MicroStrategy introduces integrity to Massdiscounters BI landscape

MicroStrategy® Incorporated, a leading worldwide provider of business intelligence (BI) software, has announced the successful upgrade and expansion of its BI solution at Massdiscounters, eliminating disparate systems and centralising onto a single unified platform. The successful implementation is key to the company's vision of developing reports that allow for good business decisions based on exception management.

Massdiscounters operates promotionally-driven discount retail stores across 11 African countries. Its MicroStrategy BI solution is used by merchant, store operations, logistics, and marketing teams, with an excess of 400+ users accessing the application.

Initially running off an Oracle merchant data warehouse, Massdiscounters were operating three reporting tools, one of which was MicroStrategy, each fulfilling a different function. "We recognised the complication for both business users and IT in trying to manage the tools," said Tania Neethling, Systems Optimisation Manager at Massdiscounters. "We had a mass reporting tool with fixed-format canned reports, allowing for limited user interaction, as well as multi-dimensional analysis reporting software, allowing for user-created exception management."

"There was no conformity in naming standards, and our users were pulling reports with conflicting information. Reports were not enabling decision makers, a key outcome demanded from out business intelligence solution," added Neethling.

"MicroStrategy provided an excellent solution. We upgraded to MicroStrategy 9.01, and the additional functionality provided through the upgrade allowed us to phase out the other products. Immediate advantages have been the simplicity of operating off a single platform, and the consistency in reports. Additionally, a change management programme was minimal as our users' preference has always been for MicroStrategy," she says.

A key differentiator was MicroStrategy's ability to seamlessly support multi-sourcing, which, says Neethling, is in accordance with Massdiscounter's best of suite strategy. Furthermore, the reporting capabilities are exceptional, which supports one of the company's key directives - providing access to the right information, which empowers good business decision-making. The implementation has also allowed IT to align with business goals by providing information in trusted, standardised reports, which are relevant to and for decision makers.

The ease of managing a single platform has also been a boom for the organisation. "Managing three platforms was a nightmare for our IT department. In terms of development, while it was slow for the initial reports, we now have a robust business dictionary and flexible report development that gives quick wins. The architecture of the solution also means that if a change is made to the single centralised metadata, it is implemented throughout the system - a notable time and cost saver."

After Massdiscounters' experience with unreliable data reproduction and reporting, the MicroStrategy platform has quelled fears of users by guaranteeing performance, standards, and the integrity of reports. "We have support from the user community; the integrity and simplicity of reporting has been very well received," says Neethling.

About Massdiscounters

Massdiscounters operates DionWired and Game - promotionally driven discount retailers of predominantly general merchandise and non-perishable groceries for home, leisure and business use. It is a subsidiary of the JSE listed, Massmart Holdings. Massmart is Africa's third largest distributor of consumer goods, the leading retailer of general merchandise, liquor and home improvement equipment and supplies, and the leading wholesaler of basic foods.

About MicroStrategy

Founded in 1989, MicroStrategy is a global leader in business intelligence (BI) technology. MicroStrategy provides integrated reporting, analysis, and monitoring software that helps leading organisations worldwide make better business decisions every day. Companies choose MicroStrategy for its ease-of-use, sophisticated analytics, and superior data and user scalability. MicroStrategy offers free reporting software that can be downloaded from its Website, http://www.microstrategy.com/freereportingsoftware. More information about MicroStrategy is available at www.microstrategy.com.

MicroStrategy and MicroStrategy Business Intelligence Platform are either trademarks or registered trademarks of MicroStrategy Incorporated in the United States and certain other countries. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.