CIO Spotlight

Huaihai Standardised Processes Across Multiple Subsidiaries and Improves Operational Efficiency By 20% With NetSuite

Huaihai Holding Group is a leading vehicle manufacturer based in Xuzhou, China. The business includes technology research and development, manufacturing, and sales of small vehicles and new energy automobiles. The group includes 27 wholly-owned subsidiaries and manufacturing bases in China, Pakistan, India, Chile, Peru, and Indonesia.

Huahai needed a comprehensive and scalable business software solution to support the company's overseas expansion, with multi-language, multi-currency, and automated international compliance capabilities. It chose NetSuite OneWorld, and since deployment, has standardised business processes and improved overall operational efficiency by 20%.

We talked with Huaihai’s Director of Integration, William Huo, to discuss a range of topics, including the importance of automation and supply chain management for international businesses, and why he believes in challenging traditional thinking to solve business problems.

Q&A

Describe your role?

William Huo: I'm the Director of Integration, meaning I work closely with every department in the organisation, from internal factory production to overseas operations.

Do you have specific targets or goals set by the business?

Huo: Internal and external cooperation are my main goals, to ensure the smooth progress of the supply chain and sales through optimising the management processes. The aim is to lay a solid foundation for the steady growth of overseas business.

Do you have specific targets or goals you set yourself?

Huo: To build a strong team. Each team member is very independent, but the goal is to cooperate well with each other to better serve the enterprise.

How do you serve your company?

Huo: I’m committed to continuous learning and studying to optimise the processes through technology, and achieve the group's goal of greater digitalisation and automation.

How has your role evolved in the past 10 years?

Huo: In the past, technology leaders used to coordinate everything themselves. This is no longer sustainable or efficient. Improving a business's operations through technology now requires the participation of the whole leadership team, and cross-departmental collaboration throughout the entire process.

How has the advancement of technology played a part in this evolution?

Huo: I think the biggest change is that technology today empowers people, which supports the necessary collaboration as everyone can access the same information.

Has understanding how a business operates has become more important for you?

Huo: Yes, because the work of each department is not independent, but needs to be coordinated and linked. Every department is important, and often has unique needs.

Do you think collaboration has become a central part of your role?

Huo: Yes, I think collaboration is important to ensure all areas of the business are being represented. Ultimately, this ensures that we’re developing solutions that benefit the entire organisation in the long term.

Is being a strong communicator more important today than in the past for technology leaders?

Huo: Strong communication skills are more important than ever, because technology leaders need to be eloquent and persuasive when it comes to communicating the benefits of solutions, which may not be obvious to different areas of the business.

What three things are most important for a technology leader to consider when choosing new solutions for their business?

Huo: Firstly, the technology must meet the needs of the whole operation. It’s also very important that the platform is flexible, so it can adapt to changes in the business. Finally, it should be scalable, and grow alongside company expansion.

Do you view technology as a way to better serve your employees and customers?

Huo: Yes. Implementing new technology is not always easy, but ultimately the benefits are reflected in all aspects of work. For example, improved efficiency across departments, increased production capacity, and better prediction of market demand helps us as a business, but also helps us better serve our customers through optimisation of the overall process.

What were the top reasons for choosing NetSuite?

Huo: Global expansion and digitalisation are our main objectives. So, we needed a solution with global capabilities to support international business and integrate with older business processes. NetSuite meets the needs of the company's global development, supporting multi-language, multi-currency, and international compliance requirements. It’s also highly flexible and scalable.

What advantages have you experienced since switching to NetSuite?

Huo: The standardisation of business processes across branches has been greatly improved, optimising our workflows and communication. With NetSuite, all approval processes are automated intuitively and the system provides data transparency and efficient supply chain collaboration. This has improved our overall efficiency by 20%.

What are the biggest benefits of being in the cloud vs on-premises?

Huo: The cloud is lightweight, easy to maintain, flexible, and enables rapid expansion.

What would you say to someone contemplating switching to NetSuite from legacy systems?

Huo: To go for it, in order to support digitalisation and growth. NetSuite provides a truly integrated management system with real-time data, and it is accessible anytime, anywhere.

How has NetSuite improved collaboration?

Huo: It has helped by facilitating the integration of finance with the wider business, particularly manufacturing and inventory management. The comprehensive solution supports the overseas business seamlessly too.

What advice would you give to aspiring technology leaders?

Huo: Work hard and remain humble. Also, attention to detail can mean the difference between success or failure.

What skills (hard or soft) do you predict will become more important to develop in the future?

Huo: I think independent, self-directed learning and adaptability are important for the future. With new technology, it’s also critical to develop creative skills and challenge traditional thinking to help with problem solving.

Do you think the role will continue to evolve?

Huo: Yes, technology is constantly evolving and people should learn and improve to keep pace with development. At the same time, I think it’s increasingly important to ensure every detail is carefully considered.