Quadient helps organizations deliver exceptional experiences by focusing on three key solutions: intelligent communication automation, smart mail, and parcel locker solutions. Quadient’s postage meter solutions in particular allow UK companies to reduce mailing costs by printing a British Post compliant indicium on a letter or parcel, including a unique 2-D barcode.
For business partners such as the UK Post Office, government enterprises, and other customers, Quadient’s solutions need to be up to date and compliant with current standards. Most of all, as considerable amounts of money are involved in the process, operations must be efficient and secure. To meet these parameters, the company needed to modernize its SAP system.
Quadient discovers a unique, cost-effective SAP modernization option
Quadient uses its SAP system to manage customer operations in the UK. Since its deployment several years ago, this ERP solution had been continuously customized to meet the company’s needs. A significant number of scripting and interfaces were implemented to support interoperability across the company’s IT system and with its business partners’ systems.
Quadient’s highly customized SAP system made modernization a challenge due to the large number of software interfaces connected to it. To modernize, the old interfaces also had to be updated and overhauled. Due to limitations in its internal SAP talent resources, Quadient required external SAP expertise.
Rimini Street was already providing quality support for parts of Quadient’s SAP system. Thus, they knew the solution very well. By leveraging Rimini Support™ on their journey to modernization, the team had a very interesting and cost-effective option: they could provide updated versions of the hardware, software, and operating system without changing the SAP system.
Innovative SAP Modernization Strategy Accelerates Results
The Rimini Street team provided middleware that translated the existing SAP system, SQL 2008 database, and Windows Server 2019. All upgraded legacy files were migrated to the new database. This allowed Quadient to get rid of old versions while keeping their SAP ERP. “The best part is that our customers have not seen any difference. We are still working together, but with upgraded and compliant systems. We can be ISO certified. This is the key to working with partners such as the UK Post Office,” said Piet Lataudrie.
Working with Rimini Street instead of changing their system enabled Quadient to speed up its timeline by several months and spend less to modernize its SAP systems. At the end of the project, Quadient decided to renew its contract with Rimini Street to continue support for the UK and begin modernization projects for its SAP systems in Germany and France.
“We are pleased with the solution Rimini Street proposed and implemented. The Rimini Street team worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week for months to complete the project. Their teams were always available to help us improve the stability and performance of the system,” said Piet Lataudrie. With Rimini Street’s independent support for SAP, the company was able to modernize its existing SAP solution by upgrading the operating system, database, and legacy interfaces without disrupting it. Today, Quadient has a state-of-the-art ERP solution in the UK that provides increased compliance and adds value to its key partners.
