CAS AG has supported Tchibo in the introduction of real-time inventory management in SAP CAR – a basis for further omnichannel processes and optimisations. For instance, customers can now see in the Tchibo online shop which products are in stock in certain outlets and depots and have them put back via Click & Reserve. Based on real-time inventory, Tchibo also further optimises its business with forecast-based solutions for quantities, prices and promotions.
Tchibo introduced the unified inventory management as part of a fundamental renewal of its merchandise management system. In spring 2021, the coffee and non-food specialist was able to complete the implementation of SAP S/4HANA after 18 months of project time. The old SAP system was getting on in years and had become very far from standard due to numerous in-house developments. The goal of the complete renewal of the SAP landscape was to map as many processes as possible with SAP S/4HANA and SAP CAR – and to do so very close to the standard.
The Hamburg-based coffee specialists realised the uniform view of the inventories of all sales locations with the SAP Customer Activity Repository (SAP CAR). Tchibo was supported in the introduction of the solution by consultants from CAS AG. With great success: in just five months, the consultants removed numerous hurdles and gave Tchibo a clear view of its stocks, thus creating the basis for further omnichannel processes.
Real-time inventory in SAP CAR
“CAS AG is an excellent consulting firm for SAP CAR projects,” says Christoph Kastaun, IT Director at Tchibo, in praise of the Hamburg-based consultants, who have considerable experience with SAP projects in the retail sector and have successfully implemented many SAP CAR projects before. In addition to the consultants’ industry expertise, their networking with SAP itself was particularly good, which served both the project and the feedback of requirements to the Walldorf-based company’s standard solutions very well. With the right consultants, such as those from CAS AG, in the team, Christoph Kastaun believes it makes perfect sense and is feasible to map even complex trade processes in the SAP standard.
In a first step, Tchibo smoothly implemented the central consolidation of all cash register receipts of its branches in SAP CAR with the support of CAS AG. In a further step, the project partners then realised the real-time mapping of the stocks of the online fulfilment centres, from which the branches are also supplied with Click & Collect goods, in the same system. The third step was challenging: Tchibo was also able to map the inventories of its more than 18,000 depots in retail sales outlets and bakeries in SAP CAR with the help of CAS AG.
Inventory transparency for customers too
Thanks to inventory management in SAP CAR, customers in the Tchibo online shop can now also see in which depots the desired goods are available. The new real-time depot stocks also help Tchibo to optimise another important process: Through sales forecasts, the company now optimises the stocks of coffee in the depots even better.
