Explore Topcon’s journey with SAP
Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc. wanted to consolidate all seven of its systems into one ERP system based on SAP S/4HANA Cloud. With one scalable, standardised, and cloud-based system, Topcon now sees real-time data across the enterprise. Topcon also implemented SAP Commerce Cloud, expanding its user base by 500%.
25
% +
reduction in time for full regional consolidated month-end closing.
42
%
of sales orders automated in one country, up from 18%, and increasing rapidly.
500
%
expanded user base since implementing SAP Commerce Cloud.
What has changed with SAP S/4HANA Cloud and SAP Customer Experience solutions? What hasn’t changed! We’ve matched almost every process with best practices from SAP and gained real-time visibility. The transformation is amazing.
The Challenge
Seeking a unified view of global operations to serve customers better
Topcon is on a mission to help close the infrastructure gap caused by a growing world population. Topcon’s products pin down exactly where things are, so builders, farmers, and other customers can work precisely and automatically. To make an impact worldwide, the company wanted an efficient way to scale and expand its international business.
As Robert Schmitz, Topcon’s senior manager for IT business applications, explains, “The main hurdle from a business point of view was all these different ways of working. We needed standardisation of both our systems and our processes.” Topcon’s global ecosystem of subsidiaries was neither standardised nor integrated, making growth slow and expensive. Using seven different ERP systems in nine countries made IT support and legal compliance a huge challenge.
What Topcon needed was a real-time overview of global operational data across production, sales, and HR. It also needed to streamline and automate processes. For example, each country had to create and send customer invoices manually, and tasks, such as establishing global inventory levels, were time-consuming. By integrating sales and marketing with its ERP system, Topcon hoped to gain the cross-business order visibility required to automate these tasks and serve customers in a consistent and efficient way.
Real-time visibility of data is a game-changer. Where we used to have month-end data dumps per country, we can now check stock levels or sales at any second.
The Solution
Pulling information together to see more clearly
Topcon consolidated all seven ERP systems into one system based on SAP S/4HANA Cloud. With one scalable, standardised, and cloud-based system connected to core ERP, Topcon now had access to real-time data across the whole enterprise for the first time. This helped subsidiaries stay agile without being dependent on headquarters and enabled Topcon to introduce new business practices quickly and with lower risk.
Topcon then began to deploy SAP Customer Experience solutions, including SAP Sales Cloud, SAP Marketing Cloud, and SAP Commerce Cloud solutions. One key advantage was that it was able to use standard integrations with SAP S/4HANA Cloud. This enabled a smooth and efficient rollout and reduced the resource burden on IT teams.
These changes have enabled a more streamlined and harmonised experience. Before its digital transformation, Topcon lacked central control of many systems. Now, the company can see all documents across the company and share the latest content in a consistent way. The overall effect is that customers in one region receive the same experience as those in another, strengthening the brand considerably.
Previously, there were multiple marketing systems containing customer information. Now, SAP S/4HANA Cloud maintains a single entry for each customer, with one address and one customer number. Everyone, from sales to support, has fast access to the same high-quality data, enabling enhanced analytics, automation, and insights.
The Result
Building a smarter, more agile sales and marketing organisation
Topcon’s digital transformation enabled real-time visibility across sales and marketing, as well as the broader enterprise, based on consistent and accurate data. With one consolidated ERP system, total cost of ownership is down, productivity is up, and processes are smoother and more streamlined. Topcon benefits from smoother compliance with legal and audit obligations based on accurate, real-time data for all subsidiaries powered by SAP Analytics Cloud.
By implementing Intelligent ERP solutions, Topcon has increased customer responsiveness, presented customers with a more consistent brand across the global enterprise, and automated processes to deliver great service. SAP S/4HANA Cloud helps Topcon satisfy local governments’ e-invoicing requirements efficiently, aiding scalability in the face of an increasingly complex localisation environment. Financial consolidation and reconciliation processes for month-end close across all nine countries are now fast and efficient.
Our e-commerce Web site not only delivers a better experience for people who are purchasing, but it also works as a supplementary sales tool, thanks to improved visuals, better product information, and a completely holistic approach. So, having set out to improve the buying experience, we’re having a positive impact on the selling experience too.
SAP helps Topcon run better
Key business outcomes and benefits
Featured solutions and services
About Topcon
Topcon Positioning Group is one step ahead in technology and customer benefits. Headquartered in Livermore, California, Topcon is an industry-leading designer, manufacturer, and distributor of precision measurement and workflow solutions for the global construction, geospatial, and agriculture markets.
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