Friendly's Ice Cream Corporation - Keeping Track of It All

The parent company must monitor the processes of its regional subsidiaries on a daily basis in order to maintain and improve profitability across the enterprise.

Companies with a number of semi-independent regional subsidiaries encounter very special problems in project accounting and cost visibility. Picture a national company in a business with regional operations in remote locations. Each regional operation has its own customer base, local regulations to comply with, and responsibility for the procurement of materials, profitability, and the timely delivery of management and financial reports.

At the same time, the parent company must monitor the processes of its regional subsidiaries on a daily basis in order to maintain and improve profitability across the enterprise. It's no small task.

The Software Challenge

What is required is an enterprise-wide business application that reduces and simplifies data entry, enhances project-cost accounting, and provides tools for highly efficient data gathering and reporting. Velocity Technology Solutions has learned from long experience that Lawson business software offers solutions to these complex challenges.

Bringing in the Experts

For example, in the cable television industry, parent companies must oversee regional operating companies in order to maintain customer service and improve competitiveness and profitability.

Velocity Technology Solutions, known for its strong business qualifications and technical expertise as a Lawson GAIN partner, was called in by just such a client to help streamline its business processes and to lead the implementation of the Lawson solution. In working with this client, Velocity focused on three main areas: project management, data entry, and project accounting. Velocity was able to reduce the data entry steps 25 percent by streamlining Lawson processes. Further, as a result of the thorough needs assessment performed by the combined client and Velocity team, the most business-critical requirement was identified: the need to attain a maximum view and control of the project costs incurred by the regional cable system members. Each of the regional systems was a profit center that provided installation, service, and sales to local customers. They were managed by senior executives who were fully responsible for their profitability. Velocity Technology Solutions provided these executives with the tools to gather and report necessary information more efficiently. In addition, Velocity Technology Solutions provided corporate management with similar, more global options for overall reporting.

The Success Story

Part of the project's success was the result of allowing the Velocity Technology Solutions team of business and technical professionals to assist in the initial needs assessment phase. Because of this, Velocity was able to translate the organization's business requirements into superior technical specifications critical to ensuring a successful implementation.

After the success of this Lawson system implementation, Velocity Technology Solutions was again engaged to perform the same client's cyclical upgrade and modification reapplication. The client continues to utilize Lawson and Velocity consultants in a support role.