Retail performance is defined by details like inventory accuracy and financial transparency. As Nordic retailers expand, the challenge is rarely a lack of technology, but rather choosing the right platform and partner to handle increasing complexity. For many, the transition to a modern ERP system is about moving from fragmented tools to a unified digital core.
"I often meet customers who are biased when it comes to SAP. They remember the heavy, old interfaces and assume that is still the reality. I usually address this right away by showing a screenshot of the old SAP next to today's modern solution. It is a simple way to show that we are in a completely different world now”, says Mats Gyve, Sales Executive at Pearl.
For Gyve, the discussion about modernization needs to shift from technical specifications to operational ease. He uses a car analogy to explain why the "how" matters less than the "what".
"We should not just talk about the engine," he explains. "I am not interested in the technical details of an electric motor, I want to know how it feels to drive. Is it comfortable? Does it get me where I need to go? In the same way, we need to talk about what the solution actually does for the customer’s daily operations."
When operational pressure triggers change
Retailers rarely change their core systems for the sake of it. The trigger is usually operational pressure. For a high-volume e-commerce player like Komplett Group, transaction volumes and logistics flows place heavy demands on inventory precision. Small inaccuracies scale quickly when volumes increase.
"Most of the time, we talk to companies that have already realised they need to change. They are either forced into the cloud or they have reached a point where they simply must increase efficiency to keep moving," Gyve explains.
By strengthening the ERP backbone with SAP Cloud ERP, Nordic retailers like Komplett, Bohus and Raise Gruppen have achieved real-time inventory visibility across markets, integrated financial processes and a significant reduction in manual corrections. Gyve notes that the first tangible improvements are typically seen in margin visibility and the reduction of manual workarounds.
Avoiding the engineer's trap
A common challenge in retail is the desire to customise every single process to fit existing habits. Gyve warns against this "engineer's trap" – getting so caught up in technical details that the original business goal is lost. According to Gyve, the projects that succeed long-term are those that maintain implementation discipline and stay close to the standard.
"The choice between Public and Private Cloud is often about how much you should adapt to the software versus the other way around. SAP Cloud ERP on Public Cloud is essentially Software-as-a-Service based on best practices. This forces a standard that keeps the business agile and easier to maintain," Gyve says.
This structured, packaged approach makes the biggest difference when speed and risk reduction are priorities. By using pre-configured retail processes, companies avoid rebuilding the wheel and can focus on their actual competitive advantages.
“People buy from people”
While the technology is global, the implementation is local and personal. When asked why retailers choose Pearl over global consultancy giants, Gyve points to a more grounded approach.
"We are not always in suits," he says. "We try to be more down-to-earth and agile. People buy from people, and we want to speak a language that the customer actually understands, rather than just technical jargon."
This approach includes using tools like the Digital Discovery Assessment (DDA) to bridge the gap between technical blueprints and business goals.
"When we can show exactly how we build the project with the blueprints in front of them, it takes away the guesswork and the perceived risk," Gyve explains.
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Predicting the return
Ultimately, any investment in a new core system must be justified by its return. According to Gyve, more retail leaders are now looking for a clear path to Return on Investment (ROI).
"Customers want to know how quickly the solution will pay off," he says. "We have seen cases where tangible results and improved margins appear within just a few months of going live on SAP Cloud ERP."
For a CFO or COO facing a modernization, Gyve’s most important advice is to ensure the project is owned by the business rather than IT. He stresses that leaders must take ownership and define how the new system should improve their daily business.
By getting the right blueprints and a structured process in place, retailers can stop guessing and start making decisions based on real-time data. As Gyve points out, the real success of an ERP project is when the business gains full control over its margins, allowing them to focus on moving the company forward instead of just keeping up with daily operations.
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