Intelligent digital interfaces and data pipelines which maximise value creation between industry partners.
Digital tools to connect with partners.
Efficient industries depend on collaboration between multiple partners in complex supply chains. Companies need to share data and coordinate their joint activities. For example, in the construction industry, building a house requires collaboration between architects, specifiers, manufacturers, distributors, logistics, contractors, site managers and installers. Manufacturing requires closer than ever collaboration between merchants, sales teams, logistics, specifiers, and calibration engineers. H&C delivers the digital tools which facilitate these collaborations across a wide range of industries.
Collaboration platforms create eco-systems.
Dominant companies in supply chains should provide the infrastructure and tools which other players in the value chain depend upon. Supporting other firms in your supply chain by providing them with digital portals creates a strong competitive advantage and streamlined route to market.
Just as Facebook did for journalism, Amazon for eCommerce and Netflix for film, our clients become the gatekeepers of invaluable data and the owners of the platform through which their partners must transact.
The background
H&C specialises in solutions which seamlessly Connect supply chain partners.
Dulux is the leading paint Brand in the UK. It is owned by AkzoNobel who operate globally with different brands in each region. H&C have been delivering global digital solutions for Akzo since 2014. Our solutions for Akzo cover a range of digital services including lifecycle costing, specification, and value add services for customer and decorators.
Key Achievements
- Delivered the Connect solution on time and on budget.
- Connected over 300 active businesses and driven 6k tenders through the system.
- Built a extensible platform for future digital services.
Value proposition
Today's economy requires organisations to have accessible data infrastructure and self-serve portals. Companies that enable partners to Connect through a digital ecosystem of services build stronger relationships.
Akzo approached us in 2021 with an idea to bring existing and potential services into a single digital platform aimed at their contractor market. These companies, with anything from 5-300 staff, need a single digital destination to access value and manage their relationship with Dulux.
Our solution
Dulux Connect delivers a wrap around ecosystem which handles all contractor needs from Training and Knowledge base to rewards and promotions. It even integrates other H&C solutions such as Specification and Lifecycle costing. Bringing these services together into a single platform covers the entire customer lifecycle and keeps contractors within the dulux ecosystem.
How we did it
To deliver the solution we worked through our unique 5 phase methodology. Starting with a Discovery phase we mapped out and compared the legacy and potential value streams. Using this we were able to build a shared picture of the solution and iteratively build a prototype with feedback from Dulux stakeholders.
This prototype was then productionised during our Integration phase and put live under H&C’s Continuous Delivery Service. We provided 24/7 support during the ramp up and are now providing support and evolution as the platform reaches its ROI targets and unlocks new markets.
Impact
Adoption of the Connect system has been rapid and wide spread. Over three hundred of Dulux's key contractors are actively using the platform. The specification tool alone has generated tenders for over six thousand large industrial paint and coatings projects. We continue to add new services to the system and have started work on a sister platform aimed at Dulux's Merchants and resellers.
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