SUSTAINABILITY
Kerridge Commercial Sysytems
SUSTAINABILITY AND
arginal gains taken now can make a real difference and investing technology is a simple way to start the sustainable journey.
Taking technology to the job Traditionally ERP workflows tended to be, and in many instances still are, paper based. Mitchell says that this is not sustainable.
Cloud computing
Cloud computing has become the go to option, according to James Mitchell, KCS’ managing director. “The impact on sustainability and the environment in general is huge, millions of individual servers are now no longer situated on-site in their own air- conditioned room, consuming vast amounts of energy, using outdated and inefficient equipment,” he says.
“Apart from the Cloud benefits of data security, resilience and business continuity, there are many ecological benefits. No server on site and no carbon footprint of the person who travelled to site to install it and maintain it. KCS has expanded its private cloud offerings further, and migrated all systems to K-Cloud – its tier 3 designed data centre delivers enhanced resilience of its core network, including everything from servers to storage, system analytics and more. The solution reduces costs and waste and helps you scale as the needs of your business change.”
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“Let’s take the example of selling a product and then picking it. This would start with an order, then a picking slip would be printed off, then an invoice/receipt printed at the counter, assuming this were a collect order. If the items are being delivered, it would be loaded onto a wagon, where another paper document would need to be printed as well as a delivery note. “At point of delivery a copy of the delivery note would be signed and returned in the wagon for filing and storage. Later a customer would be sent an invoice. All steps in this paper process requires people to update the results of these documents into the ERP. At KCS we call this workflow,” he says.
All of these stages in this transaction cycle have taken paper, ink or energy. Printing 1 page generates 6 grams of CO2. As such if an average site generates 85,000 pieces of paper on the delivery every year that equates to 0.5 tons of CO2 a year per branch in printing alone for the delivery process. Also, at £0.06 per sheet this equates to a paper & printing cost of £6.8K a year for an average merchant site. Mitchell says that KCS has continued to
Kerridge Commercial Systems believe sustainability and profitability can go hand- in-hand
PROFITABILITY M
develop its suite of eApps which are integrated with its flagship K8 system allowing paper to be completely removed from the cycle. “By using K8 ePick, a smart device can tell you what to pick and where, the picker can scan the items from its bin and then place the items onto the pallet for delivery. The pick is automatically confirmed there and then – no further intervention, no paper and accurate picking. Using K8 ePod, the manifest for a driver can be electronically uploaded to a smart device and checked. On delivery, the driver can then use the ‘sign on glass’ feature and take a photo as evidence as relevant. Those details will be immediately electronically uploaded to K8 upon completion of the delivery capturing full proof of delivery.“
All the transactions have two major benefits. Firstly, they are minimising the number of resources consumed. Secondly, the transaction is immediately up to date in K8 when the sub-task has been actioned, no additional effort required, no costly filing and storage. This means greater efficiency and greater profitability. Mitchell adds: “We view the acceleration of Digital Transformation in the UK’s builders’ merchant sector as key to improving performance and customer service and to creating sustainable working practices.” n
A supplement to builders merchants journal November 2022
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