DCSA Roll-out news

You may recall that about two years ago we formed a strategic alliance with DaimlerChrysler South Africa to rollout the Autoline Dealer Management System to every DC dealer in South Africa.

This local initiative is part of the worldwide strategy of DaimlerChrysler to standardise on Autoline in the majority of their global markets.

Since the last article, an enormous amount of work has gone into getting to the point where DCSA is now. Not only has a standard software pack been created to implement, but there is also a clearly defined methodology for managing all of the different issues that have to be addressed in such a complex project.

Issues such as the developing and testing training courses, identifying and documenting every business process in a DC dealership, ensuring that all of the interfaces into DCSA's systems are working and the training of the DCSA implementation staff have all been addressed.

"The list of activities that have had to go into the planning of this project, seems endless," commented DCSA's Project Manager Patrick Byrne. "Even with all the planning we still learnt even more lessons on the pilot sites, but now we are confidently moving forward with the roll-out knowing that the foundations for a successful project have been put firmly in place."

Byrne continued, "The success of a project like this only comes about as a result of teamwork and the co-operation between Kerridge (Now ADP), T-Systems and DCSA. The relationship between these parties has demonstrated what can be achieved by working closely together."

With 10 sites already live, the implementation teams are now busy in the Western Cape and from there they will work their way around the country. The implementation of nearly 100 dealerships is planned for completion in early 2005.