Philippines-based distributor and retailer of sporting goods across Southeast Asia, Sonak Group has collaborated with MuleSoft, a Salesforce company, to improve its retail business, and has created a new digital infrastructure that connects brands and customers across multiple sales channels.
Established in 1966, Sonak has a presence in the Philippines and Singapore, supplying sporting goods and equipment from brands like Molten, Mikasa, Asics, and Onitsuka Tiger.
Specifically, Sonak uses the MuleSoft Anypoint Platform - an enterprise API and integration platform, Salesforce Service Cloud for lead collection and retail orders data, and Salesforce Marketing Cloud to build and manage customer journeys.
The team is in talks to add Robotic Process Automation (RPA) capabilities in the future.
The company aims to provide customers with a retail system with the ability to launch and run multiple eCommerce platforms simultaneously.
Further, Sonak intends to provide store teams with data and analytics to deliver a personalised shopping experience to customers.
Sonak Group’s chief technology officer, Kabir Buxani told iTnews Asia that with the MuleSoft Anypoint Platform, Sonak has built a digital infrastructure that includes features such as customer service management, customer loyalty programmes, omnichannel selling and fulfilment, and digital marketing capabilities.
Sonak has tapped MuleSoft since 2019 to revamp legacy systems into a full-scale digital infrastructure, he added.
“Since early 2022, the company has added new integrations to its systems, including an automated inventory reconciliation system to keep track of inventory levels in real-time, and a sales integration system that combines online and offline sales data in enterprise resource planning (ERP),” said Buxani.
Additionally, a human resource management solution connected to the company's biometric timekeeping systems, makes it easier to manage employee time and attendance.
He said the digital infrastructure, powered by APIs, allows Sonak to expand quickly into new markets and partnerships.
Solving issues at hand
Sonak Group doesn’t have an in-house team of developers, or a product team, said Buxani.
The company has engaged with MuleSoft’s Professional Services team as a trusted technology partner and advisor, that takes care of all the software components, he added.
Buxani said that before using MuleSoft, most of the processes and installations were done manually. Employees had to spend time on daily repetitive tasks, thereby lowering productivity.
Moreover, the organisation was in need to automate these processes, simplify things, provide time and flexibility to employees, and reduce human error.
The flexibility of the Anypoint Platform enables Sonak to expand rapidly into new eCommerce channels. For instance, it took only a month and a half for the company to add a new brand for basketball – Molten, Buxani said.
Additionally, the platform helps in onboarding new customers, and achieving customer and brand-level personalisation, without requiring extensive hours or resources, he added.
Sonak has also been able to integrate new systems to improve employee productivity and operational efficiency, Buxani said.
