Flamingo New Product Development Software
Web based digital tool that helps staff develop products, analyse cost and increase time-to-market
Flamingo Flowers needed a web-based New Product Development (NPD) application that would cover the complete process of bringing a new product to the market, by allowing staff to collaborate, assign tasks to projects and have all their complicated cost calculations worked out for them.
Based in Spalding, Lincolnshire, Flamingo Flowers are one of the world's leading growers and suppliers of fresh cut flowers, plants and fresh produce. Their diverse portfolio of products and farms supply retailers across Europe.
They approached PSP to develop the applications for the plants side of the business. After many years of seeing the huge benefits, they asked PSP to make the software web-based and extend it to cover the NPD of their flowers.
Requirements
Flamingo Flowers challenged PSP to map out their entire NPD process and build an easy to use system that would transform the company’s process. They wanted to save admin time spent on developing products, and reduce their time-to-market turnaround.
From collaborating with the client during the planing stage, we both identified these requirements:
- Web based for flexibility and easy, secure access
- Automatic calculation of cost for each new product, including delivery, packaging and labour
- Pricing calculation to take into account different pricing models/currencies for customers, cost per unit based on order quantity and additional delivery costs
- Generate product specifications
- Generate invoices and purchase orders
Solution
After much planning and consultation, PSP decided the best approach would be to develop the existing VISION CRM into a web-based application. This means the user-friendly application would be accessible to staff wherever they were; encouraging collaborative remote working.
Through the use of the application, they could develop exciting new products, while keeping on top of their costs, lead time and quality.
The interface lets them pull together plants, accessories and packaging to create new products. The system then takes the cost for each element and automatically calculates the cost per unit, including delivery and freight space.
The client has different pricing models/currencies based on the customer. The system takes these into account when calculating cost. This delivers a complete breakdown of the cost for each supplier. This breakdown includes:
- Unit price
- Tray fees
- Exchange rate conversion (if different currency)
- Delivery costs
- Freight unit required
- Final cost per item
Benefits
By working closely with the client through both the development and project planning stage, we developed a system that completely transformed the company and its NPD process.
The application has delivered numerous success for the client, including:
- Almost all admin time reduced, by automatically calculating costs, product specifications, orders, etc
- Much shorter time-to-market turnaround time
- Ability to make better decisions with time-to-market milestones
- NPD teams have been able to act more autonomously and follow a structured process
- Multi-department collaboration
- Their processes are efficient and auditable
- The comprehensive dashboard displays all the relevant business data in one place
- Product and supplier information in one platform
Where to find us
We'd love to welcome you into our office! We're only 20 miles north of Peterborough, conveniently just off the A16.
Carver House
Apex Court, Elsoms Way
Pinchbeck
Lincolnshire
PE11 3UL
