16 December 2020
Implico realizes ambitious downstream IT and data communication project completely remotely
The lasting partnership of the downstream IT specialist Implico Group and the international sales, marketing and support services group DCC has now seen another successful project completion: In Ireland, Implico has integrated a total of 34 new service stations into DCC’s existing software landscape. Earlier this year, DCC took over the operation of 22 of these stations from Tesco Ireland. The remaining 12 stations came from the DCC-owned fuels brand Great Gas. Going forth, all 34 stations will be operated under the Certa brand. The project enables DCC to replenish and settle these new fuel stations now quickly and highly efficiently thanks to innovative cloud services.
During the project, the experts of the Customer Support Center at Implico mapped all logistics and finance processes for the new service stations in the SAP system used by DCC and in the data communication service iGOS (Implico Global Operation Services). The latter is a comprehensive cloud portfolio that handles, among others, the data exchange for downstream companies. It collects, validates, and corrects all data from the associated trading partners: terminals, hauliers, fuel station locations and financial institutions. Then, it passes these data on to the DCC headquarters in an ordered, completed and standardized form. One of the biggest advantages of iGOS: It is especially flexible and provides a very high degree of automation. This reduces manual work while simultaneously increasing the reliability, security, and speed of the data communication. Via SAP SDM (Secondary Distribution Management), the powerful SAP industry solution for downstream companies, DCC controls and automates their complete business processes. Together, the solutions form a future-proof system that will allow for further growth.
Entire project realized remotely
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Implico and DCC had to carry out the entire project remotely. Regarding the planning and execution, Implico could build upon invaluable experience. Previously, the company had already realized similar projects for DCC in France, Denmark and Norway. Since DCC now uses the same processes and solutions in Ireland as it does in the other countries, it benefits from a leaner, more homogeneous IT landscape across the company. Another advantage: Proven strategies and best practices from the work done in France, Denmark and Norway directly found their way into current project. The Customer Support Center team at Implico has extensive know-how and experience in the fields of downstream IT and data communication. Therefore, it can offer DCC a comprehensive range of services from a single source.
A long and successful business relationship
“Everyone in Implico and DCC did a fantastic job,” applauds Klaus Wunsch, Unit Lead of the Customer Support Center at Implico. “Though we had to work completely remotely, we successfully integrated all of the 34 service stations into the existing architecture smoothly and timely. Going forth, DCC will benefit from best-in-class technology and top-quality support – both of which are important success factors for a company operating at the forecourt of the industry.”
Johannes Buhre, Team Lead iGOS at Implico, adds: “The connection of the new Certa stations went so well because we are a well-practiced team. Plus, we have a wealth of experience to tap into. Our many learnings from similar projects helped us tremendously to make the right decisions and achieve such satisfying results.”
Andrew Graham, Managing Director at Certa, points out: “The recent project completion marks the latest success story to emerge from our long partnership with Implico. As with previous projects of similar nature and scope, they also ran this project expertly, delivering quality results in a timely matter.”
Following up on the project completion, Implico and DCC have signed a support contract that has Implico provide full-scale IT support for DCC’s service station network in Ireland.
Certa, a DCC business, is a new brand of unmanned petrol fillings stations in Ireland. Certa is part of DCC plc who operate almost 1,000 fuel forecourts across Europe in the UK, France, Sweden, Denmark and Norway. These brands include Esso, Shell, Gulf, QStar, Pump.
We are the Implico Group. We empower storage, distribution and retail companies to excel on their digital transformation journeys. We focus on downstream and related fields of work.