Description of the Project

A new outsourced project was tasked with improving supply chain visibility for JBC, a leading Belgian fashion retailer under the Claes Retail Group. The JBC project pertains to retail transport and EDI integration within the fashion industry. Founded by John Baptiste Claes, JBC has two sister companies CKS and Mayerline, and all three are under the parent company, CRG or Claes Retail Group. Both projects are delivered by Scoptis in collaboration with TeleDirect, via the Lobster data integration platform but each project serve different business needs and industries.

The solutions were developed using Lobster, a process integration platform.

• For JBC, the focus was on building a transport portal and establishing EDI standardization to optimize communication between suppliers, forwarders (like DHL), and internal systems. The project was executed two phases:

1. Phase 1: Development of a transport portal and EDI integration.

2. Phase 2: Testing coordination and stakeholder support to ensure successful rollout.

Problems Identified

JBC Supply Chain Issues (Transport Portal Development):

• Lack of EDI standardization across suppliers and carriers.

• Delayed bookings and deliveries.

• Supplier portals not synchronized with JBC’s ERP.

• Limited visibility for forwarders like DHL.

JBC Testing Phase Issues:

• Coordination gaps between internal development and external business stakeholders.

• Need for quick debugging, feature validation, and user acceptance testing.

• Requirement for efficient communication between Scoptis and JBC stakeholders.

Challenges Faced

• Legacy systems without interoperability.

• Changing business requirements over time.

• Training warehouse staff and external users.

• High expectations for real-time accuracy and scalability.

• Complex stakeholder communication across countries.

Solutions & Contributions

Transport Portal Development:

• Built EDI-compatible workflows using Lobster to manage the lifecycle from purchase orders to final delivery.

• Developed interfaces for suppliers to amend and confirm orders.

• Integrated booking request processes for approval and shipment creation.

• Enabled forwarders to confirm transport acceptance.

• Improved transparency and coordination in JBC’s logistics network.

The JBC Testing Project:

• Led testing coordination between Leen Croes (JBC Business Analyst), Jan (Scoptis Business Analyst), and development teams.

• Debugged and deployed feature updates promptly.

• Delivered technical documentation and guidance to external users.

• Communicated development outcomes clearly with business stakeholders.

• Ensured smooth external testing and readiness for live deployment.

• Supported implementation replication for CRG sister brands CKS and Mayerline.

Results & Outcomes

• Significant decrease in EDI-related issues across suppliers.

• More efficient coordination of shipment bookings with carriers.

• Enhanced visibility into the end-to-end supply chain process.

• Improved forwarder preparedness and scheduling alignment.