Mercedes 2012 Annual Report Download - page 98

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Information technology
Efficient design of business processes. Daimler’s internal
IT organization (Information Technology Management – ITM)
has approximately 5,000 employees worldwide and is involved
in nearly all of the Group’s business processes – from product
development to vehicle production to sales and financing work-
flows. In addition, it is playing an increasingly central role
with the design of new business models or mobility concepts.
The key task of information technology (IT) consists of pro-
viding these business processes with efficient and innovative
systems, thus ensuring that business activities can run smoothly.
Through the integration of IT into business processes and the
growing networking of data, systems and sites, there is a rising
worldwide requirement for flexible IT solutions that can be
quickly adapted to the divisions’ needs.
Information security remains a key topic. The benefits
of effective data access and the risks of potential damage
from data misuse have to be permanently compared and eval-
uated. This applies in particular to data that is subject to data
protection. ITM therefore moderates and monitors the classifi-
cation of data into the categories of public, internal, confi-
dential and secret. Furthermore, courses were started in 2012
to train Daimler’s employees all over the world in 21 languages
in the principles of information security.
Development of IT landscapes in growth markets. With mod-
ular and flexible IT solutions, we once again made an impor-
tant contribution in 2012 to expanding the divisions’ presence
in growth markets and enhancing their effectiveness. For
example in Chennai, India, the “IT Readiness” project prepared
the IT landscape for production at BharatBenz. And in Beijing,
China, we applied “BBAC Future IT” at the Chinese joint venture
Beijing Benz Automotive Co. to introduce the local IT infra-
structure and IT support for all relevant processes for the plant’s
expansion. Standardized IT landscapes were implemented in
Kecskemét, Hungary, and for the joint venture with Foton in
China. Within the framework of cooperation with Renault-Nissan,
ITM provided the IT solutions for all business processes from
engineering to after sales.
In order to perform the upcoming tasks, we have recruited
properly qualified specialist personnel in the growth markets.
In the past two years, the IT staff was nearly tripled in China
and doubled in Turkey. In total, the number of qualified IT
employees has grown by almost 70% in the markets of China,
Turkey, India and Brazil.
Growth through IT efficiency. Efficient IT systems are
becoming increasingly important for the development of new
markets and the launch of new vehicles. An example of this
is the logistics systems in the car plants of Mercedes-Benz, which
we are continually modernizing. With the “Automotive Supply”
project, we changed over the Bremen plant in 2012 – after
Rastatt and Kecskemét – to an ultra-modern and thoroughly
integrated SAP system. Also in the after-sales business, we
are creating the right conditions for significant efficiency
advances with the start of the “Service Parts Management@
Mercedes-Benz” project. In this project, we will replace
approximately 50 logistics systems with an integrated IT system
for order, inventory and supplier management, and will replace
the inventory management at seven locations by 2018. As the
first step, an optimized inventory control and management
system will be rolled out in the European regional warehouses.
“Always on” – IT is a factor for value added and innovation.
An effective IT landscape not only ensures efficient workflows,
it also enhances the Group’s attractiveness as an innovative
employer.
This is supported by the Group-wide “next workplace”
project, whose mass rollout was started in the fourth quarter
of 2012. Approximately 200,000 PC workplaces will be
migrated worldwide to a uniform, modern and effective collab-
oration platform. More than 10,000 mailboxes and some
100,000 PCs were changed over to a new operating system and
new software in 2012. In addition, the platform will promote
inter-team cooperation also in virtual teams.
The IT organization also plays a key role with mobility concepts.
With the “moovel” mobility platform, which is running in
Stuttgart and Berlin as a pilot project, Daimler is consistently
developing the idea of individual mobility for different groups
of customers. IT forms the technical back-end platform. It net-
works the various mobility providers’ individual services
and allows access to the services offered via smartphones,
PCs and tablet computers.
The digital integration of the sales process (web-based sales
workplace “Mercedes-Benz Point of Sales”, MBC POS), which
was started in the prior year, was continued in 2012. Sales
discussions link up seamlessly with customers’ Internet inqui-
ries – for example via the new Mercedes-Benz car configurator
with 3D images. Sales personnel have access to an interface
with all the required functions – from the configuration of new
cars to cars in stock to financial services. Following a suc-
cessful start in the Swiss market, we integrated additional dealer-
ships in the United Kingdom into the pilot operation in 2012.
At the same time, selected sales processes were realized in MBC
POS for mobile devices such as tablets, allowing customer
advice directly at or in the vehicle.
Awards for excellent IT services. ITM’s services have
once again received external awards: In the GreenIT Best
Practice Awards 2012, Daimler took first place in the category
of “Green through IT.” In addition, Daimler Trucks North
America received the “Top 20 Innovation Award” from the maga-
zine “Heavy Duty Trucking” for an innovative diagnosis system
which carries out an analysis of engine electronics in real time.
And the IT organization received the “SAP Quality Award in
Gold” for quality in project management with the implementation
of a project in the logistics of the after-sales area. Further-
more, the Daimler-subsidiary TSS GmbH received “Europe’s IT
Workplace 2012 Award.” This is given by the internationally
active Best Quality Institute to the best employers in the IT sector.
3 | Management Report | Profitability