Vorwerk – End-to-End Optimization of the Order-to-Cash (O2C) Process

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The Vorwerk Group’s international subsidiaries are facing increasing demands for efficiency, scalability, and transparency in the order-to-cash (O2C) process. Structures in sales, customer service, accounts receivable management, and logistics that have evolved over time have led to heterogeneous processes and varying responsibilities among the European subsidiaries.

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Against this backdrop, Vorwerk partnered with EMPORIAS to conduct a structured, data-driven analysis of the O2C process using standardized KPIs, with the aim of identifying opportunities for efficiency gains and building a scalable organization for the long term. The objective was to create transparency regarding processes, workloads, and responsibilities, and to identify specific optimization strategies and opportunities for centralization.

Why – Background/Challenge

• Historically evolved, heterogeneous order-to-cash structures in the Vorwerk Group’s European subsidiaries
• Differences in customer service, accounts receivable management, credit checks, and logistics processes by country
• Lack of transparency regarding activities, capacities, and responsibilities in the end-to-end O2C process
• Duplicate structures and a lack of standardization lead to inefficiencies and increased resource consumption
• Growing demands for scalability, service quality, and cost efficiency in an international environment as we strive to become the world’s largest direct sales company

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How – Project Procedure

• Development of an integrated, metrics-based analytics platform for the order-to-cash process across multiple European subsidiaries
• Consolidation and harmonization of data from various ERP systems (SAP, AS400, local systems) into a central O2C dashboard based on Qlik Sense
• Definition of a standardized KPI framework for end-to-end management of the O2C process (e.g., lead times, cost per order, collections performance, service levels)
• A combination of top-down KPI analysis and bottom-up process mapping to validate the results and ensure operational feasibility
• Identification of opportunities for standardization, automation, and centralization along the O2C value chain
• Establishing the foundation for sustainable performance management through a scalable reporting and dashboard concept

What – Results & Added Value

• Creation of a unified, transparent database covering all relevant O2C processes and countries (“single source of truth”)
• Harmonization of processes and key performance indicators to improve comparability and manageability across countries
• Identification of specific opportunities for efficiency gains through data-driven analysis, particularly in: Customer Service / Collections & Credit Management / Logistics & Warehousing
• Identification and prioritization of quick wins and structural optimization initiatives
• Laying the groundwork for further automation and AI-driven optimizations in the O2C process
• Establishing a data-driven management model as a foundation for future transformations