orders can now be executed quickly and effectively after CERA implemented the SAP C4C Tiles module.
The sales team at CERA also commended the implementation of SAP C4C and its impact on CERA’s growth and transformation, stating, “C4C helped us to make faster decisions and improve sales order tracking.”
They achieved this by incorporating the latest technologies like 3D prototype printers, fully automatic chrome plating, robotic grinding, polishing, glazing, and pressure casting machines at our faucets and sanitaryware manufacturing factories. As a result, CERA continues to be the leader in the industry with its futuristic technological advancements.
The Roadmap for the Future
In their roadmap for the future, CERA aims to:
- Leverage a future-ready growth framework
- Implement and integrate two more SAP C4C modules
- Upgrade existing SAP solutions with BI, Artificial Intelligence, and Customer 360
- Focus on data security and compliance
After the implementation of the Customer 360 model by SAP, CERA will be in a position to:
- Leverage an omnichannel experience
- Enhance their customers’ experience
- Empower customers to access their warranty status seamlessly
Commenting on CERA’s transformational journey, Sudeep Singh, VP and Head of CX Business, SAP Indian Subcontinent, noted, “SAP, as a business transformation partner, is committed to empowering enterprises to reach their highest potential and spark innovation across the organization. CERA embarked on that journey with SAP keeping their customers core to their growth and vision. We’re honored to partner with CERA in helping them streamline their customer experience, which directly impacts their growth and bottom lines. We look forward to deepening our relationship and helping CERA leverage the true power of SAP C4C and Customer 360”.
Here on, considering how CERA Sanitaryware Limited leveraged SAP C4C and SAP S/4HANA to invest in a customer-centric strategy, innovation-led transformation is definitely on the cards. The focus for the future, however, is to streamline business functions and integrate them with other modules of SAP C4C.
