Lens #4 - Lens 4a: Identifying Immediate Business Needs

Needs
Cost
savings

Project Title
IVR systems for
order
processing

Big data

Data
Warehouse

Customer
engageme
nt
Skill
improvem
ent

Paint
application
Knowledge
management

Short Description
Currently most order processing is happening
through call centers and rest through web/mobile
applications. IVR systems will automate most of
the call center work and will cause huge savings
for the company.
Data Warehouse: Asian paints uses shared data
center, as they start using IOT and do more
analytics the sources of data will increase and to
manage this Asian paints should think of investing
in own data warehouse.
An application which allows augmented reality
painting application by choosing image of the wall
and different shades.
E-learning modules to be more interactive with the
learner. Capabilities to integrate knowledge of
acquired companies quickly.

Lens #4 - Lens 4b: Can IT build barriers

How can IT create

entry barriers?

Using IT how can AP

bring new products
quickly to the customer?

Threat
of new
entrant
s

Using IT how can

Asian paints can
differentiate with
the rivals? Increase
Industr
y
competi
tive
scene

Comple
mentors

Porters 5
forces
analysis
Threat
of
Substit
utes

Bargain
ing
power
of
Buyers

Mitigate the threat

of limited supplies
Bargain
ing
of raw materials?
power
of
supplier
s

Using IT how can AP find

new customers?

Using IT how can AP can differentiate with the rivals? Increase switching
costs?
Need
Custome
r
satisfacti
on
New
products

Project Title
3D home view

Custome
r
satisfacti
on

Machine
learning

Cognitive
computing

Short Description
Augmented virtual reality and 3D rendering
applications can provide customers view the new
look which will be achieved by using various shades
on walls of their houses.
Using data from various sources like social media,
sales data, customer browsing history management
and on field sales force can use cognitive computing
to gain new consumer insights
Machine learning can be used with customer
interaction points like customer care and
consultancy outlets to understand the user
interaction and then can be used as helpbots

These services offered by Asian paints will increase the cost of switching between
Asian paints and rivals. Consumer will incur a psychological cost in choosing

competitions because of the superior customer experience Asian paints will provide
and thus the buyer power will also reduce.
Using IT how can AP bring new products quickly to the customer?
Industrial IOT can increase the efficiency of current manufacturing process leading
to lower productions breakdowns and faster reach to touchpoints.
Need
Efficien
cy

Project Title
IIoT

Short Description
Industrial IoT can connect critical equipment at plants
to enable predictive maintenance and increase the
efficiency of current processes.

How can IT reduce bargaining power of buyers?

Needs
custome
r
satisfacti
on

Project Title
Digital Kiosk

Short Description
Customer knowledge of paint category is limited and
to enhance his knowledge digital kiosks can be setup
at various point of sales, these kiosks will help the
buyer in choosing the right shade by being part in
every step of buying. Product selection can finally be
done based on characteristics, finish, cost and
washability.

How can IT help AP acquire new customers?

Needs
custome
r
acquisiti
on

Project Title
e-commerce
Social media
analytics

Short Description
Asian paints can use e-commerce to assist and
complement the current sales and dealer network.
Social analytics and text mining can help understand
the new tastes of Indian consumers are products and
services based on the insights can be developed.

How can IT help AP in cutting costs?

Need
Cost
savin
gs

Project Title
AI/machine
learning

RIM

IIoT

Short Description
Out of their 14000 dealers almost 6000 dealers are
small order quantity dealers and they usually order
through calls to customer care. Machine learning and
artificial intelligence can be used to automate the
ordering process and thus reduce costs via automation.
Remote infrastructure management can reduce the
cost incurred in manufacturing plants and the entire
can be automated using robots which can be remotely
monitored.
Predictive maintenance using IOT sensors can predict
any failures are thus can inform maintenance team.

The cost of maintaining manufacturing plant will come

down.
How can IT mitigate the threat of new entrants?
Need
Strong
dealer
netwo
rk

Project Title
Field force
automation

Short Description
Field force automation can help Asian paints to further
capture near real time data allow itself to plan delivery
schedules, reduce inventory and monitor and control
the sales force which will lead to a better planning
and a strong dealership network

Using IT how can AP mitigate the threat of limited supplies of raw materials?
Need
Risk
hedgi
ng

Project Title
Supplier ERP
integration

Short Description
Using predictive analytics Asian paints can assess the
future prices and availability of raw materials. Most of
the raw materials are petro based and hence move
with the prices of crude. Factors like seasonality and
suppliers capacity can be used to predict and monitor
supply. This will require close integration with the
suppliers.

Lens #9: Value chain analysis

In this lens

we identify the top 30 processes and conduct the value chain analysis and map
all the 30 processes across the value chain
Identify the KPI for each processes
Find the industry benchmark for the processes
Identify top key processes

We analyzed, using IT, how can we vastly improve these processes. The supply
chain of Asian paints is shown in the figure, we took the major processes involved in
each step of the value chain and came up with few candidate projects based on IT
which can improve the KPIs of the each process.

Value chain
Part
of
value
chain
Sales

Project Title

Description

Dealer loyalty program

Servi
ces

Bring your own colors

Mfg.

Onboard camera
system monitor
transfers
human machine
interface (HMI) data
displays

Ability to cross sell and upsell using dealer

management systems (Mobile application
AWAAZ). Offers suited for a particular dealer
based on his previous orders can be provided.
Let users select any pallet of color using phone
camera and provide option of shades matching
the pallet.
Camera systems which are capable to finding
errors in the manufacturing process via pattern
recognition systems.
Interface systems which will present
information to an operator or user about the
state of a process, and to accept and implement
the operators control instructions. These
systems will improve the efficiency of workers
handling
FMS keeps a track of electricity, HVAC, fire
safety helps in savings through efficient usage.
Currently on field employees can use their own
devices but if any problem arises in operation of
devices there is no support available. Online
device support system can resolve this problem
of quick redressal of complaints.

Mfg.

Mfg.
Infra

Factory management
systems
Online device support

Phase 5
After consolidation of all the candidate projects identified in the phase 2 we chose 5
parameters to rank these projects. The parameters chosen were risk, timeframe,
Business value, and Cost project. Each of these parameters were given a weightage
to determine a final score. A binary parameter survival was used to identify
critical projects needed for survival of the business in the coming times. Based on
this methodology we arrived at the top 6 IT projects and top 5 business critical
candidate projects.

phase 5 CP
selection.xlsx

Top 6 IT projects
Candidate Projects
Intelligent IVR
Enterprise
Messaging
Social media
analytics
Google glasses in
SCM
Field force
automation
Bring your own
colors

Group
Order management
Operational efficiency
Business intelligence
Supply chain
Sales force
Customer satisfaction

Top 5 IT survival projects

Candidate Projects
Remote infrastructure
management
Server Virtualization
human machine interface
(HMI) data displays
Knowledge management
Big Data Analytics

Group
IT infrastructure
IT infrastructure
Manufacturing
Skills management
Business Intelligence