A leading beverage producer faced a critical digital transformation. The company needed to migrate their Global S4 template across the UK, US, Canada, and Australia. They needed to move SAP ECC to S/4HANA. But what should have been a smooth transition had become an international rescue mission.
The existing system integrator had delivered an Excel block diagram. It looked impressive, but lacked detail. It contained no dependencies, no resource planning, and no realistic timelines. Worse, the original plan called for two weeks of operational downtime. That’s a death sentence for a business supplying tea to demanding UK retailers such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
“In the UK, those suppliers want six to nine months” notice when you’re not going to supply them. If you breach your supply agreement with them, you’re into high fines,” said Pivot’s project manager.
The International Digital Director for the beverage producer had worked with Pivot for over a decade across many projects.
“We needed somebody who was going to be an honest broker for us,” she said. “Someone who could articulate where we were at, from an international perspective. For that to be someone from within the organisation? They would not have got their voice heard.”
She needed Pivot to act on her behalf and work with the existing SI to get the job done. The challenge was complex. The international landscape differed from the global template direct sales model.
“The ecosystem for international is far more connected,” noted the International Digital Director. “You’re in a world of systems talking to systems. If your Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) doesn’t work, you don’t deliver to Tesco. Then you’ve got a major problem.”
“When I first went in and I looked at the timetable, I said it’s not achievable. You’re not going to do this, in this time,” said Pivot’s project manager.
The International Digital Director described the pivotal moment when the project finally got back on track.
“I had my first meeting, and it was just before Christmas. I went in, and I’ve got my bullet point list of this is what we need to do. I delivered it to that steering committee, and I wasn't interrupted. There was nothing,” she said.
The room went silent as she outlined what needed to happen for success.
“It was like, Yeah, this is the only way we’re going to get it done,” she said. “And then everyone said, Yeah, okay.”
The meeting established a realistic timeline. It gave the team the structure they desperately needed to succeed.
Behind the technical success lies a story of extraordinary dedication. The level of commitment on this project reflected Pivot’s philosophy of standing by clients until the programme works in the business. Not delivering and walking away.
Without Pivot’s intervention things would have been very different.
“It would have been delayed and delayed and delayed,” said Pivot’s project manager. “And then they would have had business interruption in supply.”
This rescue mission represented one chapter in a 17-year partnership between Pivot and this major beverage producer. From a warehouse management project in 2009 to complex financial transformations, Pivot has delivered results.
The partnership endures because Pivot’s consultants bring more than technical skills.
“You always get people who know their stuff,” said the Digital Director. “You don’t feel like you’re training somebody. You get people who come in and grasp the concepts fast. They are good at working with the business. They talk good business language.”
The successful S/4HANA migration has positioned this major beverage producer for future growth. Peach has identified the next challenges.
“There’s a whole list of projects that we’ve got that need to happen,” said the digital director. When those projects arise, the choice of partner is clear.
“Pivot people get the job done.”
