Belhoul Group enjoys better business health with Microsoft Great Plains solution from AFCOMP

Belhoul chose Microsoft Great Plains above a number of leading ERP applications available in the Middle East, to address the business challenges of data consolidation, financial centralization and medical procurement across its healthcare centers and other divisions,.

The solution provides Belhoul with smooth and efficient consolidation of all their financial applications across the group, to be centralized in their head office. The Belhoul Group, which began operations in Dubai in 1969, is made up of thirteen companies with diverse activities including healthcare, medical and pharmaceutical supplies, real estate and property, education, veterinary care, travel and fashion retail. The solution will deliver excellent cost saving implications of approximately 35%, in addition to improving security and management of the group's technology assets and data.

Belhoul required a service provider with experience, skill and deep product knowledge to address the challenges their business faced. The full turnkey implementation methodology developed by the AFCOMP over the past 14 years marked them as leaders in providing excellent service from the initial assessment to ongoing maintenance.

"We strive to be leaders in every field we enter, and our approach to our technology solutions is no different," commented Khalfan Belhoul, IT Director, Belhoul Group "We required a solution that would allow us to rationalize financials and data across the organization, and streamline our processes, and this deal has exceeded our expectations. Rationalizing costs and processes will allow us to focus our resources on the most important aspect of our businesses - serving our customers."

Consolidation to cut cost
One key element of the solution will be the financial reporting structure, which has been consolidated to allow efficient monitoring of finances across the group and in depth analysis and reporting at month end. As specialists in healthcare, Belhoul can gain significant benefits in purchasing across the group, and with enhanced consolidation of data, the management can easily access information from across the company.

Microsoft Great Plains offers companies like Belhoul the integrated tools to fully utilize the information contained in their financial systems. Specialist integrated tools will allow medical procurement officers to share data across the business groups, and as they will have access to up to the minute financial information, decisions can be made in a more efficient and informed manner.

"As the UAE grows, companies such as Belhoul are growing into multi-million dirham turnover conglomerates which demand cutting edge technology solutions that meet their needs," commented Abdullatif al Mulla, General Manager, Microsoft South Gulf.

"With a wealth of data and the diverse needs of group companies, centralizing and consolidating their systems is an essential factor in their management structure. We are delighted to see internationally renowned applications such as Microsoft Great Plains gaining recognition and accolades in the UAE and the rest of the region," he added.

Belhoul selected the solution after an in-depth evaluation process, assisted by consultancy group PWC. They were impressed by the tools and modules offered by the ERP package, and the professionalism of the AFCOMP/Microsoft Business Solutions team. With a range of international standard applications, they felt that the functionality and tools incorporated into Microsoft Great Plains, as well as the unique implementation methodology offered by AFCOMP would be best to meet their requirements.

As one of the most experienced service providers in the UAE, AFCOMP have developed a unique implementation methodology to ensure that their customers receive the right solution, with minimal disruption and maximum satisfaction. The close partnership that the company has enjoyed with Microsoft over the past 6 years gives customers the benefit of a team approach driven energetically by the leadership team at AFCOMP .

"We like to ensure that all stages of the process, from the initial meeting to the eventual roll out are conducted smoothly and efficiently" said Venkat Raghavan, Divisional Manager, AFCOMP. "We are delighted to have this prestigious account, which endorses our position as leaders in implementing e-business solutions. Our competitive edge lay in our ability to demonstrate the clearer understanding of the needs of Belhoul. The client perceived the relevance of proficiencies and the experience of AFCOMP in addressing the challenges and delivering the end results."