Platform modernization can solve B2B integration challenges for leading companies across industries and worldwide. Let’s zoom in on some examples of large companies that modernized B2B integration processes to stay competitive and continue to grow.
Axway addressed problems at all these companies with our B2B integration platform, giving them deployment options with the flexibility, scalability, and high availability needed to handle today’s B2B transactions across multiple clouds, channels, and standards.
We’ll look at B2B integration examples at a healthcare company, a grocery chain, a cosmetics and beauty manufacturer, and an automotive parts distributor.
Standardizing EDI across the company
A major international healthcare solutions company faced operational chaos caused by acquisitions and expansion. They needed to centralize EDI activities across multiple business units, both to eliminate immediate risk and stabilize for future growth.
A lack of standardization and oversight would ultimately result in millions of lost dollars (both in loss of productivity and business) and could possibly result in regulatory fines, loss of market share, and diminished brand reputation.
- Tracking EDI operations across the business units when each managed its own software was like comparing apples to oranges. It was not only inefficient, but the lack of consistency drove everyone crazy.
- If they faced an audit and couldn’t produce proof of compliance, they could be subject to massive fines.
- The entire business felt the stress – B2Bi operations were diverting resources and attention from core business, which drained productivity.
The Axway B2Bi hybrid approach allowed them to manage both on-premises and cloud deployments. Although an on-premises ecosystem fits their particular regional set-up, Axway B2B Managed Services in another region enabled them to rely on a flexible and scalable cloud platform, all handled by Axway’s expert team.
The Axway solution could support their current state (800 msg/day, 23K partners) with room for growth, was available 24X7 to meet their SLAs, and supported external integrations and regulatory compliance with modern API connectivity.
B2B integration examples of moving beyond legacy systems
A leading US grocery chain had multiple issues with their supposedly modern platform, and were getting fed up with their lack of support. 100GB files were failing, and even simple AS2 partner setups took too long.
See also: 6 signs your EDI provider might be overselling their capabilities
They lacked visibility to their transmissions and never saw evidence of the containerized solution and resilient, high availability architecture that they were promised.
- Platform failures meant supply chain disruption, which meant a potential loss of business with customers moving to competing markets.
- The possibility of losing millions of dollars in productivity and revenue loomed.
- Their Operations team was becoming a bottleneck for vendors on one side of the supply chain and buyers, agents and store managers on the other, as well as executives demanding a change because of lost profits … it was overwhelming.
Axway’s B2B integration solution had the capabilities, resiliency, and core functionality they needed, and it was backed by an expert Professional Services team to handle migration services.
Axway’s approach aligned with their platform investments in Microsoft Azure and MSSQL, supported their file size (>100GB) and scale (150K) requirements, and gave them high availability and containerized deployment options.
Migrating B2Bi to the cloud… ASAP!
An international tire and auto parts distributor took a new direction focused on moving B2B operations to the cloud. This represented a major transition for a company, which was running B2B processes 100% on-prem.
They wanted a vendor that provided B2B integration as a managed service in the cloud in addition to on-prem software, with reversibility if the cloud transition became too disruptive.
- Despite the mandate to move to cloud immediately, there were daunting decisions to be made. Should they consider Private SaaS? The platform team needed time to determine the best option.
- A ground-to-cloud migration could disrupt or delay other revenue-focused projects and growth programs – should they start with a lift and shift?
- It was both exciting and nerve-wracking when the requirement to move to Cloud occurs. Careful planning was needed to drive the best possible outcomes.
The customer already used Axway for their B2B integration solution and were thrilled to learn that the same software is used with the Managed Cloud solution – and that it is fully reversible.
This significantly reduced their risk when it came time to pull the trigger.
See also: Smoothly migrate MFT & B2B/EDI with cloud managed services
Streamlining global operations
One of the world’s best-known manufacturers of cosmetics and other beauty products needed to cut costs as the vendor management team was under pressure to tighten its budget and do more with less.
Their legacy software was costly to support, and standard processes like map changes took too long.
The effort to rip and replace their software seemed monumental, but they needed a solid, cost-effective B2B solution that could handle their EDI requirements.
- If they stayed the course, they’d continue to overspend. They had to operate more efficiently, but their team risked burnout.
- Current software was outdated, creating numerous challenges for their operational team, and there was no room in the budget to expand it.
- Without making a change, there would come a point of no return when either the platform or the people ‘couldn’t take it anymore’.
Axway’s B2B Managed Cloud Service relieved the company of its platform and operational stress so their team could focus on strategic initiatives like supply chain optimization.
The managed cloud model provided both the architecture and operational support for their B2B operations: a reliable, scalable infrastructure, a standardized process for mapping and partner setups, support for all their EDI formats and protocols, and skilled resources to migrate and manage their maps and flows.
They needed to consider a new way of doing business: outsourcing B2B.
Moving B2B transactions to the cloud? EDI experts have you covered.
Start solving B2B integration problems today
These B2B integration examples show companies that are all preparing for the future with a platform that addresses their pain points and supports their evolving business needs.
Axway’s B2Bi Integration platform enables customers to meet and overcome a variety of issues, both current and future: regulatory pressures, cloud migrations, and improvements to operational efficiency—all from a single point of control.
Plus, enterprises can choose the deployment model that matches their cloud journey: customer-managed, Axway-managed, in the cloud, or hybrid.
Ready to meet the challenges of B2Bi modernization? Download the white paper.