Transart has successfully finished the first implementation of Sales Force Automation solution – HERMES Evolution on the African Continent at Unibra Rwanda – Braserie des Mille Collines in Kigali. The Belgian Company Unibra, which holds the rights for distributing SKOL beer in Africa chose Hermes Evolution for Windows for sales force automation, in order to increase efficiency both in presales and merchandising field activities.
“We chose the solution provided by Transart because we already used HERMES and we knew the team Transart from the time spent in Bulgaria at two beer manufacturers (Kamenitza si Ledenika). We knew that HERMES is a SFA system which can be adapted to the particularities of international beer market and we had faith that Transart team will be able to implement this system in Africa. Another important aspect: the transparency and openness of Transart for African market and the disponibillity of sending a team in Rwanda for conducting a series of tests and verifications on site before signing the contract – verifications both on technical and communication side and as well regarding the conformity with the local business model.” declared Mr. Johan De Smet-Van Damme, Commercial Director SKOL Africa at UNIBRA.
The implemented system’s purpose is to consistently support the activity for both sales representatives on field and also for top & middle sales managament, the latter being provided with support for monitoring, control, activity planning and for establishing sales objectives/targets. From a business perspective, HERMES Evolution implementation at Unibra Rwanda, solves some of the essential issues in the beer distribution process and those are the following:
- Order taking, both directly from the final client and also for distributors;
- Gathering field information using trade-marketing questionnaires: product presence, prices, competition;
- Fixed assets /expensive assets (refrigerators, drafts) control, including photographing;
- Increased sales, stocks, costs control and especially control of the sales representative’s activity on field.
“This implementation in Rwanda was a unique professional experience. The initial phase represented a challenge for establishing the common set of values and concepts – that foundation agreed by both parties on which we could build a relationship with the final user of the system. For example, at first, during our discussions we haven’t been able to use a series of production-sales-distribution terms and concepts which we oftenly use in Europe. Despite cultural differences and different business approaches, we adapted to each other and we managed to startup a system which – initially – seemed difficult to implement.” declared Horatiu BOCSA, Project Manager, HERMES Evolution implementation– Transart.
In The Country of One Thousand Hills (Rwanda), where the cartographic process is at the beginning, by assigning GPS coordinates and being bound to photograph each location, using HERMES Evolution, Unibra Rwanda made a big step forward regarding the establishing exact census (inventory of location universe) through which the company runs it’s sales operations towards the final consumer.
”I recommend Transart and HERMES solution, mainly because of the following reasons: Transart was my trustworthy partner in 3 different companies, Transart was able to customize HERMES every time considering our needs, everything at reasonable costs and permanently providing customer support adapted to our needs. I am glad to notice that the first benefits start to be seen also in Rwanda.” declared also Mr. Johan De Smet-Van Damme
Thanks to the implementation in Africa, Transart proves once more that HERMES Evolution is a flexibile, configurable, easily adaptable system to any international business’ needs, being able to easily surpass language and culture barriers or barriers regarding the integration of specific local business model approaches.