Customer success

How BD Rowa reduces the downtimes of order picking systems

Dr. Dorothee Gösswein
Project Manager, BD Rowa

Reliable customer service and continuous improvement are our top priorities. ORAYLIS quickly and efficiently managed to build a digital cloud-based platform providing us with the data from our machines in near real time while ensuring high security standards.

This solution enables our service team to immediately react to technical problems and to proactively prevent malfunctions. It helps us to reduce the downtime of our machines even further, resulting in higher availability our clients can benefit from. We are therefore glad to be able to count on the ORAYLIS team’s support in the future, turning our visions into success.

At a glance

  • Client: BD Rowa Germany GmbH
  • Sector: Industry/order picking systems for pharmaceuticals
  • Project goal: Providing real-time analyses of machine data in applications for service and customers
  • Technologies: Microsoft Azure IoT, Databricks Power BI Embedded

Becton Dickinson Rowa Germany GmbH (BD Rowa) is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of order picking systems for pharmacies, hospitals and pharmaceutical wholesalers. The complex systems of the company based in the small community of Kelberg in Rhineland-Palatinate support healthcare facilities in 53 countries to efficiently store and manage the supply of pharmaceuticals. In this context, smooth service processes are indispensable. Any downtime of the costumer’s systems would lead to bottlenecks in the supply of medicine to patients.

“Since we are a part of the health care system, our work is based on speed, efficiency and safety. This is why offering reliable customer service for our complex systems is of great importance. At the same time, we continuously strive to improve,” Dr Dorothée Gößwein, Project Manager at BD Rowa, says. “Digitalisation and the use of real-time data open up completely new opportunities for us. Just like we wanted to improve our products, we also wanted to be able to have more time for our customers, while technology takes care of the other tasks automatically.”

BD Rowa Automaten - So senkt BD Rowa die Stillstandszeiten von Kommissioniersystemen

Agile methods guarantee reliability

The set goals were clear, but how could the plan be put into practice – especially in terms of technology? As Dr. Dorothée Gößwein explains, “For such a complex project, you need the right partner on your side. The solutions proposed by ORAYLIS immediately convinced us that they would be the best partner for us to implement this project. The team had a clear idea of what our solution should look like. At the same time, the agile working method of our partner always assured us that we were on the right track.”

Data delivered in real-time

ORAYLIS built a state-of-the-art digital platform in the Microsoft Azure Cloud. Previously, machine data was collected on hardware servers in a lengthy process and could only be processed or forwarded at fixed times. The platform now enables a centralised data collection from all customer plants and makes it available in near real time. This applies not only to basic information, error messages or temperature data that the cooling units of the plants continuously send; even extensive videos generated by cameras inside the machines are available immediately. For this purpose, highest security standards in the transfer of data were indispensable.

Avoid malfunctions before they occur

BD Rowa’s support staff can now quickly and efficiently access all of the relevant information via a user-friendly web application. “This enables us to proactively support our customers,” Dr Dorothée Gößwein says enthusiastically. A return channel in the cloud solution even makes it possible to carry out necessary work remotely. Likewise, enquiries to the hotline can be processed with the constantly updated app data without lengthy waiting periods. In addition, the database allows forecast scenarios that can be used to avoid malfunctions in the systems before they occur. “All of these new possibilities help us to further reduce the already low downtimes of our plants, so that our customers can benefit from even higher availability.”

In the future, the cloud approach in Azure will make it possible to flexibly add more and more attractive functions and digital services. For example, BD Rowa’s next step is to use its existing data for an application that allows customers to independently gain valuable insights into the performance of their machines. “Therefore we are very pleased that the ORAYLIS team will continue to support us in our future plans as a guarantee for success ,” concludes Dr Dorothée Gößwein.


turn your data into value.

At a glance

  • Client: BD Rowa Germany GmbH
  • Sector: Industry/order picking systems for pharmaceuticals
  • Project goal: Providing real-time analyses of machine data in applications for service and customers
  • Technologies: Microsoft Azure IoT, Databricks Power BI Embedded
Dirk Ohligschläger
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Customer success

GermanPersonnel: Digital transformation with new customer services

Christian Oberstädt
Manager Data & Product Strategy, GermanPersonnel

We can now deliver far more quality candidates to our clients for their existing budgets. Thanks to the automated recommendations and success forecasts of our software, ads can be created and distributed much more precisely. And the personal advice provided by our staff has also gained considerably in quality thanks to data-driven standardisations. With this offer we have a real USP that clearly sets us apart from the competition in the e-recruiting market. ORAYLIS has triggered many innovations for us. Together, we are an outstanding team from which much more can be expected in the future.

At a glance

  • Client: GermanPersonnel e-search GmbH
  • Industry: Personnel services
  • Project objective: Establishment of a uniform database and development of innovative recruiting services
  • Technologies: Azure Data Lake, Microsoft SQL Server, Databricks, Power BI Embedded

GermanPersonnel is one of the leading providers of software and services for employee search on the internet in Germany. The company cooperates with Germany’s largest personnel service providers and job portals. With the products of the e-recruiting experts, customers can design their job advertisements and place them on job boards as well as manage applications. In this way, the company has gained special unique selling points on the market. At the same time, it was clear to those responsible that they would not be able to stand out from the growing competition in the long term with this range of services.

Potential in the data was not utilised

“In fact, until then we had only used the extensive data from the recruiting processes selectively, for example for the further development of business processes, products and algorithms for intelligent channel selection,” explains Christian Oberstädt, Manager Data & Product Strategy at GermanPersonnel. “In addition to data, our expertise and a pinch of gut feeling still flowed into our decision-making processes. There was still a lot of potential hidden there.” Therefore, a conscious decision was made to change to a data-driven company. New goals were formulated, such as automatic recommendations when creating job advertisements and predictions about the expected number of applicants. In addition, data should also be used internally by all employees, for example through comprehensive reporting.

Consistent database for reliable evaluations

In order to tackle the ambitious plans in a targeted manner, ORAYLIS was brought in as a partner and guide. An initial status quo analysis revealed that although GermanPersonnel had extensive data, it was not suitable for the desired comprehensive evaluations due to a lack of structure. Therefore, all data from the recruiting processes and other data sources were first brought together in a structured way in a Data Warehouse in the Microsoft Azure Cloud. The preparation of the data for further analysis processes is automated and updated on a daily basis. Thanks to the cloud approach, the solution can grow flexibly depending on the volume of data and the number of customers and key figures.

Michael Althaus ORAYLIS Projekt GermanPersonnel

However, innovations such as predicting clicks and applicant numbers could not have been implemented on this basis alone. “For such requirements, exact information on the entire candidate journey is needed,” explains Michael Althaus, project manager at ORAYLIS. Therefore, a special tracking tool is used. “The tool continuously collects anonymised, event-driven web data from almost 180,000 job ads, with data sovereignty remaining with GermanPersonnel.”

Customers save time and money

Christian Oberstädt, Manager Data & Product sums up the added value of the intelligent, data-based recruiting solution: “Today, we can provide our clients with significantly more high-quality candidates for their existing budgets. Thanks to the automated recommendations and success forecasts of our software, advertisements can be created much more precisely and distributed to the mass of recruiting channels. And the personal advice provided by our staff has also improved considerably thanks to data-driven standardisations.”

Finally, the daily updated statistics enable a targeted control of the ads already placed. At the same time, successes become transparent and measurable. Last but not least, the user saves a great deal of time through a clear and structured management of his job advertisements and applicants.

New service is a USP on the market

GermanPersonnel also benefits directly from the solution. “With this offer, we have a real USP that clearly sets us apart from the competition in the market for e-recruiting,” says Christian Oberstädt. In addition, the company has been able to define economically sensible packages for ad placements thanks to the new analysis options. The more valid planning basis ensures noticeable savings when purchasing traffic and clicks from the relevant job boards. Meanwhile, the fast-growing company is preventing staff shortages in-house by automating processes.

Overall, the digitalisation of all processes leads to significantly higher efficiency and more reliable decisions. Together with ORAYLIS, the company has completed the transformation to a Data Driven Company, and according to Christian Oberstädt, this development is far from complete: “ORAYLIS has triggered many innovations for us. Together, we are an outstanding team from which we can expect a lot more in the future.”


turn your data into value.

At a glance

  • Client: GermanPersonnel e-search GmbH
  • Industry: Personnel services
  • Project objective: Establishment of a uniform database and development of innovative recruiting services
  • Technologies: Azure Data Lake, Microsoft SQL Server, Databricks, Power BI Embedded
Jens Kröhnert
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Customer success

WMF upgrades commercial coffee machines with real-time services

At a glance

  • Machine data is analysed in real-time and used for innovative customer services
  • Individual apps provide massive savings in time and effort for the various target groups
  • Product manufacturer transforms into holistic solution provider

The business situation of our client

There are countless opportunities in your data to improve your business and make your customers more satisfied – not only in the form of process optimisations and better decisions. Rather, you can create completely new customer experiences with innovative products and digital business models and thereby stand out from your competitors.

Just like our client WMF – the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial coffee machines faced these challenges, among others:

  • Low growth opportunities due to market saturation.
  • Competing products of similar performance and quality
  • Costly service business with regard to required spare parts
  • Data management in heterogeneous system landscape
  • Service instructions mostly in German language

As a result, together with those responsible, we have expanded the company’s products with data-driven applications that significantly facilitate the daily work of the core target groups – specifically: facility managers, food chain managers and service technicians. WMF is thus developing more and more from a pure product manufacturer to a provider of digital services.

WMF Group: Digitale Echtzeitservices für Profi-Kaffeemaschinen 

The solution for our client

In order to achieve the set goals, we have networked all active customer machines with the services of the Microsoft Azure Cloud via the Internet of Things. The central component here is a digital cloud platform. Here, the status data generated by the machines is collected, processed and made available for the various application scenarios. There is also a feedback channel through which the user can send commands to the machines.

In addition, we have connected the company network to the platform and with it other data sources, such as CRM, ERP, telemetry database and media pool. As a result, the platform also functions as a knowledge database that bundles comprehensive information and problem solutions for WMF employees and customers. In this context, existing text documents are automatically extracted and translated into different languages.

Finally, a real-time analysis of the machine data enables very different digital innovations. We provide these as user-friendly apps in a modern UX design. The applications can be seamlessly integrated into other business applications via a standardised interface, so that the user can work with them comfortably in his familiar environment. Meanwhile, WMF’s specialist departments and analysts receive interactive reports for more in-depth analyses.

How data turns into new values

As it turns out, it is not that difficult to make analogue products “intelligent” with cloud services and the Internet of Things. The resulting applications make the work of the various customer groups easier, above all through massive savings in time and effort:

Service technician

  • App provides detailed instructions for fault analysis and rectification
  • Immediate ordering of spare parts on site saves further effort

Food Chain Manager

  • Performance of branches and machines can be evaluated and controlled in real time
  • Necessary measures – for example with regard to capacity utilisation and quality – can be initiated directly
  • Example: New recipes or promotions can be sent directly to the displays of the machines in the shops

Facility Manager

  • App informs which machines in the building require action – for example, to refill coffee beans.
  • In the event of problems and defects, information is also provided for diagnosis and solution.


turn your data into value.

At a glance

  • Machine data is analysed in real-time and used for innovative customer services
  • Individual apps provide massive savings in time and effort for the various target groups
  • Product manufacturer transforms into holistic solution provider
Jens Kröhnert
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Customer success

How o2 improves its social media marketing performance

At a glance

  • Central reporting and analytics platform enables an overall view of all channels
  • All activities can be efficiently monitored and controlled
  • Insights ensure better content and greater awareness on an ongoing basis

The business situation of our client

Whether B2B or B2C – social media and content marketing have become important tools for companies in image building and sales. But do the measures really bring the desired success? Like most companies, our client o2 has asked itself this question – or even more specifically:

  • How do the individual channels perform?
  • Which content generates attention and possibly sales?
  • Where can content and costs be optimised?

Online data to answer these questions was available to o2 in large quantities. After all, the company not only operates various Facebook pages, websites and customer forums. There are also accounts on Instagram and YouTube as well as data from Google AdWords and Google Analytics. What was lacking, however, was an efficient way to evaluate it.

The solution for our client

Our solution for o2 brings together the multitude of channels on a unified analytics platform in the Microsoft Azure Cloud. The solution structure is as follows:

  • Data is imported using SSIS, with CData acting as an add-on that connects to the interfaces of the various sources.
  • The raw material is collected on a local SQL server, processed and made available for analysis.
  • The prepared data can be accessed via a fully integrated interface in Power BI.

Telefonica Projektbericht ORAYLIS

User-defined filters and dashboards then enable the individual teams to evaluate and publish the relevant data in a targeted manner. Due to the high system performance and continuous updates, the data is never more than a few hours old. Since Power BI is also used as a cloud service, users can access the solution on the move at any time.

How data turns into new values

The central reporting and analytics platform now offers social media staff an overall view of all channels and their data. The user can efficiently check and control all activities through analyses down to the posting level as well as plan-actual comparisons of content, costs and results.


This creates new values in many ways:

  • The quality of the content produced increases
  • The perception of the published postings increases
  • Social media budgets are invested more successfully
  • Community questions are answered more quickly
  • The overall effort is reduced


turn your data into value.

At a glance

  • Central reporting and analytics platform enables an overall view of all channels
  • All activities can be efficiently monitored and controlled
  • Insights ensure better content and greater awareness on an ongoing basis
Jens Kröhnert
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Customer success

How innogy is preparing for the future with a digital platform

At a glance

  • Data Analytics system in the Azure cloud enables flexible growth
  • All user groups can work with data and generate new values
  • Data from SAP BW can be seamlessly integrated into analyses

The business situation of our client

In many companies, long-standing analytics systems are increasingly reaching their limits. They can no longer cope with the constantly growing number of users and data – and with them the ever increasing demands on data analysis. As a result, a great deal of potential for business remains unused.

The energy supplier innogy also found itself in this situation and turned to us for help. The company needed a future-proof platform that met the following requirements:

  • New data sources can be connected quickly and easily
  • Data can be made available to the largest possible group of users
  • Grow flexibly as new requirements arise
  • Data-driven innovations can be implemented easily
  • The efficiency of company-wide data analysis is increased

A particular challenge was to integrate an existing SAP BW on Hana into the solution. Above all, this data should later be seamlessly available across the entire system.

innogy Projektbericht ORAYLIS

The solution for our client

Due to the high demands on flexibility and future-proofing, we built innogy’s new data analytics platform in the Microsoft Azure Cloud. Our platform consists of a data warehouse with classic layer architecture as well as a Data Lake to which new data sources can be quickly connected and used by defined user groups. This means that data from SAP BW can also be accepted, processed and made available very easily.

The Microsoft services Power BI and Excel are primarily available as analysis tools. However, third-party tools can also be used if required. In this way, the needs of all user groups can be covered. It is possible to automatically provide business users with interactive standard reports as well as to give data scientists and business analysts the necessary freedom for ad-hoc analyses. Comprehensive authorisation concepts regulate access to the data.

How data turns into new value

With the new cloud platform, innogy is now optimally positioned for the future in the value-oriented use of its data:

  • The platform can grow flexibly with new requirements at any time
  • Data scientists, business analysts and specialist users can all create new value from data in equal measure
  • Data is quickly and easily available to business departments for analytical purposes
  • Staff can concentrate on the core tasks of value-oriented data analysis
  • Efficiency has increased while costs have decreased
  • The protection of sensitive data is fully ensured


turn your data into value.

At a glance

  • Data Analytics system in the Azure cloud enables flexible growth
  • All user groups can work with data and generate new values
  • Data from SAP BW can be seamlessly integrated into analyses
Jens Kröhnert
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CUSTOMER SUCCESS

Predictive Policing: How criminals can be tracked using Artificial Intelligence

At a glance

  • AI solution relieves scarce police personnel resources
  • Crime hotspots are identified with foresight and task forces are controlled in a targeted manner
  • Success rates are significantly higher compared to experience-based approaches

The initial situation of our client

Artificial intelligence (AI) can make processes more efficient in practically every area and can therefore significantly reduce the needed human effort. For example, we developed an AI solution for the police department of one of the largest cities in Germany to predict crimes – also called predictive policing. Just like the rest of Germany, the city was struggling with far too few personnel resources to get a grip on the rising number of burglaries by organised gangs. Statistical methods for identifying potential hot spots hardly helped, as they practically made no use of the extensive case data that had been documented.

The solution for our client

The design of our solution shows that developing AI applications does not necessarily require high investments in new technologies. Since the police department’s IT infrastructure was already based on Microsoft technologies, we simply used the already existing SQL Server as a basis.

With the Analysis Services, we built a customised forecasting software that directly accessed the police’s internal databases, such as case details or geographic and demographic data. The Reporting Services were used to create an easy-to-use forecasting tool as well as a forecasting quality assessment. Finally, a special classification procedure identifies the quadrants with the highest probability of burglary and displays them in colour on a map in Power BI. The resulting forecasts are generated automatically on a daily basis and distributed to all police directors in the city.

How data turns into new values

With the diverse police data as a basis, the forecasting software makes an effective contribution to the prevention of residential burglaries by intensive offenders. Currently, the prediction of future burglaries is up to seven times better than previous experience-based approaches. The police forces show a targeted presence in the identified danger areas. In this way, potential perpetrators are deterred and residents are made aware of possible subsequent offences.

As the data used is constantly supplemented by new findings, the system continues to learn and provide ever more accurate insights. The new solution also proves to be an efficient repository of many years of police experience. Last but not least, the forecasting software can be maintained by the police themselves and can also be extended to other areas of crime.

turn your data into value.

At a glance

  • AI solution relieves scarce police personnel resources
  • Crime hotspots are identified with foresight and task forces are controlled in a targeted manner
  • Success rates are significantly higher compared to experience-based approaches
Dirk Ohligschläger
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Customer success

Energy giant manages digital transformation with a cloud platform

At a glance

  • Digital platform in the Microsoft Azure Cloud provides mass data centrally
  • Cross-divisional analyses enable diverse synergies for the business
  • New requirements can be implemented quickly and effectively

The business situation of our client

One of the fundamental obstacles in the digitalisation of companies is that each specialist department only works in isolation on its own data files. One of our customers from the energy sector also had to realise this. The provider wanted to finally unlock the potential in its data and achieve valid insights across the company.

The obstacles at a glance:

  • Employees could not work with data across disciplines, so potential synergies remained unused
  • Without a “single point of truth”, divergent key figures and results were circulating in the company.
  • New applications and innovations could not be implemented due to the lack of a uniform, consolidated database.
  • Resources were unnecessarily tied up within the departments for the operation of their own, small data solutions.

Consequently, our client’s objective was:

  • Consolidate all regions and divisions
  • To take over all existing use cases and data
  • To store and process structured and unstructured data
  • To enable the solution to be operated by the company’s own IT department.
  • To implement the technological basis within three months

The solution for our client

The basis of our solution is a digital platform that we built quickly and efficiently using Microsoft Azure Cloud services. This not only enabled us to meet the tight schedule. Rather, our customer has the possibility to use storage and computing capacities according to their current needs.

All company data is now united on the central platform and made available for the most diverse application scenarios:

  • We store data on customer contracts, prices and smart metering in a data lake.
  • The local ERP is connected to the platform and also makes its data available via the cloud.
  • Data from the hydropower sector is visualised directly in real-time dashboards.
  • We also make the data from the wind power sector available to the specialist departments via a real-time route

Microsoft’s leading analysis service Power BI serves as a front-end tool for the presentation of the information as well as free analyses by the specialist departments.

How data turns into new values

With the cloud platform, our client has created the ideal conditions for its digital transformation from a technological point of view. Users from all areas can now finally evaluate data in a combined way to unlock new values and synergies for the company.

Some examples:

  • Customer management: cross-divisional analyses provide new insights and enable the construction of forecasting models.
  • Finance: For the first time, users can carry out independent reporting and make it accessible to other company divisions.
  • Hydropower: Real-time dashboards can be published via a collaboration platform and made available for collaborative editing.
  • Wind power: Users can carry out free analyses on real-time data and combine them with other sources.

There is also the technical benefit:

  • IT can offer business departments an integrated platform for all use cases.
  • Development processes can be made agile
  • All departments can start new application projects within minutes.
  • Data scientists can carry out analyses in isolated environments without burdening the platform or users.


turn your data into value.

At a glance

  • Digital platform in the Microsoft Azure Cloud provides mass data centrally
  • Cross-divisional analyses enable diverse synergies for the business
  • New requirements can be implemented quickly and effectively
Jens Kröhnert
turn your data into value

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Customer success

How to make your production more efficient with real-time data

At a glance

  • Manufacturer of special pumps monitors its entire production in real time
  • Companies, customers and employees benefit from more transparency and improved processes
  • Solution connects local SAP ERP with services in the Azure Cloud

The business situation of our client

Production processes must be as efficient as possible in order for companies to survive in global competition. This was also recognised by one of our industrial customers, a global leader in the manufacture of special pumps. Together, we implemented a monitoring system based on real-time data for its entire production line and achieved a large number of improvements as a result. Because: Up until this point, neither the production status nor the progress of an order could be tracked. The finished goods usually reached the shipping department without notice.

The solution for our client

Our customer’s production process involves pushing the picked individual parts of a pump from one production cell to the next on a transport trolley. In our solution, each trolley receives its own RFID tag, which is linked to the relevant order. The individual manufacturing cells are equipped with corresponding RFID gates. We process the resulting data stream via a real-time route based on services from the Microsoft Azure cloud: An Azure Event Hub receives the data and distributes it further. The data is then analysed in real time via Azure Stream Analytics. We have also connected a local SAP ERP with quality-assured reference data. Only by linking it to the SAP data do the findings from the real-time information gain concrete significance. Finally, the data is visualised via a real-time monitoring dashboard in Power BI.

How data turns into new values

The data-driven real-time monitoring generates new values for our customer on very different levels. The status quo of each individual pump can now be precisely tracked. Likewise, those responsible can obtain an overview of all current orders in real time. As a result, the various production steps can be coordinated much more precisely. For example, the efficiency of the employees in the production cells has increased significantly, as they are now informed about upcoming orders at an early stage. And of course, the company’s customers are also much more satisfied: they receive much more precise information about the status and delivery date of their goods.


turn your data into value.

At a glance

  • Manufacturer of special pumps monitors its entire production in real time
  • Companies, customers and employees benefit from more transparency and improved processes
  • Solution connects local SAP ERP with services in the Azure Cloud
Jens Kröhnert
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Customer success

Digital platform gives mobile provider a competitive edge

At a glance

  • Central, digital platform brings together all data with maximum depth of detail
  • Those responsible receive a comprehensive view of all relevant business processes
  • Various departments use data to create new value for the company, customers and employees

The business situation of our client

Like all mobile phone providers, one of our clients was struggling with massive competition and cost pressure in the industry. At the same time, the company’s extensive data hid a wide range of potentials to differentiate itself from the competition and to complete the digital transformation. However, due to a proliferation of different analytical solutions and data silos in the individual departments, these remained largely unused:

  • Fragmented data – for example on purchase history, reaction to campaigns or behaviour on the web – made an overarching view of the customer impossible.
  • Due to a lack of data quality, depth of detail and possibilities for linking, it was not possible to carry out multi-value analyses on customers, products, branches, supply chains or financial flows.
  • Due to the lack of a single point of truth, no consistent business metrics were available as a basis for key decisions.
  • Issuing different front-ends drove up operating costs.

Therefore, it was necessary to consolidate all data with maximum detail on a central, digital platform and make it available for different use cases and analyses of the individual departments. A uniform self-service solution for all areas was to support this objective. Similarly, reporting for management and operational processes had to be standardised across departments. Last but not least, real-time data was to be made usable for the business.

The solution for our client

Our client’s integrated platform is to be understood as a Modern Data Warehouse. As usual, we exclusively used Microsoft technologies. The development included the following steps:

 

  1. Formation of a BI Competence Centre in Controlling
  2. Data modelling: We network all data on the platform in maximum detail. The flexible data model enables rapid adaptation to market changes.
  3. Data integration: All departments and their data are integrated step by step.
  4. Near-real-time: Based on a Lambda architecture, we enable the processing of real-time data in all required processes.
  5. Self-service: Business users receive easy-to-use self-service tools (Excel, Power BI). The self-explanatory data model also allows simple data management activities.
  6. Ad-hoc analysis: Business users have the option of carrying out free analyses in the data rooms provided.
  7. Data governance: The solution is legally approved by data protection officers.

 

How data turns into new values

Our client now has a comprehensive view of all relevant business processes. The different departments can use all data for their respective use cases to optimise the business and create new values that benefit the company, its customers as well as its own employees:

  • Need-based customer targeting: customers are addressed with the appropriate products at the right time on the preferred channel.
  • New products: Fine segmentation enables innovative offers and quick adaptation to market trends.
  • Reliable contribution margins: Sales of contracts can already be forecast when the contract is signed.
  • Mobile sales management: Reports and dashboards can be accessed on all conceivable devices.
  • Transparent dealer management: Advertising cost subsidies, sales promotions and commissions are clearly displayed.
  • Detailed advertising success control: The success of advertising measures on the web can be evaluated in detail, right down to the contribution margin achieved per customer.
  • Fraud detection: Within a few months, irregularities were uncovered that would have caused losses in the millions.
  • Churn management: Customers who are willing to switch are identified at an early stage and addressed with individual marketing measures.


turn your data into value.

At a glance

  • Central, digital platform brings together all data with maximum depth of detail
  • Those responsible receive a comprehensive view of all relevant business processes
  • Various departments use data to create new value for the company, customers and employees
Jens Kröhnert
turn your data into value

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Customer success

Shopping Portal improves its financial reporting with Power BI

At a glance

  • Financial reporting is automated through the use of Power BI
  • Even inexperienced users can work with data and create new value for the business
  • Collaboration platform enables company-wide dissemination of insights gained

The business situation of our client

Being “online” is no longer a competitive advantage. Shopping portals are also facing ever-increasing competitive pressure, which demands ongoing optimisation and quick decisions based on data. This was also evident at a well-known German supplier of branded goods. Until the time of our cooperation, the company’s financial reporting was exclusively created manually and sent by email. Likewise, there were no adequate tools for ad-hoc analyses of acute business issues. Finally, due to a massive backlog of requirements in the company’s own Data Warehouse, many important key figures were not available. Thus, there was an urgent need for a modern solution that would enable the finance department to use the existing data efficiently and flexibly.

The solution for our client

With the help of Power BI – Microsoft’s leading self-service service in the Azure cloud – we were able to quickly set up our own analysis solution for the department. For this, the data from the various sources was imported and merged into an updatable data model that depicts all relevant financial ratios for managing the company. Based on this, standard reports and dashboards can be provided automatically. Power BI also offers business users a wide range of options for carrying out ad-hoc analyses according to their own ideas. Alternatively, the more familiar Microsoft Excel is also available as a tool. In addition, we have established a company-wide collaboration platform in the cloud via the Power BI portal, which also gives other groups of people and areas in the company access to the department’s analysis results.

How data turns into new values

Thanks to the simple data model and the self-service tools used, even inexperienced users can work independently with data to create meaningful reports, dashboards and ad-hoc analyses. Last but not least, the complementary use of Excel ensures high user acceptance. Due to the free access via the collaboration platform, other company departments also benefit from the insights gained. Management and specialist departments can even access all important information on a mobile basis at any time. In addition, key figures can be realised or expanded much faster, so that the reporting of the finance department forms a much more valid basis for decision-making.

However, such isolated analysis solutions only give companies short-term breathing space in the digital race. In the medium to long term, these so-called data silos lead to a proliferation of reports and the loss of uniform key figures. The next step is to expand the existing DWH into a digital platform in the cloud that unites all company divisions and their data. Power BI not only offers the best prerequisites for this approach. The service is harmoniously integrated into the diverse eco-system of Azure Cloud Services. Accordingly, it can be expanded as needed into a modern DWH that serves every conceivable scenario of contemporary data evaluation, from forecast scenarios to digital products.


turn your data into value.

At a glance

  • Financial reporting is automated through the use of Power BI
  • Even inexperienced users can work with data and create new value for the business
  • Collaboration platform enables company-wide dissemination of insights gained
Jens Kröhnert
turn your data into value

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of data with us

Customer success

How a baker uses data to reduce returns from branches and increase sales

At a glance

  • Digital platform makes all data from operational business available for the first time
  • Real-time analyses enable fast and flexible reactions in day-to-day business
  • Customer satisfaction and sales increase while the return rate decreases

The business situation of our client

The efficient use of data offers bakery chains the opportunity to improve their business processes and service to the consumer in many ways. This is illustrated by the example of a medium-sized bakery business that is one of our clients. The company has set itself the goal of having a complete and fresh range of goods available at all times of the day in its 30 or so branches. At the same time, the return rate should be as low as possible.

In order to ensure the ongoing balancing act between an oversupply and an undersupply of the individual branches, enormous amounts of data are available, for example from checkout processes and logistics. However, our client lacked:

  • a central platform to bring all the data together and enable consistent reports and insights across all business units
  • suitable tools that enable users from the specialist departments to carry out their own targeted analyses
  • Real-time data that allows fast and flexible reactions in day-to-day business.

The solution for our client

To enable our client to effectively transform its data into value for its business, we first built a central database based on Microsoft technologies. Here, all data from the operative business is processed and merged almost in real time. This includes not only receipt and delivery data, but also information on stocks, returns, orders, production, personnel, energy consumption and the weather. The bottom line is that the entire process from production to sales is mapped.

All company departments – whether sales, controlling, production or office work – have access to this integrated data platform. For evaluation, the various user groups have access to suitable analysis tools, such as Power BI, Excel or Reporting Services. In this way, all employees can carry out individual ad-hoc-analyses on the desired data quickly and easily. Standard reports on the relevant key figures are delivered automatically. We have optimised the design of the reporting system with a uniform information design according to IBCS specifications.

How data turns into new values

Through the ongoing analysis of daily updated sales data, our client has achieved its goals:

  • Staff can identify any bottlenecks or surpluses at an early stage
  • Missing goods can be delivered or transferred immediately.
  • Consumers can choose from the full range of products at any time and in any shop
  • Customers are more satisfied and can be retained for longer periods of time
  • Sales potential is optimally unlocked, so that turnover increases
  • The returns rate has been noticeably reduced

In addition, the company benefits from fraud analyses that effectively uncover irregularities in the checkout systems. Last but not least, the diverse analysis options of sales data, buying behaviour, shop development as well as production and delivery quantities provide different departments with a much more well-founded basis for planning. In the process, users no longer have to invest time in data procurement and preparation, as the relevant information is centrally available and easily accessible. Similarly, the automation of processes saves manual effort in many places.


turn your data into value.

At a glance

  • Digital platform makes all data from operational business available for the first time
  • Real-time analyses enable fast and flexible reactions in day-to-day business
  • Customer satisfaction and sales increase while the return rate decreases
Dirk Ohligschläger
turn your data into value

Let’s get started!

Do you also want to make better use of the potential in your data to unlock new value for your business, your customers and your employees?

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Shape the world
of data with us

Customer success

Digital transformation in heating technology: How to predict malfunctions and reduce consumption costs

At a glance

  • Cloud solution enables continuous monitoring of heating data
  • Forecast scenarios ensure more reliable operation and fewer failures
  • Intelligent heating control reduces costs for the consumer

The business situation of our client

An internationally leading manufacturer of heating systems demonstrates what is possible when data is used consistently. As direct customers of the manufacturer, heating engineers have always been able to act only reactively. System defects could only be detected when they occurred. And the necessary spare parts were usually not readily available, which meant a lot of work for the fitter and cold nights for the heating user.

Together with ORAYLIS, those responsible now wanted to tackle the digital transformation of the company and create new values on different levels through continuous monitoring of the extensive heating data. On the one hand, the objective was to enable the heating engineer to take anticipatory measures and optimise maintenance intervals. On the other hand, it was necessary to improve the settings of the heating system and to reduce consumption costs.

The solution for our client

The core of our solution is a flexibly scalable platform in the Microsoft Azure Cloud. A long-term hardware solution in the company’s own data centre would hardly have been calculable due to the high data volume. On the cloud platform, the continuous stream of operating, configuration and status data of the heating systems is collected and compared with existing system data. The findings are first displayed in a real-time dashboard so that the manufacturer can immediately detect irregularities and proactively intervene. At the same time, typical consumption patterns are identified, such as for the use of hot water or the heating system as such. On this basis, activity and rest phases of the systems can be intelligently controlled. Last but not least, we train forecast models with the current and historical data. These not only make increasingly reliable statements about the expected consumption. Likewise, forecasts on malfunctions and individual wear parts, including recommendations for action, are automatically delivered to the service technician’s mobile phone.

How data turns into value

Everyone involved benefits from the many possibilities opened up by our cloud solution:

Consumers

  • The data-based, automated control of the systems saves up to 20 percent in costs.
  • Continuous monitoring of the heating data ensures reliable system operation

Installer

  • Positioning as a modern service provider that ensures smooth operation
  • Massive savings in time and effort through intelligent supply chains

Manufacturer

  • Positioning as a technological innovation driver and industry pioneer in the heating business
  • Installers and consumers increasingly opt for the manufacturer’s products and remain loyal to them


turn your data into value.

At a glance

  • Cloud solution enables continuous monitoring of heating data
  • Forecast scenarios ensure more reliable operation and fewer failures
  • Intelligent heating control reduces costs for the consumer
Jens Kröhnert
turn your data into value

Let’s get started!

Do you also want to seize the opportunities of digitalisation and stand out from your competitors with data-driven services?

Join #teamoraylispeople

Shape the world
of data with us