Carhartt

Challenges

Multiple EDI technologies

Weathering the challenges of time, competition, and fluctuating markets, Carhartt has expanded its business; however, the company’s EDI was struggling to keep up. The ability to quickly and easily exchange information with suppliers, distributors, retailers, and other business partners is vital, and documents such as purchase orders, invoices, and advance ship notices are critical to the business. “Our EDI process was not streamlined. We had multiple tools to manage EDI transactions, which didn’t allow communications and direct connectivity functionalities,” says Mark Hurt, Manager of Enterprise Integration at Carhartt.

Navigating these multiple EDI tools was difficult for users and EDI-related processes were slow and inefficient. “We had delays in our process, which sometimes delayed shipment dates,” explains Hurt. The company’s goal was to consolidate and centralize from several tools to a single platform for secure, consistent, and rapid exchange of data, files, and documents.

Solution

A single comprehensive platform

Carhartt sought a comprehensive solution that would provide full EDI value-added network (VAN) services, including communication and mapping functionalities. “We needed a partner that could provide the VAN, the EDI mapping technology, as well as that communication software piece that we were missing,” says Hurt.

After evaluating several solutions, the Carhartt team selected BizManager, a comprehensive platform for managed file transfer, messaging, mapping, translation, tracking, and auditing. By sharing technology with the OpenText™ Trading Grid™—the world’s largest B2B network—and incorporating and simplifying industry standards, the solution ensures the uninterrupted flow of information and direct, secure transport of all types of data and documents. “OpenText was able to deliver everything in one cohesive toolset, including the communication connectivity. We’re now an in-house development shop, and we do all our communication connectivity and mapping,” says Hurt.

BizManager’s fully integrated mapping was a key selling point. Users can change the format and types of documents being processed based on predefined mapping instructions, and quickly create mapping rules. “A lot of tools did mapping, but we were looking for a one-tool solution for mapping, and OpenText was able to provide that,” says Hurt.

Benefits

Efficient, streamlined, and standardized information exchange

With the new solution in place, Carhartt can connect and control its information exchange to maximize efficiencies and reduce cycle times. “The biggest value that we’ve seen is the speed and improvement of processes,” says Hurt. He adds that the solution has expanded Carhartt’s EDI capabilities, “We now have EDI set up with our vendor community and our retail/wholesale community— our suppliers as well as our customers.”

Seamless and speedy onboarding

Carhartt is also enjoying the benefits of seamless onboarding, with more than 200 trading partners now on the platform. In the past, the team had struggled to bring new partners onto its network. “It was a challenge for the team to get new partners onboarded. With OpenText BizManager, we can hit our onboarding goals much faster,” says Hurt. “When you increase speed to market, you’re increasing your value-add to partners. We’re onboarding a lot more partners every year, and we’re onboarding them with ease. OpenText BizManager made us a heck of a lot more efficient and we’re bringing more value to the business as a result.”

Leveraging in-house resources

With BizManager, Carhartt has upgraded its B2B capabilities using its own staff. “We wanted to have the expertise in-house and be nimble enough to respond to customers. For example, we got spec changes last week that the team went through and was able to put in this week. In the past, with external resources, it took several weeks to get responses. So, we found great value in keeping the team here, keeping the team nimble, and expanding our footprint,” says Hurt. Daryl Morgan, EDI Analyst at Carhartt, adds, “I think our reputation internally with our business departments has improved. They know they can come to us with pretty much any request, and we’re going to be able to supply what they need, using the BizManager tool.”

Real-time visibility and reporting

The team has also seen significant benefits from the solution’s real-time visibility into the status of transactions. “Now, we can monitor 24/7. We have monitoring and controls that we’ve put in place, and reports inside the tool, which help us stay on top of everything. That has been another of the biggest benefits that we’ve seen—that the whole monitoring piece is straightforward,” says Hurt. “I can go into leadership meetings and say, ‘My team can take on anything because we monitor 24/7. We get email alerts internally if there are any issues. And we’re right on top of it.’ That is one of the hidden jewels of the solution.”

Scalability and efficiency

Not only does the solution support Carhartt’s current and future needs for scalability during peak transaction periods, the new gains in efficiency also enhance operations. For example, Carhartt has been able to better prepare for seasonal increases in volumes, such as outerwear sales in the fall and winter months. For example Carhartt usually runs about 290,000 to 300,000 transactions a month. Last year, that spiked to 725,000 transactions in the month of December. “Things have to be put in place prior to these months to make sure that we run as efficiently as possible. Having BizManager has helped us to improve our efficiencies,” says Hurt.

Conclusion

A valued partnership

The Carhartt team credits the experience and expertise of the OpenText Professional Services and Customer Support teams for its success with the platform. “The Professional Services team was very responsive to our needs, and the Support team is phenomenal. When we have technical issues or questions, they’re always very responsive and attentive,” says Hurt. “With OpenText and our strong internal team, we’re confident in responding to new challenges and supporting our business moving forward.”