Client: 

The client is a leading industrial electrical and electronics distributor headquartered in the UK. 

Challenge: 

The Head of New Product Introduction (NPI) faced several challenges in streamlining the NPI process. The manual processes, poor data quality, and complex workflows involving over 70 suppliers led to delays, with new product launches taking between 30 to 60 days. The inefficiency hindered the client’s goal to triple the number of new product introductions annually, which was critical to enhancing competitiveness and increasing market share. 

Solution: 

After engaging with the client, eClerx proposed the implementation of Merchandiser+, a solution tailored to optimize NPI workflows. Key goals for the solution were: 

• Reducing the NPI launch time from 30–60 days to 15 days. 

• Scaling the process to handle a threefold increase in new product introductions. 

• Achieving 95% completeness of mandatory content for each product. 

To ensure a smooth implementation, an onshore supplier management team worked closely with the client’s internal teams and suppliers. Merchandiser+ was customized to align with the client’s specific needs, integrating a robust quality audit process to minimize rework and improve the accuracy of product data. 

Impact: 

Within three months of deploying Merchandiser+, the NPI processing time was reduced from 60 days to 15 days. Through continuous collaboration and refinement, the average processing time was further reduced to just 7 days. The solution exceeded the initial target, enabling a fivefold increase in NPI volume. 

As a result, the client successfully launched over 200,000 new products, with more than 270 users regularly accessing the tool to track NPIs. The centralized platform and automated content syndication streamlined the entire NPI process, significantly enhancing efficiency and scalability for the client and its suppliers. 

This successful implementation revolutionized the client’s NPI process, driving operational excellence and supporting substantial business growth.