Industry overview
What is shaping steel
Steel reaches users through producers, distributors and retailers, serving fabricators, builders and OEMs. Brand trust, price and availability decide which bar or sheet is bought.
- Fabricators and builders influence retail steel brands
- Distributor networks decide availability
- Branded steel competes with unbranded on trust
Client background
A large steel stockist and distributor, working in Delhi NCR & Punjab. Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.
- Organisation
- A large steel stockist and distributor
- Sector
- Steel
- Team engaged
- IT & Development
- Services
- ERP development, API development & integration, Accounting & finance consulting
Client challenge
The stockist handled thousands of tonnes a month across four yards, with stock tracked in spreadsheets and weighbridge slips. Stock mismatches, delayed invoicing and difficult GST reconciliations were common, and the owners could not see profitability by product or customer.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: replacing spreadsheets with an ERP for a steel stockist.
- Design around the real needs of users.
- Define requirements and success criteria the solution would be tested against.
- Deliver a reliable, secure solution the team can run and extend.
Target audience
The work focused on 60 users.
- users60
Audiences we typically reach in steel
FabricatorsBuilders and contractorsOEM buyersSteel dealers and stockistsRetail home builders
Geographic coverage
Coverage: Delhi NCR & Punjab. Market: India.
- India
Research methodology
An iterative delivery approach: discovery, design, build and test in short cycles, with the client reviewing each step.
- 1Brief
- 2Process mapping
- 3Phased ERP implementation
- 4Weighbridge integration
- 5Insight
We mapped processes from purchase to dispatch with yard managers and accounts staff, then implemented an ERP in phases: inventory and finance first, then sales and dispatch. Weighbridge readings were integrated directly so that weights flowed into invoices without re-typing. Key users at each yard were trained and supported during the first weeks.
ERP developmentAPI development & integrationAccounting & finance consulting
Sampling strategy
- users
- 60
- Users and stakeholders from every affected team took part in discovery workshops and acceptance testing.
Data collection
- Requirements were gathered through workshops, process walk-throughs and a review of existing systems and data.
Data quality & validation
- Peer code review on every change
- Automated and manual testing
- User-acceptance testing with the client
- Release checklist and rollback plan
Data analysis
- Usage and performance monitoring after launch
- Defect and support-ticket trends
- Process time before and after
Key findings
- Stock records began to match physical stock, invoices went out the same day as dispatch, and GST reconciliation became a routine monthly task.
Connecting the weighbridge removed the single biggest source of errors in the business.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: connecting the weighbridge removed the single biggest source of errors in the business.
- Track adoption and support tickets, and plan the next release from real usage.
Business impact
- For the first time, the owners could see margins by product and customer, which led them to revise pricing for several low-margin accounts.
Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Deployed solution with documentation and handover
- Support and maintenance plan
- Repeat the measure after changes are in place to track progress.
- A natural follow-on question: is brand worth a premium to retail buyers?
Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.