At large companies, applying new digital processes, and transforming legacy systems that are hindering growth, are complex processes. Nonetheless, doing so is essential for companies that want to remain competitive.
To help them prepare for the challenges of digital transformation, in 2020 NTT DATA launched the global LEAP (Large Enterprise Acceleration Program) initiative. The current market is evolving faster than ever before and in this context, NTT DATA has made the decision to offer its clients SAP-based solutions to keep them competitive. Below is an analysis of how the initiative works and the impact it has had to date. We also explain some of its long-term goals.
We’re thrilled that the LEAP initiative is currently in its second year of operation and has had excellent results. Although it was originally designed for the automotive, manufacturing and life sciences industries, the FMCG sector also became one of its targets in 2021.
During the two years that the LEAP initiative has been active, NTT DATA has completed 52 proofs of concept. Out of those, 20 were implemented by NTT DATA EMEAL, the company’s division dedicated to Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Within this framework, projects have been successfully implemented for more than 60 clients across the globe, generating an estimated business growth of $50 million. Moreover, over these past two years, 79 commercial support materials have been created, including white papers, videos, reference materials and more, to support our clients in implementing their new processes.
The LEAP programme offers five work streams for each of the sectors within its scope:
Out of all of the real-world implementations of the LEAP programme, we would like to take a closer look at the case of a company founded in Spain with several decades of operation under its belt. This company is present in multiple countries in Europe and recently made the jump to the U.S. market. Its lines of business include the manufacture of packaging solutions and paper as well as the management of related waste.
In this specific case, the client had been using a SAP corporate system for many years. However, initially, this system was only implemented in one of the company’s divisions, being deployed later on in the other divisions. In one division, however, it was not deployed, as the client’s specific processes and the complexity of its planning algorithms acted as an additional obstacle.
Therefore, the challenge was to design an architecture enabling the integration of the division that had ended up isolated by not migrating to SAP, meanwhile maintaining the competitive advantage of existing solutions for the other divisions.
In this context, the solution offered as a part of the LEAP programme consisted of developing a new SAP-based architecture, complemented by an additional architecture. With the collaboration of the company’s in-house IT team (who were knowledgeable about its solutions and processes), NTT DATA implemented this second architecture, connecting the core area with other system modules, in a set-up designed to exchange information with the most critical functionalities.
The results were immediate, with an increase in synergy between the client’s divisions, as well as in the agility of exchanging and consolidating information. Moreover, transitioning from the previous solution to the current one resulted in an increase in efficiency and a decrease in the total cost of ownership.
For large companies, there is no way around digital transformation, and SAP, its software and its tools continue to be market leaders. For this reason, NTT DATA has designed the LEAP initiative as a long-term programme, with a view to the end of the decade. Its goals are SAP’s strategic guidelines for 2030 and the consolidation of NTT DATA as a trusted partner for any company engaging in a digital transformation process.
To achieve these goals, NTT DATA has more than 20,000 SAP-specialist professionals working for more than 2,700 clients across the globe. Furthermore, it has 21 delivery centres and operates in 41 countries. Do you want to learn more about the LEAP initiative? Full information is available on our website.