NERVE CENTER

Connected, intelligent operations delivered $95M in procurement value

At a glance

Big vision leads to sustained value

A global manufacturer connected processes, garnered strategic data insights and implemented a lasting digital transformation strategy to maximize value with a procurement-based Nerve Center. The resulting solution increased value-chain visibility and unlocked more than $95M in trapped value the first two years of operation. 

Results

$95M+

value unlocked between siloed functions, captured and tracked within the Nerve Center.

The need for change

A siloed approach to traditional procurement operations made it challenging to manage the complex demands of the client’s global value chain

Tasked by their executive team to uncover $100M in value, the Chief Procurement Officer identified the need to challenge the status quo of traditional procurement, establish a digital strategy and look for industry leading practices to transition to a next generation business model. As a strategic partner, Aligned Automation conducted a Digital Health Assessment to first understand the organization’s current digital maturity, opportunity and barriers. Results indicated siloed business functions and high-touch employee work due to disparate processes, technologies and data, resulting in time-consuming manual tasks. The client and Aligned Automation set out to improve operations by establishing an intelligent and connected centralized procurement solution to achieve the desired business outcomes.

Capabilities and expertise enable outcomes

The teams devised a plan to address the barriers impeding the client’s vision by leveraging a Nerve Center, a solution that accelerates business outcomes by providing intelligent insights and empowering proactive intervention, powered by a connected data fabric.

Process mining deployed to unveil existing bottlenecks, optimize data usage, reduce risks and monitor for improvements.
Machine learning and artificial intelligence developed and matured to provide foresight to shifting market trends.
Digital capabilities optimized and automated manual processes, reducing hand-offs and increasing output.
Data visualizations continuously monitor 350+ initiatives and their collective progress.
Analytics equipped the sourcing team with strategic data for Supplier Relationship Management.
Robotic process automation streamlined operations while empowering employees to take on more strategic work.

Leveraging enablers such as RPA, process mining and ML / AI, the teams optimized processes, uncovered strategic insights and created a collaborative environment to manage 350+ business initiatives such as margin optimization, carbon credit forecasting and intelligent contract management. The Nerve Center now acts as the single source of truth for cross-functional intelligence and collaboration, serving as the brain for procurement’s operational improvements, risk mitigation and value capture projects.

Create cross-functional alignment

...with connected data and platforms to accelerate insights and generate action.

Deliver outcomes

...through enhanced project management tools, recommended actions based on KPIs and analytics, and improved processes.

Improve strategic supplier collaboration

...by standardizing information sources and tracking initiative performance and activities.

Delivering and exceeding targeted value

By partnering with Aligned Automation, the company CPO was able to meet and exceed the original target of $100M while simultaneously outlining an actionable path for additional value. Within one year, the company evolved their procurement function, resulting in:

$95M

Value unlocked between siloed functions, captured and tracked within the Nerve Center.

$200M

Additional value capture projected by expanding the Nerve Center solution across the client’s global footprint.

Single view

Through a new way to work across 10+ systems including ERP, order-to-cash, finance, executive reporting and more.

The CPO and his procurement organization are now seen as company leaders and serve as an example for other functional groups. As a result, teams in both supply chain and manufacturing are now partnering with Aligned Automation to pursue similar journeys.

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