Digitalisation specialist Implico Group and international sales, marketing and support services group DCC have linked 19 recently acquired retail forecourts to DCC’s IT landscape, marking DCC’s transition from a product-led organization to a service-led organisation.
The long-term partners equipped the new locations with capable software solutions such as the integrated downstream module SAP Secondary Distribution Management (SDM) and the data services portfolio Implico Global Operation Services (iGOS). According to DCC, the acquisition and outfitting of the sites will add excellent company-operated convenience retailing capability.
In addition to DCC’s own IT landscape, the sites are also connected to seven supply terminals and numerous external systems. To ensure smooth and secure data movement within the network, about 30 interfaces were established and calibrated. The multi-direction information transfer is handled via iGOS and overseen by a team of experts in Implico’s customer support centre. The service offer includes data collection, completion, correction, and mapping. In addition, Implico ensures that the fully curated data is available in SAP. The gain for DCC is significant: Knowing that its IT is very well taken care of, the company can put all focus and effort on its core business. Besides Luxembourg, Implico also provides similar services to DCC in France, Ireland, Norway, and Denmark. In total, the company supports its partner in the efficient and sustainable management of more than 1,000 retail forecourts across Central and Northern Europe.
Most of the sites in Luxembourg have integrated shops operated under the Cactus Shoppi brand, a well-known supermarket chain in Luxembourg. This gave the project yet another level of complexity. Among others, Implico had to make sure that the SAP SDM solution would not only support O&G processes, but also retail-related processes. Here, the customisable and scalable SAP SDM toolset PAT Data Collation (DC) plays a central role: DCC makes heavy use of the auxiliary’s pre-configurable process chains to post its business processes directly in SAP – both inside and outside the scope of the classic industry solution IS-OIL. Via modern technology, PAT DC automatically creates standardised SAP receipts from the Intermediate Documents (IDocs) it receives from iGOS. Fine-tuned towards high efficiency, this automated workflow handles thousands of documents per day in a safe and robust way. If needed, it is continuously extendable.
Due to their urban locations, many of the forecourts are well qualified to serve as EV charging hubs. In preparing them, both partners will be able to build on the know-how gained from a similar project in Denmark, where e-charging at select DCC sites is also booked and billed via SAP SDM’s PAT DC.
‘To remain ahead of the game in a competitive market, it is essential for energy leaders to constantly challenge themselves and push onwards,’ adds Klaus Wunsch, head of customer support center at Implico Group. ‘We are proud that DCC trusts us to be their longtime partners in this endeavour. And we are happy that our expertise and experience have helped DCC to achieve yet another successful project completion in the quick-moving, ever-evolving service station sector.’
Beyond the set-up and go-live of the new IT architecture, Implico will also support DCC with live operations, data communications, and customer support in Luxembourg.
