Shifting Technology & Mindsets: Retiring Legacy Practices to Digitally Transform

Topcon’s goal was to deliver a robust, digital commerce experience. They chose to move forward with a best-in-class platform: SAP Commerce Cloud. However determining the next steps was a challenge. How do you kick-start digital transformation by implementing new technology and business practices? Digital advisory and solutions company Zaelab helped Topcon with this project’s evolution.

Where we began: Topcon seeks digital guidance

Topcon is a global enterprise, committed to helping their customers’ businesses to grow in efficiency and strength. In order to realize this vision, Topcon knew that they needed to provide a best-in-class digital experience that put their customers needs first. This would mean retiring a legacy system, and implementing a new commerce solution that would serve North America first, and overtime be rolled out globally.

Given the profound reputation of SAP Commerce Cloud, Topcon opted to move forward with this platform, understanding that this solution would scale best with their business. The challenge lay in identifying next steps. Topcon was starting from ground zero when it came to identifying requirements and priority features.

Topcon was introduced to Zaelab, and decided to progress with the partnership on account of Zaelab’s expertise with SAP technology and their consultative approach. Initial conversations helped Zaelab identify how they could help Topcon. “I would describe this project as foundational,” says Hai Ngo, a project manager at Zaelab, “which meant that digital transformation would extend beyond technology implementation.”

Zaelab and Topcon work collaboratively to implement new customer experience

Zaelab guided Topcon in identifying business priorities. Starting with an analysis of Topcon’s former site, Zaelab then mapped functionalities to SAP Commerce Cloud features, and conducted deep-dive discovery sessions where SAP Commerce Cloud was demonstrated on a per-functional area set.

Zaelab and Topcon collectively defined the success path, using SAP Commerce Cloud out-of-the-box features and must-have customizations required to support everyday business. From there, Zaelab prioritized feature implementation, and based this on client needs and upcoming dependencies.

Key Integration

• Web services to SAP ECC

To execute this project, Zaelab called upon a number of their advisory services including development, business analysis, solution architecture, project management, QA & training. Ultimately, Zaelab helped Topcon migrate off of their legacy platform and onto SAP Commerce Cloud, by focusing on deploying an MVP.

Shift in technology and mindset – where Topcon is today

Topcon is becoming an expert in how to use the system and will go on to ramp up their internal operations. Once past this learning curve, Topcon will be able to rapidly extend their ecommerce site and operations to other countries where they have business with the flexible and scalable solution that Zaelab has implemented for them.

Now live, Topcon can expect fast adoption by their customers and an increase in online transactions throughout the year.

Throughout the project, many key milestones and wins were recognized:

• Zaelab enabled a customized product bundle configurator that took in complex product data and presented it to the customer in a way that helps to make product selections
• Zaelab provided Topcon with thorough training documentation and onsite training to set Topcon up for success post-launch
• Helped Topcon transition from a rudimentary storefront to a robust commerce experience

“Zaelab helped Topcon launch an exceptional digital experience,” says Ngo, “But that’s not all. Our engagement also helped Topcon better understand process flows and challenge a ‘business-as-usual’ mentality. The shift in both technology and mindsets will propel the business forward.”

Businesses don’t have finish lines: What’s next for Topcon

Topcon went to market with a best-in-class commerce platform in North America. And now, TopCon is successfully set up for global expansion as they prepare to roll-out the digital experience in Europe.