Mitsubishi Motors Company – Accelerates information flow
The Mitsubishi Motors Company was established in 1970 to manufacture, assemble and sell automobiles, components and spare parts. Today, it is one of the leading automotive companies in the world.
Company background
The company founded an outpost in Poland in 1995 for the import and distribution of Mitsubishi cars, parts and accessories. What started as a dozen dealerships has since blossomed to 30.
The company employs 30 people in Poland and had a turnover of EUR 50m in 2002.
Business issues
The ability to share information quickly and effectively within supplier networks and between customers is vital to the automotive aftermarket. Mitsubishi knew from the start that it was essential to establish an integrated information system to connect its day-to-day business operations. Cars were being imported from its production facilities in The Netherlands, Japan and Thailand resulting in cumbersome information flow channels. The European head office required Mitsubishi Poland to be capable of using electronic data interchange (EDI) to ensure efficient communication.
The automotive aftermarket is one of the most competitive markets in Poland. The sector has faced testing times in the last few years. An economic slump has resulted in a diminished demand for new cars. Major players in the market have had to endure a devastating decline in sales. With Poland's impending entry into the EU, an effective operation and well-positioned market offering are crucial for survival.
Mitsubishi needed an IT solution to handle distribution, order systems, sales and information flow. The search for an IT solutions supplier began immediately and after investigating what supply chain management software was available to them, the company quickly selected IBS and its IBS ENTERPRISE product to run its business.
Solution and capabilities IBS has impressive and extensive experience with automotive distributors. The company's automotive software solution has been developed to encompass the market's challenging requirements with regards to functionality, quality and flexibility. IBS ENTERPRISE provides extensive product cross-referencing, supersessions, serial-number tracking, branch countersales, catalog management and selfservice on the Internet.
IBS was easily able to customize IBS ENTERPRISE to fit Mitsubishi's unique business needs.
A specially designed guarantee handling module enables Mitsubishi to provide outstanding customer service. The customization allows the company to maintain control and keep track of all services, such as repairs and maintenance.
The module is fully integrated with the central inventory solution, permitting users to check the availability of spare parts online.
IBS Consultants form part of our team, even though they actually belong to another company. It's like they're members of the family.
Masatoshi Hasegawa
Managing Director
Mitsubishi Poland
Solution and capabilities
A module for automatic data transmission between headquarters, the Polish subsidiaries and custom agencies was developed especially for Mitsubishi.
Electronic communication facilitates information flow throughout the company.
It can shorten lead-times and increase customer satisfaction by transferring fast and accurate information.
IBS ENTERPRISE's intelligent functionality enables Mitsubishi to control the inventory of its authorized representatives. The company is able to check individual dealers' inventory levels online, and forecast future supply needs. This ability is essential for maintaining high customer service levels.
IBS works closely with automotive parts distributors to develop its software. The fact that IBS was able to provide a widely-supported, standard software solution, that was scalable and able to adapt to the company's future needs, was a key factor in Mitsubishi selecting IBS ENTERPRISE.
Implementation
Initially, four IBS ENTERPRISE modules were implemented, including Distribution, Financials, reporting and Business Intelligence. The company's contract with IBS goes beyond the standard IBS ENTERPRISE components.
IBS went the extra mile to customize the software solution to meet Mitsubishi's unique business needs. EDI and guarantee handling modules were expressly developed.
IBS is working on the next step for Mitsubishi Poland – incorporating all its dealers into a single network and connecting that system to the worldwide Mitsubishi infrastructure, including the automobile factory system.
Benefits and value
When compared to the legacy PCbased software employed by Mitsubishi Poland, the reliability, stability and security of the new IBS solution are paramount. IBS ENTERPRISE is tailored to fit the needs of the automotive aftermarket and allows Mitsubishi to manage its business operations through one integrated software solution. The company is able to control information flow between customers and suppliers more efficiently.
Enhanced information flow has lead to more streamlined processes for Mitsubishi. This in turn has lowered operating costs and reduced staff workloads, ultimately strengthening profitability. In fact, the company has been able to reduce staff costs by eliminating non-essential personnel, thanks to its new business software.
In spite of the decreased demand for new cars, and the general economic downturn that Poland has experienced in the last few years, Mitsubishi was still able to increase revenues and market share. The company has been able to weather the storm thanks to an effective operation, a well-positioned market offering and, naturally, the right software solution.
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