L'Oréal UK has selected Cognos Planning to automate existing spreadsheet-based business processes and improve reporting efficiencies.
L'Oréal's UK's national accounts team, which works with retailers including Tesco, Asda, Boots and Morrisons, will use Cognos to improve the planning and forecasting information. By taking customers' electronic point of sale (EPOS) data, the national accounts team can develop unit, sales and profit margin projections including built-in key performance indicators that are tailored to each customer's individual requirements. In addition, scenario modelling can forecast the success of customer or L'Oréal-led promotions and look at how seasonal variations may impact on sales and profits.
“Cognos' initial demonstration of what its technology could do literally sold it on the spot,” said Keith Mattocks, project leader of sales & marketing IT at L'Oréal UK. “The spreadsheets that the national accounts team had been using prior to the rollout of Cognos Planning had become gargantuan and difficult to manage.”