Customer
Thalia
Industry
Retail
Key technologies
SAP Analytics Cloud
Go-live
2023
Country
Germany
Thalia, the leading omni-channel book retailer in German-speaking countries, embarked on a digital transformation initiative within their Business Intelligence framework. They engaged Westernacher Consulting, a trusted partner with a successful track record in analytics implementation, especially with SAP Analytics Cloud. Westernacher supported Thalia at every stage of this journey, from creating a high-performance SAP Analytics Cloud mobile application to effective knowledge transfer to the Thalia team. The project also owes its success to the collective efforts of the Thalia team, who meticulously prepared technical and semantic data spaces, laying the foundation for the development of the application. Thalia now reaps numerous benefits from the application, notably the ability to access real-time information and data from anywhere. This facilitates informed decision-making and prompt execution of actions. The application’s simplicity and user-friendly interface make it not just a tool but an enjoyable experience to navigate.
Embracing the new era of Business Intelligence
Founded in 1919 in Hamburg, Thalia has since relocated its headquarters to Hagen and emerged as the leading omni-channel book retailer within the German-speaking countries. In recent years, this familial enterprise has demonstrated sustained growth in both its traditional brick-and-mortar establishments and online ventures. Today, the 6,500-strong book company owns and operates a network of 500 stores across the DACH region, while continually broadening its product offerings and cultivating a growing customer base.
Introduction to Thalia at a glance (financial year 2022/2023)
€1.8B
Revenue of the Thalia platform in DACH
€1.2B
Revenue of Thalia in Germany
24%
Market share in the whole book market in Germany
27%
Market share of the physical book market in Germany
Aligned with its digitalization strategy and initiative, Thalia sought to modernize and digitize its Business Intelligence landscape. It necessitated one application that can boost analytical insights into general performance, sales and margins across individual bookstores, sales channels and regions for selected periods of time (e.g. MTD, YTD). In addition to presenting actual figures, the application displays variations between current data and the figures from the previous year and budget. This information is accessible for all relevant Thalia employees up to top management anytime, anywhere, providing a comprehensive overview of the company’s performance metrics.
Elevating performance with proven SAP Analytics partner
With a proven track record in SAP implementations and extensive expertise in SAP solutions, Westernacher Consulting was enlisted to deliver exactly what Thalia required. Leveraging Westernacher’s proficiency in analytics, particularly with SAP Analytics Cloud, ensures that Thalia’s mobile app implementation is tailored to meet its specific needs.
Westernacher helped Thalia build a highly performant SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) mobile application with a very intuitive user interface that captures the distinctive Thalia look and feel. It integrated the Thalia team into the development process to ensure effective knowledge transfer through a “Train the Trainer” approach. This collaborative effort enables the Thalia team to make necessary adjustments to the mobile apps, as well as develop new enhancements and stand-alone apps autonomously.
Elegance meets utility: a close look at the design and functionality of SAC mobile apps
The SAC mobile app, designed to cater to managers and top management executives at Thalia, currently has 270 users. It has been successfully rolled out in Germany and Austria, with Switzerland set to follow.
A key feature of the app is its intuitively designed navigation panel, structured with CSS functions to facilitate seamless navigation. Users can effortlessly steer through multiple pages, either through swiping gestures or by utilizing the navigation panel. A fixed selection of time periods enables users to filter data on various pages.
The app leverages SAC’s pre-delivered functionalities for advanced filtering and data manipulation, incorporating elements such as switch widgets and radio buttons. This allows users to perform data analysis through slicing and dicing, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the information at hand.
To facilitate a deeper exploration of data, SAC mobile apps integrate drill-down features for different Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Furthermore, the apps intelligently highlight KPIs that indicate underperformance or breach of predefined thresholds, providing users with real-time insights into critical aspects of their operations.
Fig 1: A simulation of Thalia’s SAC mobile app with mock data.
The user interface presents information in a structured manner to strike a balance between displaying an optimal amount of data and ensuring user-friendliness. Establishing standard processes, designs, formats and scripts from the outset results in a 15-30% reduction in future development efforts.
Fig 2: Overview of SAC mobile app implementation highlights.
Maximizing efficiency with increased flexibility and automation
Following the successful implementation of SAC mobile apps, Thalia reaps a myriad of benefits from this application, foremost among them being the ability to access real-time information on KPIs at any time and from anywhere. This real-time accessibility empowers stakeholders with the latest insights, facilitating informed decision-making and ensuring that strategic actions can be promptly implemented.
Another advantage of SAC mobile apps is the seamless integration between mobile and backend applications, fostering an optimal balance that significantly increases overall productivity. The introduction of personalized experiences through tailored apps for each user is a key feature contributing to heightened user engagement. By customizing the application experience according to individual preferences and requirements, SAC mobile apps create a more user-centric interface.
I was really looking forward to this moment – have access to facts and figures via the app.
Division Manager, Thalia
In mobile working environments, SAC mobile apps contribute to a substantial reduction in workload through flexibilization and automation of information acquisition. Remote access to essential data allows employees to perform tasks more efficiently and effectively, delivering enhanced productivity and satisfaction.
Initiating data-driven decisions is a core strength of SAC mobile apps. By providing comprehensive access to relevant data sets, these applications enhance decision-making processes and establish a direct connection to company objectives. SAC mobile apps allow users to focus on relevant information and tasks only, which leads to increased time efficiency.
With the capability of self-service reporting, SAC mobile apps enable users to generate reports independently and autonomously. By engaging with advanced tools and applications, users acquire valuable analytical skills that are essential in navigating the complex landscape of Business Intelligence.
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