And these are the key takeaways from their Chief Operating Officer
Keune Haircosmetics is a leading global haircare brand offering salons and consumers professional products and services.
The story of Keune started in 1922 by Jan Keune, a Dutch pharmacist who lived in Amsterdam and was fascinated by curls. He and his wife ran a drugstore together. At that time, hair was curled by heating curling irons over gas burners, but the results didn’t last very long.
Gert van der Heijden
Keune Chief Operations Officer
Jan started experimenting and producing hair products, creating the first liquid formula for permanent curls that became a worldwide bestseller. In 1925, Keune Haircosmetics became a reality three years later when Jan opened its first store.
Since then, Keune has grown to become a family-owned and operated company with a presence in over 80 countries, becoming a renowned brand in the hair care industry that has been providing top-quality products for almost a century.
With a focus on innovation, sustainability, and exceptional results, Keune has established itself as a trusted name for both professional hairstylists and everyday consumers.
Since 2011, Keune and Steltix have partnered to improve and streamline their operations through JD Edwards EnterpriseOne and other business process automation tools.
In 2022, Keune Haircosmetics decided to re-implement JD Edwards to the 9.2 version along with the Distribution and Financial Management modules.
Learn more below through our interview with Gert van der Heijden, Keune’s Chief Operations Officer.
Q: What motivated Keune Haircosmetics to re-implement JD Edwards EnterpriseOne to the 9.2 version?
A: Some of the most important things when running a business is to have one way of working and making things future-proof. As we are growing the business and expanding to new countries, such as the United Kingdom and Spain recently, it is crucial to have a global template that allows us to work in a consistent manner. Our goal for 2030 is to have subsidiaries in 16 European countries.
The main driver for this re-implementation was to be on the latest JD Edwards version, 9.2, since the old one was not supported by Oracle as of March 2020. In addition, since the first implementation of JDE at Keune, a lot of customization was done where we could have stuck to standard functionality.
With this re-implementation and using the latest techniques and standard functionalities to support digital transformation, such as AIS, Orchestrations, UX One…etc., we are ready for the next 10-15 years and well-prepared to be scalable.
Q: What were the primary business challenges addressed and the effects on the company?
A: One of the main challenges was to move from bespoke to standard ways of working. In a family company like Keune this was a challenge because, being unique as it is, we had some very specific processes in some areas like production and logistics.
Now, we still have a few customized processes, but we have been able to decrease our manual work, mistakes and inefficiencies that came with those customizations. Having a warehouse management system in place is also key.
Q: What are some key differentiators of JD Edwards EnterpriseOne 9.2 versus its previous version?
A: The key differentiators are seen more from a business than a system perspective. We have improved our supply chain and financial goals and are more ready for the future.
We can also drive innovation better with more standardization and less bespoke work from our consultants.
Q: What were some benefits of re-implementing the JD Edwards 9.2 Distribution and Financial Management modules?
A: It resulted in a more flexible supply chain, as well as putting together the whole warehouse management system. It really helped us move from manual operations to a more automized way of working.
We also had already dramatically improved our financial department with the previous implementation. I am looking forward to seeing what’s coming from the system and having more prepared people in place.
Q: What was the timeline and role of the implementation team?
We had originally planned for 2020. Due to Covid-19, the project had to be put on hold for some time, and the go-live was moved to the end of 2021.
The Steltix Implementation Methodology (SIM) was used for the project.
Q: What are some of the benefits Keune has seen since the implementation took place?
A: The performance of the company has dramatically improved and of course, the supply chain. There has to do with both, but I think the main differentiator with the past is the quality of the data.
We have much more visibility in data processes and what’s happening under the surface than we had before. A clear picture of data and quality of it so to speak.
Q: Why did you choose Steltix over the alternatives?
A: We had, of course, experience with Steltix and I think that at some point Steltix knew almost more about Keune than we did ourselves, which is not the ideal position to be in.
So that’s one thing, but my honest answer is that Steltix understood JD Edwards quite well and what the system could do for us.
Another reason, at least for me, is that Steltix is honest in what’s possible and what isn’t. So, you are not selling the dream to later prove it that you don’t know it, but you tell the truth. And that’s crucially important. That goes as a compliment for Erik and Jan Jaap.
Q: What are some lessons learned from the process and what advice would you give to a company that is in a similar situation?
A: Be prepared for an implementation. You can’t do too much work on an implementation getting your best people on the project and not backfilling them.
In the past, we used to backfill roles that were on the project team, and we didn’t do this in this project. That really had a huge impact on people because they had to do both. If you do both, one will go wrong.
Also, try to simplify everything you do. Complicating things won’t bring you anything. To end, having the right people in the process is key.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Keune Haircosmetics’ re-implementation of JD Edwards EnterpriseOne to the 9.2 version has brought significant benefits and positioned the company for future growth and scalability.
By adopting a global template and standardizing its operations, Keune has achieved increased efficiency, reduced manual work and errors, and improved their supply chain and financial goals.
The implementation has also provided them with enhanced visibility into their data processes, enabling better decision-making and a clearer picture of their business.
Keune’s success story with Steltix showcases the value of upgrading and re-implementing enterprise systems to drive innovation, streamline operations, and achieve long-term success.
If your company is facing similar challenges or looking to enhance its business processes and systems, we invite you to get in touch with us. Our experienced team at Steltix understands the complexities of JD Edwards and can provide you with honest guidance and a smooth implementation process.