Beverage giant Pepsi Cola Products Philippines, Inc. (PCPPI) has successfully implemented SAP S/4HANA amid constraints posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Part of a push to enhance business operations, the project was initiated to boost the company’s digital capabilities and serve customers better.

“This is reinforcing our road to digitization by finding new ways to deliver value and service. We envision connecting faster, more efficiently with our people and customers during these challenging uncertain times,” PCPPI President and Chief Executive Officer Frederick D. Ong said.

From roadblock to opportunity

At a time when companies were scaling back operations and shelving plans to transform digitally, PCPPI pushed through with the project as planned, highlighting the critical role of technology in preparing companies for disruptions like the COVID-19.

“The pandemic taught us all that no matter how much you think you have planned for every aspect of your business, external shocks will come from places that you have not imagined,” Joseph Busmente, Senior Director for Fasttrack Solutions, Inc. (FTSI) said.

Fasttrack – the first Filipino company to be given the status of SAP Platinum Partner and is a member of the United VARS – was PCPPI’s implementation partner for the project.

Busmente added “companies that have embraced technology are in a better position to respond to these surprises and adjust their operations to whatever is urgent. In the long run, being an intelligent enterprise will enable them to anticipate the next steps and scenarios.”

Intelligent enterprise, quo vadis?

Intelligent enterprises have at their core the SAP S4/HANA, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system that leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, and advanced analytics to streamline a company’s business operations.

S4/HANA offers capabilities to consolidate data from multiple sources, providing a single source of truth for companies and helping them make informed decisions in real time.

Growth in the time of COVID

For PCPPI, this meant improved agility to respond to unprecedented events—COVID-19 included.

Notwithstanding the pandemic, and with Fasttrack’s round the clock implementation support, PCPPI, through the able leadership of overall Program Head, Mr. Wiley Co, Assistant Vice President- Management Information Systems, went ahead to successfully integrate eight core business streams into a single platform. This has allowed the company to connect formerly disparate processes, from sales, manufacturing, supply, to inventory and distribution.

“Each information user is assured of a single data platform. Sales, manufacturing, supply, inventory and distribution, supported by processes like procurement and finance are now seamlessly linked, providing a sound basis for tactical and strategic business decisions,” added Co.

Charting the path to the new normal

With PCPPI’s S4/HANA implementation, both the company’s employees and business partners can expect better data quality as a result of a unified data management system.

“It is their (employees and customers) best interest that we keep to heart, and that is at the center of our purpose,” PCPPI’s Ong said.

For Kerwin Malabanan, Fasttrack Managing Director, this sends out a clear message for companies to start embarking on a digital transformation journey to prepare for unforeseeable events like the pandemic.

“COVID-19 was a stark reminder for companies to remain flexible and agile to anticipate the future. That means bringing together an ecosystem of people, technology, and collaboration partners to see far ahead and deal with new and forthcoming realities,” Malabanan said.

Malabanan added that Fasttrack is extremely proud to have forged this partnership with PCPPI.

“We are invested in making sure that PCPPI’s systems and processes are future-proofed to help create more value for its business and various stakeholders.”