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theDifference Consulting

theDiffernece

Levi Strauss & Co

Designed and facilitated a strategy session to align efficient global back-office systems and processes
Levi Strauss & Co

Challenge

Levi Strauss & Co had a “too big to fail” program to create a globally integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and set of processes. This multi-year, company-wide program needed to bring together cross-functional leaders to understand how to get the most business value from the investment while keeping profits strong. The program was required for the continued growth of the $5.8B company but could only be successful by gaining the perspectives of, and active involvement from, its key global leaders.

Solution

Levi’s contracted theDifference to run an engagement that included executive interviews, data organization and a global 3 day Design Forum held at the Presidio Trust in San Francisco. The interviews revealed that education was needed, specifically learning about the program lessons from its initial implementation and the latest visions for Distribution, Wholesale, Direct to Consumer and AI/Machine Learning.

We gathered 65 global leaders to have spirited conversations about how moving from 8 ERP systems to 1 could impact all regions and customers. The leaders challenged each other and defined streamlined processes and actions.

Impact

Our effort aimed to compress 6-9 months of alignment into three days. For Levi’s, the program’s cost savings would have a huge bottom-line impact, but the real focus was how streamlined the business would be for customers and regions. theDifference helped guide a very complex set of conversations for the highest level of the organization. Levi’s told us, “We’ve done a lot of these types of intensive interventions, and this was by far the best.”

globally integrated ERP
globally integrated ERP

“This was the fastest, best way to align our global leaders to unlock growth for the brands. This was a huge success.”

Walter Ettlin, VP Finance, Global Supply Chain

globally integrated ERP
3

days of work

5

mega-processes agreed upon

1

aligned vision of globally integrated ERP

3

days of work

5

mega-processes agreed upon

1

aligned vision of globally integrated ERP