Digital and Operational Transformation Strategy
Companies must strengthen their model around flows, organizations, and processes. As technologies like AI or RPA evolve, preserving the agility and resilience of operations in the face of current and future risks is crucial. Supply Chain and Operations departments play a key role in this digital transformation.
Our goal is to provide proven methodologies and skills tailored to each client’s needs. We offer dedicated resources at various expertise levels to meet your needs. One of our strengths is our ability to support projects from ERP to business information systems. Discover our approach to optimizing your Supply Chain.
The Stages of Transformation
1. Master Plan
We work with your teams to define the strategic vision for your information system evolution. We address your key challenges and recommend scenarios for decision-making. Implementation is detailed in a pragmatic and realistic way, tailored to your context. We share the pros and cons of the scenarios and then provide you with a budget estimate along with a feasibility timeline.
2. Maturity Assessment
Our methodology and experienced resources support you in evaluating your practices. We cover all your activities to propose a progress plan tailored to your business, focusing on organization, processes, and tools.
3. Solution Benchmarking
You may have defined your target information system roadmap, but lack feedback from market players. An external perspective sheds light, consolidates direction, and helps frame budgets and project timelines. We can organize contextualized meetings or reference checks.
4. Solution Selection Support
This step is adapted based on the progress of requirement scoping and the level of detail in your tender document. We develop the strategies needed for a successful tender process, ensuring quality responses. Our involvement guarantees an informed choice aligned with your objectives.
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5. IT Project Management Assistance
From initial design to go-live support, we act as your IT and business representative at the heart of the project organization. Our resources serve as contributors or governance coordinators, driving the key success factors of your IT projects.
6. Change Management and Operational Maintenance
We deploy a comprehensive strategy to facilitate the adoption of new solutions, including detailed documentation, training, and ongoing support to ensure the smooth operation of the transformed processes.
7. Developing the Use of Innovative Technologies (AI-DATA and RPA)
During a scoping phase, our teams identify the challenges to be addressed through AI and data or the tasks that can be automated using a virtual assistant. We assess the ROI and the solution’s ability to meet expectations and maintain service performance.
Across all our engagements, we provide project governance and steering tailored to each client relationship. Each engagement is managed with particular attention to operational teams and sponsors, ensuring lasting client satisfaction. This approach enables us to adapt our support and maintain our excellence.
Key Figures
key accounts / 60% middle market
Supply Chain and Operations consultants
of consultants have more than 5 years of experience
of our solution selection assignments lead to project support and change management assignments
Based on our consulting experience, we have:
Master Plans
Supply Chain and Operations transformation projects
References
For a French leader in industrial works and maintenance
Works sector – €1.5B in revenue | 13,000 employees
Context
As part of a complex industrial project involving atypical logistics flows, we must design the processes to be supported by tools and take into account traceability adapted to the technical operations for which the logistics department will be responsible. A significant amount of information must be collected from the various stakeholders throughout the operational chain, with information sharing maintained through to delivery to the end customer. Several logistics sites based in France are involved, with different processing roles, up to the various shipping methods to be organized.
Project specifics and Althéa’s added value
- We were able to propose an appropriate setup with two experts: one in Supply Chain and the other in Operations, with experience in the industrial and construction sectors.
- Design all logistics activities in terms of flows and operational processes, then identify the right vendor capable of covering the needs over the duration of the industrial project.
- Successfully deploy the WMS to initiate logistics traceability while enabling the client, over the course of the project, to adapt the end of its logistics flow before the final shipping step.
Services delivered
- Assessment of logistics flows and activities: Define the project scope and recommend the resources required for logistics operations. Produce a workload plan and an internal activity schedule for the phases of the industrial project.
- Solution benchmarking: A study tailored to the context and constraints of the client project. RFI consultation and recommendations to accelerate the selection process.
- Business analysis support (AMOA) for the WMS project: Support in qualifying the needs to be considered in the WMS solution (trade-off between standard and specific). Implementation approach for the logistics solution and logistics business processes on the logistics platforms. Tool deployment with the vendor and confirmation of the processes to activate. Project steering and coordination with the teams and service provider in charge of the activities.
For a major river transport player in Europe
Transport sector – €320M in revenue | 1,200 employees
Context
In a context where maintenance was ending for its ERP with a TMS add-on, we helped the client formalize its IS master plan and supported it through all stages of its digital transformation.
Project specifics and Althéa’s added value
- Set up program governance to manage each IS project at the right level of the IT and business organization.
- Establish project management best practices and define all strategies required to drive the key success factors.
- Provide comprehensive support covering both the ERP and the TMS.
- Run two projects in parallel and replace all tools without impacting business operations.
Services delivered
- Master plan: A transformation of this nature requires rethinking the entire architecture and defining a 3- to 5-year roadmap of projects.
- Selection support : We developed a tailored approach to successfully run two synchronized tenders in order to assess the different target-architecture models. The selections were also coordinated to align the IS projects.
- AMOA project support: A dedicated organization for each project was implemented with Program governance to coordinate interdependencies and secure prerequisites and dependencies between projects. Steering was tailored to each project phase, depending on the client’s organization and the risks to be framed.
- Change management: We supported Executive Management in defining the direction to give to evolving practices toward a company-wide initiative larger than the IS projects to be delivered. Between the IT department, business management, and operational teams, a dedicated change management facilitation unit is proposed to provide methodology and facilitation tools as close to the field as possible.
For a major player in the processing and distribution of glass-ceramics
Industry sector – €200M | 500 employees
As part of an ERP project implementation, the client requested AMOA reinforcement to support business teams and project management in improving their Supply Chain practices and to enable the business to maintain smooth project progress.
Project specifics and Althéa’s added value
- Have resources covering both IS projects and operations to stay close to the field
- Adapt our delivery approach and provide the reinforcements needed to keep the project objectives on track
- Aim to get as close as possible to the solution’s standard.
AMOA services delivered
- Define processes during the design phase with the business teams and the integrator
- Steer and drive the operational action plan across the Supply Chain scope
- Develop the testing strategy and organize solution validation
- Produce test scripts and facilitate sessions with users
- Draft business documentation and support hands-on adoption in the field
- Support Key Users in implementing the solution in the field
- Facilitate and monitor changes between the project stakeholders.
Challenges
Strategic Vision
Define the strategic vision for Supply Chain and Operations processes, set objectives, and establish a multi-year trajectory.
Solution Assessment and Selection
Identify pain points and expected improvements around the core processes, and select solutions aligned with the challenges.
Implementation and Ongoing Support
Effectively manage projects, guarantee the quality of solutions, and facilitate adoption with training and continuous support.
Contacts
Your questions about supply chain digital transformation
Which performance indicators (KPIs) are most relevant for measuring the success of a Supply Chain digital transformation, and how can they be implemented?
Supply chain digital transformation requires precise indicators to track operational efficiency and value creation. Real-time data analysis helps improve decision-making and optimize the end-to-end logistics chain. Key KPIs include cost reduction, delivery lead times, demand forecast accuracy, and return on investment. Business intelligence and big data provide better visibility into supply chain performance, while process automation helps boost productivity. Environmental impact and CSR are also increasingly used indicators in performance assessment.
How can emerging technologies be integrated into a Supply Chain digital transformation strategy without disrupting existing operations?
Leveraging the potential of new technologies such as IoT, blockchain, and robotics must be accompanied by a progressive integration strategy to avoid any disruption.
Cloud computing facilitates communication and collaboration between the different systems. Artificial intelligence and machine learning make it possible to optimize inventory management and predictive maintenance. Digital transformation requires overcoming obstacles such as the complexity of existing systems, organizational silos, and the initial investment. Implementation should prioritize high-impact actions while ensuring continuity of logistics services.
What are the main change management challenges when digitalizing the Supply Chain?
The main challenge of supply chain digitalization lies in people and corporate culture. Resistance to change and talent shortages are major challenges!
An effective change management strategy must therefore include team training, tailored approaches, and transparent communication.
Improving the customer experience and building loyalty also depend on greater responsiveness and flexibility in processes. Supply chain leaders should view the digital transition as an opportunity to increase competitiveness while ensuring the resilience of their value chain. Supporting employees and managing skills are essential to fully leverage the benefits of digitalization.
