Achieve a Digital Transformation That Addresses Top Business Priorities

If you’re looking for arguments on why cloud-based transformations are so effective for international enterprise, look no farther than Kennametal.

Kennametal is a global manufacturer that specializes in machine part manufacturing for industries of all shapes and sizes. Given the impressive array of manufacturing equipment they work with, it’s no surprise they’re always on the lookout for new technical solutions that help them optimize their processes.

An Overview of Kennametal’s Digital Transformation

Consider what Kennametal has accomplished through the help of Microsoft’s suite of cloud-based platforms and solutions:

Stronger cloud strategy implementation via Azure, Microsoft 365, and Dynamics 365. This combination of solutions offered a high level of security, availability, and SAP application support that helped Kennametal reduce IT capital spend and lay the foundation for future IT innovation.
Data and internet-of-things (IoT) mastery through strategy IoT sensors that gather and analyze machine performance data. This helps operators identify areas most in need of improvement.
Seamless and fast platform migration of a three terabyte SAP enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to Azure, completed in a single weekend. In addition to a transition from Oracle to the Azure SQL Database, Kennametal realized lower IT maintenance costs and better SAP application performance.
Better performance visibility through deployment of Microsoft 365 and Power BI dashboards to give operators a better understanding of machinery data, which boosts long-term factory throughput.

(Get the full rundown of each engagement on Microsoft’s website.)

Our Perspective: Any Successful Transformation Demands a Strict Deployment Methodology

Kennametal adopted a cloud-focused strategy that supports optimized operations, visibility, and long-term decision-making driven by data. In our view, these are “wish list” objectives for any company considering digital transformation, but few understand how to deploy technologies to take them there.

For example, most companies implement new process features or enhancements over time, but are those processes directly tied to identified business goals or objectives? And do these new application tools work seamlessly with the existing platforms already in place?

Many companies lack an effective technology deployment methodology that outlines these variables ahead of time. This is something that we’ve worked hard to establish in our own customer relationship management (CRM) software projects.

The benefits of this methodology and prioritization are evident across many aspects of Kennametal’s implementation. They had identified that stronger SAP application management processes were a top priority and found that the Microsoft suite of services was the best solution to take them there. And even better, the cloud-centric solution laid an important foundation for future improvements, including other custom applications that could further enhance efficiency.

Another top area of focus was performance visibility and the data lifecycle. Kennametal knew it was important to get a handle on data management and implemented solutions that brought visibility to their systems. This is an area in which many companies struggle, both in ERP management, CRM processes, and more. Ask yourself:

Is incomplete or duplicate data an issue for your teams?
How about outdated records or a data corpus that lacks standardization?

And beyond the technology itself lies questions about data governance.

Has your organization established a data stewardship policy that clearly defines ownership and origination?
Are data definitions clearly defined?
How about data integrity processes?

Empellor CRM’s methodology brings all of this together and ensures that any client considering a digital transformation will enjoy a seamless experience.

The above issues are important for any company to consider during their transformation, but they’re only the tip of the iceberg. What other factors will be important for new technology deployments and a new CRM in particular?

We put together a guide for self-assessing your CRM process strategy that outlines these questions—and offers actionable strategies for improvement. If you’re assessing your CRM strategy, this is the perfect place to begin.

[Download the checklist here].