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"Microsoft Dynamics is a line of integrated, adaptable business management solutions that automate and streamline financial, customer relationship, and supply chain processes
in a way that helps you drive business success."
Source : Microsoft Dynamics
Business Case - Dunkin Donuts
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availability Great Plains.
When Daniel Mourand, Chief Executive Officer of the Dunkin’ Donuts
Canadian Distribution Centre, decided to change platform, he was
looking for a more technologically advanced solution that would
enable him to increase the Centre’s efficiency through the integration
of different systems. He chose Microsoft® Great Plains Great Plains
software and, today, he does not regret his decision.
At the head of a cooperative comprising 250 restaurants franchised under the Dunkin’
Donuts, Baskin-Robbins and La Crémière banners, Daniel Mourand thought long and hard
before he made his decision. "We had a choice of two solutions and both were equally
tempting," he explains.
"We finally chose Microsoft Business Solutions - Great Plains for three reasons. The first
reason was that Microsoft had just purchased Great Plains which in our eyes, meant that
this was a solid product. The second was that we were familiar with Le Groupe Conseil
LVMB, one of Microsoft Business Solutions value added resellers, as they had been
providing technical support for our existing application. The third reason, but not the least,
was that the price of the solution matched our budget."
A Good Example of Integrating Technologies
At the end of March 2001, Daniel Mourand signed the purchase contract and, less than
eight months later, the team of François Paré and Martin Dufour, associates at LVMB,
completed the installation of Great Plains on time and within budget. "We could have done
the installation faster but we had to take the summer vacation period into account," explains
Daniel Mourand.
Given the nature of the activities of the Dunkin’ Donuts Canadian Distribution Centre, the
solution chosen clearly had to take into account the restaurant aspect, that is deliveries had
to be made outside of peak hours.
"In addition to providing most of the functionalities desired for easily incorporating all of the
Distribution Centre’s own particular business rules while, at the same time, storing the data
required for operations, Great Plains contains all the necessary bridges for inter-connecting
the existing subsystems (e.g. bar code, interactive voice response and office automation). It
does such a good job that this implementation is a great example of the integration of
technologies" says François Paré who managed the implementation.
" What we have here is good architecture with tools for customizing the functionalities
available in order to link up the various parts of the system," he continues.
Three-Step Implementation
Given that the old system communicated with the restaurant operators through a DOS
station and a Novell server linked by modem and telephone to dumb PDT’s (portable data
terminals), the change was to be a radical one, from both hardware and software points of
view.
The implantation of Great Plains began with the installation of Windows® NT operating
system servers connected to portable data terminals by radio modems, the migration of
workstations to Microsoft Windows 98, and the installation of a Microsoft SQL Server
TMdatabase.
"Actually, we installed Microsoft wall to wall, as even the cooperative members employing
PDT’s to connect to the new system use Windows CE as their operating system, all of
which in a full Web environment," says Martin Dufour.
"Next, we created basic mechanics for managing order taking, preparation and delivery.
We also improved warehouse management taking deadlines into account, and we
developed the necessary programs."
The third part of the implementation, which proved to be a major challenge, consisted of
solving the crucial problem of continuously tracking deliveries by synchronizing the position
of the trucks. "To do this," explains Martin Dufour, "we had to set up a wireless IVR
(interactive voice response) system operating on a cellular network so the truck driver could
transmit his or her position along the route. For example: I am now at restaurant 108."
Numerous Benefits
The advantage of this type of system is that, if the truck driver is delayed for some reason,
the members of the cooperative are immediately alerted and the system will even give them
a new estimated time of arrival. They can then make the necessary arrangements, such as
keeping some employees on, who normally would have left for the day.
François Paré also says that some of Great Plains’ functionalities, which will be
implemented in a second deployment, will provide for better sanitary control. "Dunkin’
Donuts will, for instance, be able to automatically check the temperature of the milk
delivered If the temperature communicated via wireless connection to the computer is
unacceptable, delivery will be refused. The same goes for eggs. If the expiration date on
the box is less than two weeks when delivered, this delivery could also be automatically
refused."
The reason these functionalities are not being used yet is because Daniel Mourand insists
that the implementation be done gradually, so it does not become a burden and slow down
the smooth operation of his business.
"We are still in a break-in period," he explains, "and we are only using a portion of the
functionalities available. We already know that the IVR system is working extremely well,
that the accounts receivable situation has greatly improved and that the billing process is
running smoother. This has meant better information, better service and a higher level of
satisfaction among our members and our employees."
"Furthermore, we have detected fewer errors in both the shipping and receiving
departments. We have also reduced our personnel from 16 to 13 and, we have to admit,
we are a little bit winded but we will get it all done gradually."
A Good Decision
For Daniel Mourand, the opening provided by Great Plains is very promising for the next
few months and even for the next few years. "We will be offering our customers a Web
solution, as it’s our job to manage their interests by enabling them to save money and I
have even begun showing them how it will work and the benefits they will derive from it."
"For instance, they will be able to access their banner through our server and customize
their needs by creating a short list that they can then use to place their orders and set
levels of quantities of products. They will also be able to locate where each product is
stored in their warehouse."
"In fact, we are just beginning to get acquainted with the product and we already know one
thing... we definitely made the right decision," he says in conclusion.
Solution Synopsis
Industry
Food Services
Situation
For Daniel Mourand, it wasn’t even a
question. With the emergence of
increasingly integrated systems, the
distribution center was no longer
efficient. To become so, more
technology was needed... requiring a
change of platform.
Business Profile
The Dunkin’ Donuts Canadian
Distribution Centre is a cooperative of
250 franchised restaurants operating
under the Dunkin’ Donuts, Baskin-
Robbins, and La Crémière banners. In
2001, its sales were $26 million.
Results
The tight integration between Great
Plains and the subsystems such as the
bar codes, interactive voice response
and office automation systems provides
numerous benefits such as better
communication of delivery schedules and
sanitary control. The accounts
receivable situation has also greatly
improved and the billing process is
running smoother. Finally, the number of
errors in the Shipping and Receiving
Departments has decreased. And this is
only the beginning...
Software Used
- Microsoft Business Solutions - Great
- Plains
- Bank Reconciliation
- Electronic Funds Transfer PM
- eView
- Explorer
- FRx
- General Ledger
- Integration Manager
- Inventory Control
- Payables Management
- Receivables Management
- Sales Order Processing w/ Advanced
- Invoicing
- Seagate Crystal Reports Professional
- System Manager
- Microsoft products
- Windows® NT Server operating
- systems
- Windows 98
- Windows CE
- SQL Server 2000
For more information on Microsoft
Business Solutions Business
Solutions, visit our web site at:
www.greatplains.ca
© 2002 Microsoft Corporation.
All rights reserved. Microsoft and
Windows are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation in the United States and/or
other countries. All the product and
company names mentioned in this
document may be trademarks or
registered trademarks of their
respective owners.