Solving real problems in real-time: how one company overcame a data problem
29/2/2024
Tomasz Chwasewicz
Today's story tells about the leader in the automotive spare parts market. Covering its reach of 17 European countries, the true titan has faced a huge challenge. The company faced the difficult task of managing overdue reports, ensuring consistency across different markets, and customizing reports with limited flexibility. Such a scenario led to delays in updating the data. This, in turn, caused frustration and inefficiency.
Verified reports varied from country to country, leading to misunderstandings and lack of trust in the data. It's hard to imagine - after all, data is the only thing that should never be in doubt. The obvious solution was to try to adapt these reports. However, it turned out to be a burning effort, slowing down teams and delaying decision-making processes. It was a bottleneck that hindered their growth and efficiency in a highly competitive market. Thankfully, eventually all of their current problems could be solved. We needed to replicate the data in real time.
The needs of the company were clear. It required up-to-date information on sales, inventory, and other critical business data. All this had to be centrally accessible and updated in real time. The dominant problem was the significant delay in reporting key business factors. They included items such as sales value or inventory levels, and the data was refreshed only every 24 hours. This led to inconsistencies in reports across markets and a “rigid” system that made making changes to reports a complicated operation, requiring coordination between all local IT departments.
The turning point for the company was the introduction of the DBPLUS DATA REPLICATOR solution. This innovative technology (yes, we are very humble) directly solved their basic problems. It enabled real-time replication of data from local databases to a central data hub. This meant that key sales, inventory and customer data across all 17 European markets could now be updated instantly. As a result, decision makers had access to the most up-to-date information at all times.
Implementation of the solution DBPLUS DATA REPLICATOR brought a number of tangible benefits to the company. The key was real-time access to relevant business data, enabling reports to be executed at any time, which greatly improved decision making and operational efficiency.
In addition, the solution facilitated better optimization of the supply chain, allowing the company to better align inventory with demand patterns. IT departments, previously burdened with daily tasks related to data processing, felt a significant relief, which allowed them to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine data maintenance. This change provided the company with sustainable growth and competitive advantage.
At the heart of the solution was the DBPLUS Data Replicator, which connected each local database to a central data hub, running on the Oracle database engine. This setup ensured that all data, whether from sales, inventory, or customer interactions, was reflected in real time in central hub.
ERP systems in different markets have been integrated into this architecture, allowing a unified flow of information. This technical configuration did not facilitate immediate access to the data, but also guaranteed its consistency and reliability in all markets.
Implementing real-time data replication with DBPLUS DATA Replicator has significantly impacted the company's business, improving customer service and overall performance. By enabling real-time data access, the company was able to quickly adapt to market demands and improve service delivery. This story highlights the critical role of real-time data in the rapidly changing retail environment. Solutions like DBPLUS are critical for companies seeking to maintain a competitive advantage by offering a clear blueprint for leveraging technology to streamline operations and drive growth.
