José Carlos relied on Valesca’s support. That year would be crucial for the company — and for his long-awaited promotion. In addition, he was aware of his responsibility for the entire commercial department’s profit-sharing program (PPR), since his targets were directly tied to the year’s performance. The brand would celebrate 25 years of a successful journey, internal pressure was high, and due to numerous production commitments, the factory was completely overloaded. Orders were being accepted, but with a promised delivery time of 90 days, such was the market demand.
The planning meeting had been held, and the goals for the marketing and communication department were outlined:
Participate in the country’s most important furniture industry trade show. There were less than 120 days to get everything ready;
Launch the new modular kitchen line, featuring embedded cutting-edge technology, signaling another major innovation for the brand;
Update all customer touchpoints and supply the more than 45 exclusive stores with information about the new products;
Design the stand by hiring a specialized architecture and design supplier;
Brief the communication agency on the most important demands: the company anniversary and product launches;
In addition, during the trade show, the brand’s three longest-standing retailers would receive special tributes.
This was the agenda, and José Carlos knew that none of these demands would depend solely on the marketing department. The entire factory needed to be aligned, informed, and committed. He also knew he could count on people, after all, the organization’s culture — strengthened by the high expectations of that year’s PPR — was one of total commitment. But beyond people, it would be necessary to rely on technology to support both internal and external processes, through connections with service providers and outsourced suppliers.
A jammed gear
Despite having had an ERP installed for more than 10 years — robust, functional, reliable, and, it must be said, expensive — the system simply could not handle marketing’s demands. The tool’s dashboards also failed to provide real visibility into the needs of other departments. After all, there was a range of products that needed to be completed for photos and for assembling the stand itself. A concern that was taking away his rest. He even remembered, with nostalgia, the old days when internal demands were handled in a rudimentary way, using service orders and physical reports to control requests.
Everyone was overloaded. Purchases were made directly, without traceability and outside departmental control, relying literally on luck. There was no tool connecting all the ends. And no one even wanted to mention “replacing the ERP” — everything depended on it. But the ERP alone did not provide the necessary depth or real visibility into daily demands.
OTMSuite: a complementary tool to the ERP
The solution found involved implementing OTMSuite, a tool that proved to be flexible and configurable, without the need to replace the existing ERP.
The initiative came from the IT department, with support from the board. The goal was not to replace the ERP, but to integrate a new technology that could fill specific gaps and facilitate the progress of actions. With each identified challenge, the tool not only offered an automated solution but also contributed to greater clarity, traceability, and predictability in processes.
With OTMSuite, previously fragmented processes began to flow more naturally, directly impacting control, information reliability, and alignment between departments and their tasks. Technology, which had previously represented an obstacle at certain points, became support for executing demands.
How OTMSuite helped José Carlos optimize operations:
Integration between departments
Information was no longer isolated. When the marketing team opened a request, OTMSuite routed tasks to relevant departments such as purchasing, PPC, commercial, and shipping, with deadlines and approval history. This provided greater visibility and traceability.
Order flow automation
Requests for items such as gifts, stand furniture, uniforms, and graphic materials were organized. OTMSuite standardized requests with forms containing mandatory fields and business rules, reducing rework and errors.
Sales and operations planning management
Production and commercial areas were able to better coordinate their activities. With demand forecasting for the new kitchen line, it became possible to simulate scenarios and align priorities. The platform provided product-line views combining inventory, sales, and planned production data. This allowed a more practical application of S&OP adapted to the factory’s reality.
Inventory control
The tool enabled more efficient control of materials for the stand and stores. Supplier orders began to follow a controlled flow, with quotation comparisons and delivery dates linked to the trade show schedule, resulting in less waste and greater accuracy.
Material receiving
Upon receipt, customized labels printed by OTMSuite identified volumes and validated contents in the warehouse, eliminating problems with unidentified deliveries. Everything was checked and recorded.
José Carlos breathed easier. Not because the workload had decreased — there was still much to be done — but now everything moved with clarity. Reports came organized. Approvals flowed. The team could see where they stood and what was still pending. And, most importantly, he could dedicate his energy to the more strategic part of the project instead of putting out operational fires.
In the end, the trade show was a success. The stand was ready ahead of schedule, the launches shined, and the honorees were moved. The marketing team was applauded. And José Carlos was recognized.
Sources
Otimiza Consultoria proprietary methodology;
Organizational experience;
Various business management literature.
“Report based on real events. The name(s) mentioned are fictitious and used for the purpose of preserving the identity of those involved.”
