Thika Motor Dealers connects six branches with a secure, centralized network

Thika Motor Dealers’ IT system was fragmented, unreliable and hard to manage, making it difficult to run operations effectively throughout the dealer network. As Ken Mwangi, ICT Manager at Thika Motors says, “Each branch was effectively operating on its own,” making it difficult to maintain a consistent view of the business. Working with NTT DATA, Thika Motor Dealers built a secure, centralized network and moved their enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to a managed environment, giving every branch reliable access to sales, stock and reporting systems.

A reliable foundation for day-to-day operations

In Kenya, connectivity and infrastructure can vary significantly between regions. Although Thika Motor Dealers had an ERP system in place, their wider IT environment was fragmented. Each of the six branches worked independently, with separate internet connections and inconsistent security protocols.

They also had different levels of access to key systems, which meant that important reports and data relating to sales and stock were not easily available to everyone. This made it difficult to coordinate the branches and maintain reliable operations across the business.

In addition, the system supporting these operations was running on infrastructure that was reaching end of life, with limited backup and recovery capabilities. Downtime and data loss have a direct impact on efficiency and customer service, both of which are key to the business. As Mwangi explains: “Any time Thika — our head office — went down, users in our other branches were unable to access the system and continue working. This resulted in delays in critical business processes such as invoicing, order management and reporting.”

To improve consistency, reduce risk and better support its operations, Thika Motor Dealers needed a more reliable, secure and manageable IT foundation — one that could support all branches equally and provide a stable platform for day-to-day activities.

Connecting branches through a single, managed network

In partnership with NTT DATA, Thika Motor Dealers designed and implemented a more connected and reliable network and hosting environment  to support the ERP platform and communications across all six branches.

At the heart of the solution was a managed Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) network that allows all branches to access the ERP system on the same connection. The connection is secure and reliable, and the new system makes it easier to manage connectivity and improve how the business operates across locations.

To address performance and reliability challenges, the ERP system was moved from an onsite server to a virtual hosting environment in a data center. The environment is managed by NTT DATA. This gives Thika Motor Dealers a stable platform for day-to-day operations and removes the risk that a disruption in one branch could affect the entire business. It’s also easier to bring new branches online, as locations can connect to the same environment quickly and operate without the delays experienced previously.

Rather than each branch accessing the internet separately, all internet traffic is routed through a single, controlled access point in the data center, making it easier to monitor activity, apply consistent security protocols and improve overall control across the network. The business also benefits from the reliability of a professionally managed environment with stable power, cooling and physical security.

Security was strengthened through the deployment of a firewall within the data center, with Thika Motor Dealers maintaining full control over their security policies. Backup and recovery capabilities were also put in place, with data replicated to a secondary NTT DATA data center. This means that systems can be restored quickly in the event of a failure, supporting business continuity.

Thika Motor Dealers now has a stable environment that can continue to support the business as it evolves. The solution was delivered as a fully managed service, with NTT DATA providing ongoing support, monitoring and optimization. As Mwangi says, “We are now able to control what is happening across the board because we know what’s happening at the branch level.”

Greater stability, visibility and control across the business

Thika Motor Dealers now runs its operations more smoothly across all dealerships, with improved visibility and fewer disruptions.

Reliable access to systems across all branches

All six locations now access the same system in the same way, supporting real-time sales, stock management and reporting and making it easier for the business to operate consistently across all branches.

Reduced risk and improved business continuity

Moving to a managed environment, with backup in place,   has reduced the risk of disruption. The business is better prepared to recover quickly in the event of an issue — minimizing impact on operations.

Stronger control and visibility across the network

With a single point of access and consistent security protocols, the business can see who is accessing the system and how it’s being used across all branches in real time. This makes it easier to manage activity, reduce risk and avoid the inconsistencies that occurred when each branch operated independently.

More predictable and manageable costs

Shifting away from onsite infrastructure to a managed service model has made costs more predictable, helping the business plan more effectively and direct investment into core operations.

A foundation for future growth and change

With a stable and flexible environment in place, Thika Motor Dealers is well positioned to add new locations, upgrade platforms or adopt new technologies as the business grows.