Organizations are now increasingly beginning to turn to technology to solve the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. To figure out how different companies are accepting these challenges, The Telegraph Online and We-Bridge Solutions had organized a CIO virtual session in association with NTT Netmagic. With the focal theme ‘Transforming Today’s Business through Innovation’, the session was attended by over 20 CIOs from several companies from the eastern
region.

Let’s find out what the CIOs shared during the virtual session:

G Subramanium

DGM-IT, Star Cement

“We are evaluating our ERP migration to SAP - HANA, although it is in a nascent stage. During this pandemic period, we are driving some digital initiatives through Retailers Management programs, Digital Signage Solutions for Customer Connect and also evaluating to incorporate AI, ML BI and RPA technologies to benefit different business stakeholders and automate our shop floor urgently with these technologies to get an immediate benefit. We are already into cloud-based applications for our sales force and dealers, technical man force. During this COVID-19 situation, the biggest challenge we faced with respect to cybersecurity and providing secure infrastructure services for our remote PCs from where data is being pushed to our central server. This year our main focus is to drive digital transformation projects by involving cutting edge technologies and building a secure network and infrastructure services through cybersecurity solutions.”

Jayanta Bhowmik

Group CIO, Kesoram Industries

“The pandemic did not impact us in terms of dealer connectivity since our applications are already in the cloud. We only had to ensure proper data security. We have major plan to migrate our core ERP to the cloud in the coming months. AI and ML applications are also in the center stage for considerations. We have embarked on the migration of ERP landscape to cloud as well as an upgrade to S/4 Hana, along with a few RPA automation. During the last one year we had some digital
transformation initiative like analytics and few RPA initiatives across business processes for productivity improvements. To adopt the digital-first mindset we faced a few challenges as well like standard change resistance in a legacy manufacturing environment, slow adoption and churn in business process ownership over time impacted the continuous improvement path.”

S K Rudra

GM and Head – IT, Titagarh Wagons Ltd

“We adopted the detection first and logical analysis approach. While we got our VAPT done and had internal analysis based on - who, what, when, where and how. Subsequently to counter threats emanating from both the sources – internal and external, we initiated multiple information security technologies implementations, that are relevant to the line of our business – starting from dual-authentication based application access to centralized Firewall system to End-user data security to DLP, etc. with the technologies integrated to a single centralized authentication system. We have also started working towards the process of achieving ISO27001 standard by this December. I sincerely believe VDI is going to play a very crucial role in securing end-user device, protecting the data residing there and preventing threats emanating from end user devices. Alike any business our ERP system serve as the backbone for us, running mission-critical application. In terms of modernization, from the very beginning, we opted for having our entire SAP workload on the cloud. Considering that we went live last year only, the requirement of scaling up our ERP systems hasn’t come yet. However, we are certainly expecting certain additional value from having SAP on the cloud.”

Tushar Kumar Nath

Dy Manager-Systems, Chandras Chemicals Enterprises Pvt Ltd

“Cloud offers an ability to progress digital transformation without requiring immediate updates to your enterprise application. The only question to answer regarding cloud integrations is really when and where? We are already working on a cloud platform. We installed SAP and all official emails on the cloud. Being a manufacturing organization, we felt the impact of this pandemic probably more than any other industry. The entire value chain slashing from the inbound and outbound supply chain, production, and other operations has been impacted badly since a lot of it needs to be done
physically. For the manufacturing sector, other than the priority sector, the economic activity came to a total halt. However, since the virtual world was functional, we could manage to get in touch with the customers, vendors, employees and other stakeholders and could keep a tab on the situation. Having our main ERP and mail system on the cloud helped us in this matter.”

Vikas Gupta

CFO, Rashmi Group

“Last year I focused on getting the ERP implementation by scrapping the manual accounting/records processes by fixing assets records since the beginning of the organization and their location; automation of expense requisitions / approvals / submissions / recording with minimizing hard copy records and manual interaction; implementing HRMS to make the HR process from manpower requisition to goal setting and appraisals online and in the process of getting customized dashboards for the top management for their day to-day decision making and giving them real time data for plan vs actual with possible reasons. The challenges we faced were multifold. Cost reduction and then benefits in terms of results and process automation and approvals thereon from all stakeholders. Getting the old data reconciled in absence of proper information available and getting confirmation thereon with third party to avoid any dispute later on. Getting the operational team educated who always unaccepting the automation as accustomed to manual giving much scope to deviate and get
the work through personal discretion. In the future, we are planning to get all the business function/MIS dashboards without going into ERP applications/decision support through automation in ERP or using artificial intelligence tools leaving planning, controlling and decision making on the core management and working with core employees on roll only. Last year I was working in the safety industry having multiple production and business locations in India and overseas supporting
the management in financial management and decision support with taking the processes fully complaint and automated. From last 6 months working in steel iron and steel (DI Pipe), contract manufacturing of electronics items, execution of projects for river dredging and supporting the management in financial and commercial decision making/controls/processes with getting all possible automation through SAP/Oracle implementation.”