Logico Logistics Solutions, a leading player in the local and African logistics industry, will implement 4most’s Enterprise Manager (EMA), powered by SAP Business One, to allow for greater daily controls and seamless future expansion.
Founded in 2006, Logico Logistics Solutions enjoys a long pedigree as logistics enabler. With an initial focus primarily on long-haul services across Africa covering the likes of Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia, 2009 saw an expansion of Logico’s services into the local marketplace.
Having since achieved a significant regional and national footprint within the FMCG, industrial and automotive industries, Logico stand on the brink of further expansion and diversification across surrounding service industries.
Dedicated to providing tailored and solid workable solutions around customers’ business requirements, Logico’s ethos is one of “listen, challenge, deliver”.
“We believe that key to our success is the ability and willingness to deliver individually tailored solutions aligned to customers’ business needs,” says Bryan Cuff, MD, Logico. Consequently, Logico regard themselves as a logistics service provider that happens to own its own fleet. “We are first and foremost a logistics consultant and partner to our customer’s business,” continues Cuff.
On the back of recent growth and with planned expansion imminent, Logico’s current infrastructure was no longer able to meet operational demands. “The seamless flow of internal processes is crucial, not only with regards to daily management of business, but as importantly to enable us to meet customer requirements and deliver on our customer ethos,” continues Cuff. Logico’s legacy system, specifically developed for the business a few years previously, had already been customised many times to cope with evolving business requirements.
“While it had served us well, it was no longer adequate,” says Cuff. With no integration between the operations and financial business units, unnecessary time delays were beginning to hamper internal outputs. “We needed complete visibility, transparency and integration throughout the business and across the various regions in which we operate,” says Cuff.
A review of operational systems for the transport industry quickly yielded a shortage of suitably tailored solutions available within the local marketplace. “In order to limit any additional complications, we wanted a solution that would not only enable us to track, monitor and report on our entire business but also one that did not require a third party interface for transport specific functionality,” continues Cuff.
Thorough research, on the back of a business partner’s recommendation, led Logico to 4most’s Enterprise Manager (EMA). Powered by SAP Business One, it is an industry specific solution that has been developed across the logistics, transport and automotive, retail, wholesale and distribution sectors.
“An integrated management solution, EMA provides a single system that automates all processes and delivers a reliable, unified picture of operations based on up-to-the-minute information,” says Marius Fabian, MD, 4most, a leading supplier and implementer of SAP Business One and ERP software and technology.
“Apart from complete integration between business units, another key feature of the 4most EMA solution is its process driven nature,” says Cuff. With Logico’s previous solution it was far too easy for users to develop shortcuts, in turn leading to challenges with data integrity as a result of human error. “We are extremely confident that we have found the right answer,” continues Cuff.
The various modules offered across financial, operations, procurement, sales and HR will allow Logico to monitor its entire operation from one single system.
“There is a big perception in the marketplace that SAP is cost prohibitive, especially for smaller players,” continues Cuff. “The 4most solution for SMEs provides the required functionality and is scalable, allowing for future growth. But most importantly it is affordable, thereby providing smaller business with the same seamless efficiencies previously perhaps only enjoyed by larger corporates.
“It is exactly what we were looking for,” says Cuff. “In fact, if only 80% of what we are expecting is implemented, it will already give us at least 60% more than what we currently have.”
In addition, the relationship with 4most thus far has also yielded positive feedback. “We pushed them hard,” says Cuff. To ensure as smooth a process as possible, Logico did its homework, polling industry peers and technical experts for as much information and commentary around SAP implementations as possible.
“As a result, we had dozens of queries,” adds Cuff. Not only did 4most answer each and every one satisfactorily, but the turnaround time was impressive, boding well for future query resolution.
“We have a real sense of partnership with them,” says Cuff. “It’s how we engage with our customers, and in turn, prefer to be engaged with.” Complete transparency between the companies, coupled with a hands-on-approach from top down, has served to further cement this.
With “go-live” scheduled for 1 March, to coincide with Logico’s new financial year, 4most is currently conducting an intensive and thorough scoping of all users’ roles and requirements. “We have a dedicated team member on site, responsible for gathering the requisite information from each and every Logico employee,” says Fabian.
“This will enable us to define as precise a project scope as possible in order to achieve maximum effectiveness when it comes to implementation.” Once mapped, a detailed project plan will be provided indicating exact requirements and proposed implementation.
“With 4most’s EMA, everything will be immediate,” comments Cuff. Logico will be able to enter an order and immediately see it reflected in the financial component, with no end of day synching required.
“This visibility is hugely critical when it comes to being in control of your business,” he adds. Access to reports, in realtime, will further result in huge time savings for the business in addition to providing greater transparency through the immediate availability of information. “Previously, I have had to wait days for reports to be ready. It is simply not possible to function optimally within such an environment,” says Cuff.
In today’s current economic climate, it is critical to have one’s finger on the pulse of operations and all activities. “With 4most’s EMA, we will enjoy exactly that,” he concludes.
“4most’s EMA will place us exactly where we should be, securely in the driver’s seat behind our business and in complete control.”
