Synergy keeps Dunlop on track with Cognos BI

Prominent southern African tyre manufacturer Dunlop, which has been applying Cognos business intelligence technology supplied by Synergy Computing for six years, has extended the reach of its analytic systems from the sales and marketing departments to include debtors, inventory and purchasing, in an effort to improve its understanding of client dynamics, provide instant access to business information for key staff members and increase its strategic market knowledge.

Headquartered in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, Dunlop's southern African operation is a business extending into Botswana and Namibia that manufactures, distributes, markets and sells a wide range of vehicle tyres, including its famous SP Sport - the world's fastest production tyre.

Initially the company selected Synergy Computing to implement a Cognos business intelligence solution to assist its technical centre managers to analyse tyre performance statistics. Steve Phaup, Synergy Computing Durban branch manager, says the early success of this implementation led Dunlop to extend the reach of its BI system to additional areas including the sales and marketing departments.

Comments marketing services manager Kathy Roberts: "Dunlop has established a reputation for tyres of the highest quality and standards. Our BI systems are key to maintaining that reputation, ensuring the business is run efficiently and has the flexibility to respond to changing market conditions and customer needs."

Prior to selecting Synergy Computing to introduce the Cognos PowerPlay business intelligence tools, Roberts says the business was, to some extent, in the dark when it came to accessing information. "While the ERP system did deliver some data, this was on a weekly basis and didn't always provide sufficient insight. We engaged with Synergy Computing based on their proven expertise in the BI field to address this shortcoming," she explains.

Key factors in Dunlop's selection of Synergy Computing included the company's proven track record, its focus on providing business intelligence solutions, and the presence of a regional office in Durban.

The successful implementation of the Cognos products has given easy access to information to more people within the organisation, as well as the ability for users to drill down and analyse pertinent data. "While we initially were using Cognos in the marketing services department for weekly reports, six years down the line the tools are being used on a daily basis. The reach of the system has also been broadened considerably; today, the Cognos system is accessed by all sales and marketing personnel, from director level down to sales representatives," says Roberts.

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All Dunlop's current reports are based on Cognos, she adds. From the invoice level, data is captured from every transaction to provide insight into the type of products being sold, turnover by customers, pricing and sales trends.

"Cognos provides our company with a wealth of information, which is readily available to everyone in the company who needs it. This enables staff to do their jobs better, allowing Dunlop to achieve its organisational goals. We are able to make decisions quickly based on facts, and can continually monitor the performance of the business," explains Roberts.

With the proven functionality to be extended to additional areas of its business, the company is confident of a rapid return on its investment in terms of business tools that add real value.

"The Cognos system is increasingly gaining the acceptance and buy-in of senior management, and Dunlop expects to extend the system even further to become a company-wide reporting solution," concludes Phaup.

With the company's maxim of 'Passion for Performance', Synergy's implementation of Cognos is truly helping Dunlop to achieve its vision.