The significance of data cannot be overstated in our constantly evolving business landscape. A recent HFS survey revealed that nearly 85% of executives recognize data as a cornerstone of business success. Yet, a stark contrast presents itself—only about one-third express satisfaction with their enterprise data quality. This dissonance points to a pressing need for effective data management strategies, particularly at the C-suite level.

Many C-suite leaders have risen to the challenge by leveraging Syniti for data migrations. Unlike a standard ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) approach, Syniti's Data First approach, combined with its comprehensive platform, empowers C-level executives to accelerate digital transformation initiatives to meet critical business objectives effectively. By prioritizing data quality and governance, these leaders ensure their organizations remain agile and innovative in the face of rapidly evolving industry demands.

This blog post explores how some C-suite leaders have unlocked more efficient digital transformation and how their businesses have reaped the rewards.

Future-Proofing Bridgestone

“This didn't just transform the data, it transformed the way that we were doing business.” - Astrid Rahn, CFO at Bridgestone EMEA

To boost efficiency and scalability, Bridgestone, a leading provider of premium tire and mobility solutions, set out to consolidate its ECC system into a single SAP S/4HANA system across 26 European countries. However, the initiative faced multiple obstacles due to data silos, outdated processes, and a near-constant rate of change in the data. Previous testing cycles saw only 10% of its master data successfully loaded.

With just nine months left before the planned go-live in 2024, Bridgestone turned to Syniti as a trusted data partner. The results were impressive: 99% successful data loads after just a few weeks and a 100% success rate in loading master data, all delivered before the deadline. With the Syniti Knowledge Platform and advice from experienced consultants, the team was able to secure reliable and high-quality data for a successful “Boring Go-Live®”, free from issues or disruptions.

Bridgestone's new operating model has significantly enhanced its readiness for future automation by eliminating the need for manual review and approval of data issues. This streamlining of operations paves the way for faster innovation and more impactful digital initiatives. These changes ensure that Bridgestone remains competitive in an increasingly digital marketplace and can adapt swiftly to leverage upcoming technology.

Read more about Bridgestone’s road to success.

Levi Strauss & Co's Global Digital Transformation

“[Syniti] have been a trusted partner and we’re thankful for their support.” - Chris Conrad, SVP, CIO, Levi Strauss & Co.

Levi Strauss & Co (LS&Co) embarked on a global digital transformation, implementing SAP S/4HANA Fashion management for its wholesale and retail businesses. The endeavor involved multiple complex systems, massive volumes of master data, and 3,000 stores across 110 countries. Any data quality issues would affect purchasing and sales across this global presence.

LS&Co turned to Syniti to produce the transformative impact required to meet its ambitious business objectives. Together, we achieved a seamless full data migration to S4/HANA, boasting an impressive 99.98% load accuracy. The project was not only completed on time but also under budget. Remarkably, there were no disruptions to LS&Co’s high-traffic sales periods or critical financial calendars, allowing their operations to continue smoothly while leveraging the enhanced capabilities of their upgraded systems.  

Since the migration was completed, LS&Co has significantly improved operational efficiency. Reductions in data entry times have allowed employees to focus on higher-value tasks. Leadership has better access to timely, accurate data for critical decision-making processes. Improved inventory data visibility helps with stock management. The transition has also minimized business downtime during SAP upgrades, ensuring that operations continue smoothly without interruptions.

Learn more about Levi Strauss & Co’s digital transformation.

Zero Disruptions for Nationwide

“…More important than all the efficiency benefits we saw during this migration was that no members/customers were impacted at all during this program…We really couldn’t have asked for a more successful outcome.”
Gary Delooze, CIO, Nationwide

Nationwide is the UK's largest building society and the world's seventh-largest cooperative bank. They had plans to migrate their data and offerings to a modern SAP banking platform, starting with 1 million eSavings accounts. However, recent high-profile IT disruptions at other financial institutions heightened the C-suite's focus on ensuring the safety of member data, maintaining compliance, and preventing potential service interruptions.

Then another challenge arose: the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and the UK lockdowns that followed.

Through orchestration with SAP ADMM and employing a Flexible Migration strategy co-developed with Syniti, Nationwide successfully executed account migrations during off-peak hours, within standard business schedules, across 19 effective migration events. This approach significantly enhanced team safety, with a 90% reduction in human capital requirements for on-site staff during the process.

Most importantly, members faced no service disruptions throughout the process. Nationwide retained their clientele's invaluable trust while upgrading their infrastructure to meet their needs swiftly and efficiently. This seamless migration was deemed so successful that an auditing team from a Big 4 accounting firm called it “an industry first of a BAU automated data migration we’ve seen executed successfully.”

See how Nationwide carried on with business as usual in unusual times.

Change Comes From the Top

Data is the DNA of any business; therefore, data quality must be a top priority for success throughout your organization. By prioritizing data quality and leveraging a Data First approach, businesses can achieve digital transformation goals more efficiently, minimize disruptions, and maximize returns on their investment.

The results of going Data First are evident in the recent success stories of our partners. When the C-suite is committed to prioritizing and investing in data management and governance, enterprises can future-proof their operations and drive innovation. There's never been a better time to prioritize your enterprise data - so why wait?