Success Story Health with SAP
The Context
The retail sector in Mexico is experiencing a dynamic and competitive phase. According to data from the Ministry of Economy, this sector accounted for approximately 17% of the national GDP in 2022, and expert project that the retail market will grow by over USD 97.2 billion by 2026.
One of the largest global retail chains, specializing in home improvement and providing products and services for construction, renovation, and home decoration, faced significant challenges in optimizing its operations within a highly competitive environment. Managing multiple projects and locations nationwide while ensuring a great customer experience posed considerable operational complexity.
To maintain and strengthen its market position, the company recognized the need to stay at the forefront of technology and adopt solutions that could streamline processes, reduce errors, enhance efficiency, and improve decision-making, ultimately delivering the best service to its customers.
In this challenging context, the multinational recognized the urgency of optimizing its systems and workflows to boost competitiveness and continue offering a differentiated value proposition.
The Challenge
The company’s primary challenge was the need to optimize operations (especially in Monterrey, Guadalajara, and Mexico City) by reducing the complexity of managing multiple processes handled across four distinct systems.
Previously, employees faced daily inefficiencies with outdated operational processes. Tasks such as inventory counts, stocking shelves, and controlling inventory required the use of computers to input data.
These computers were limited in number, located in specific areas, and often caused delays as employees had to travel to these stations and wait for availability. Additionally, printed logs were used to record activities and movements.
In summary, the company’s pain points included:
- The need for more agile tools available at all times.
- A requirement to digitize operations and move away from manual tasks.
- Optimizing employees’ work time.
Given the company’s successful prior collaboration with NEORIS on a previous project, there was a strong foundation for tackling this new challenge. The client once again entrusted NEORIS as its technological partner, recognizing its expertise in solving complex problems and delivering high-impact solutions.
Thanks to this strategic partnership and a meticulous focus on design and planning, a highly efficient solution—comprising three apps—was implemented, tailored to the multinational’s specific needs. This approach streamlined the company’s operations and laid the groundwork for future innovations and improvements in its management system.
It is worth noting that projects requiring a user experience (UX) focus often overlook the importance of thorough user research and analysis. NEORIS addressed this aspect comprehensively, incorporating user feedback to improve processes, reduce errors, and ultimately deliver a product aligned with users’ needs and expectations.
The Solution
Over the course of four months, more than 50 individuals from various disciplines were involved in the project, which spanned from initial research to final usability testing. The project—led by NEORIS’ UX team—was highly collaborative and multidisciplinary, successfully reducing the client’s project management systems from four to three.
The development of the proposed solution followed these key stages:
1. Identification and understanding
The process began with extensive research to identify the needs and pain points affecting users of the existing applications. This analysis provided a deep understanding of the overall business requirements.
To achieve this, the team collaborated with the client in intensive workshops using research tools and information architecture methodologies. These efforts helped to thoroughly understand the needs at each stage of the process and establish a solid foundation for solution design.
During this phase, participants analyzed various functionalities, shared their expectations and frustrations, and defined priority actions while assessing their impact across the decision-making cycle.
2. Action plan design
In response to the client’s specific needs, NEORIS designed a comprehensive action plan that addressed the identified challenges while aligning with the company’s collaborative vision. Three key variables—accessibility, efficiency, and prioritization—were established as pillars to evaluate and enhance existing processes.
Based on the insights gathered, the design teams created an information architecture that connected and standardized the interfaces of the proposed applications. This process defined the core functionalities required to address the identified pain points.
As a result, three specific digital applications or solutions were proposed.
- StoreWalk
- Tracks inventory and products.
- Handles product removals and additions.
- Sends removal evidence with photos and notifies managers.
- SmartList
- Reassigns employee activities.
- Sends notifications when activities are completed.
- Adds comments and photos.
- Provides recognition features.
- SmartStock
- Allows managers to generate and assign tasks to employees.
- Includes a manager checklist.
- Provides access to indicators, metrics, and reports.
- Sends comments and photos.
This process involved constant iteration and ongoing feedback to ensure the solutions were intuitive and efficient for end-users.
3. Development and implementation
To successfully implement these three solutions, NEORIS deployed a team of experts comprising developers, UX designers, data analysts, and business consultants. The team worked to fully address the technical and operational requirements, ensuring the scalability, security, and usability of the applications.
Additionally, measures were taken to ensure seamless integration with the client’s existing systems, along with continuous support for maintaining and optimizing the implemented solutions.
4. Usability testing
Once the applications were designed, a total of five usability tests were conducted, each involving 35 end-users. These tests were essential for identifying areas for improvement and refining the interfaces to ensure an optimal user experience.
Throughout the project, unforeseen challenges arose and were proactively addressed by the team. These included unexpected technical issues and adjustments to the design approach to accommodate the evolving needs of the client and end-users.
The Results
Thanks to NEORIS’s innovative development, a transformative impact was achieved across key aspects of the client’s operations. The results demonstrate significant improvements in accessibility, data accuracy, agility, and operational efficiency.
- Enhanced accessibility: Information became accessible to a broader range of profiles and devices. This resulted in a 30% increase in users accessing and utilizing the application.
- Error reduction: The implementation of new digital solutions led to a notable decrease in the likelihood of human errors and data manipulation. A 25% reduction in data entry errors was recorded, ensuring greater accuracy and reliability.
- Improved response times: By centralizing a high volume of information from various areas into fewer systems, internal processes became more agile. This resulted in a 40% improvement in average response times, enabling faster and more effective decision-making.
- Operational efficiency: Efforts and time required by managers and supervisors to generate and share reports and data were significantly reduced. According to managers, the StoreWalk application saved an average of two hours per day.
Testimonials
“For me, having clear tracking of daily employee activities in each department or store is crucial. Transitioning to digital not only makes the process more secure but also eliminates the burden of unnecessary paperwork”.
User Persona, Manager"I'm excited about the opportunities this new implementation brings. It has truly solved my daily challenges, particularly by reducing errors”.
User, Floor Manager"What stood out about this project was that the voice of the end-user was heard. The apps were designed for the employees working daily on the company's floors. We had the opportunity to involve employees from the beginning, right through to the prototype's conception. Thanks to this, we ensured the product met their needs and could be seamlessly adopted into their daily routines".
Miguel Ríos, UX/UI Leader, NEORIS