Client Success Story

Achieving 98%+ Accuracy in MRO Spare Parts Data Processing

The client

MRO Spare Parts Management for a Multinational Conglomerate

Our client is a multinational engineering and technology company that is diversified across various industries such as power and gas, aerospace and defense, automotive and shipping, consumer goods, Healthcare, etc. The client wanted us to streamline and automate their MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations) spare parts management processes. Our team of MRO data management specialists has helped them with identifying spare parts to placing orders, thus significantly reducing inventory levels, lowering costs, and minimizing CO2 emissions, promoting sustainability.

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

MRO Data Cleansing & Research for Effective Master Data Management

  • Data Cleansing: Extracting key details such as Manufacturer Part Numbers (MPNs), manufacturer names, and supplier names from the unstructured data provided by the client. This process involves handling a high volume of data, with approximately 400,000 records to be processed monthly.
  • Web Research: Conducting comprehensive web research to gather product details such as Manufacturer Name, Article Number, Type Code, Product Name, E-CLASS IDs, descriptions, URLs, and expiration statuses. This involves leveraging the Manufacturer’s or Supplier’s website to enrich the unstructured input provided by the client, which typically includes MPNs and short descriptions. We were required to process 100,000+ product records monthly.
  • Supplier/Manufacturer Research: Identifying, validating, and collecting supplier and manufacturer details, including legal name, address, supplier/OEM status, logo, and parent company details. The client needed complete accuracy and completeness of supplier and manufacturer profiles, with 8,000 records to be processed in a month.
PROJECT CHALLENGES

Overcoming High Standards and Language Diversity Challenges in MRO Data Processing

The client operates in a data-intensive MRO industry, requiring the management of extensive datasets containing product information, often in the form of unstructured short descriptions across multiple languages. Hence, some challenges that our team encountered were:

  • Harmonizing Manufacturer Names: The client provided completely unstructured raw data for processing, with a volume of approximately 400,000 records per month. One of the significant challenges was to identify and harmonize manufacturer names from the raw data accurately. Determining whether an entry was a brand name or a generic term proved difficult due to a lack of clear indicators. To meet the stringent deadlines, there was no time for external research or validation of manufacturer names/brands from external sources. The only reference was a client-provided manufacturer list, which was not exhaustive or definitive.
  • High Accuracy Expectations: The client required an outcome accuracy of 95%, placing significant pressure on the team. Even minor errors in identifying brand names, filling data columns, or cleansing records would result in penalties, further emphasizing the need for meticulous attention to detail and robust data processing.
  • Multilingual Data Handling: We faced the challenge of working with data in multiple languages, specifically when the initial dataset was in German. To address this, we utilized translation tools to convert the data into the required language before performing the necessary actions.
OUR SOLUTION

Strategic Solutions for MRO Data Cleansing, Research & Enrichment

To effectively address the client's intricate challenges and meet their specific requirements, we assembled a dedicated team of 25 professionals with extensive expertise in the MRO industry. Through comprehensive initial guidance, targeted training sessions, and ongoing support from the client, our team offered a suite of services to help the client achieve their objectives and improve overall data management processes.

1

MRO Data Cleansing Services

The client provided us with unformatted and inconsistent nature of their data. We performed the following actions:

  • Data Segregation: Extracting specific attribute values (MPNs, manufacturer names, supplier names) from unstructured short descriptions and adding them to their respective columns.Employed advanced Excel functions and techniques to analyze unstructured short descriptions, effectively extracting and populating specific fields: MPNs, manufacturer names, supplier names, and product types. Deployed a large team of experts to identify and segregate details promptly.
  • Manufacture Harmonization: Standardizing manufacturer names that appeared in various formats. Standardizing manufacturer names across different languages and formats to ensure uniformity. Utilizing reference databases and linguistic algorithms to achieve consistent naming conventions. Example: VW, Volks Wagen, Volkswagen will become Volkswagen.
  • Duplicate Identification: Detecting and eliminating duplicate records based on manufacturer names and MPNs. Developed matching algorithms to compare manufacturer names and MPNs, identifying duplicate records. Removed duplicates from a dataset of over 2 million records.
2

MRO Part Research Services

We carry out extensive spare parts data research. This initiative involves processing 100,000 product records per month. This includes:

  • Comprehensive Data Research: Using input details (provided by the client), such as Manufacturer Name and Part Numbers, we conducted exhaustive research leveraging manufacturer and supplier websites, catalogs, and other digital documents. Foreign-language content was translated as needed to ensure thorough and accurate data extraction.
  • Quality Assurance: Implemented a three-tier quality assurance process, which included initial checks, peer reviews, and final approvals. This ensured that ambiguous or incomplete data entries were flagged and resolved efficiently.
  • Template Documentation: Data fields such as Manufacturer Name, Article Number, Type Code, Product Name, E-CLASS IDs, descriptions, URLs, and expiration statuses were documented in the required format. Successor articles and additional supplier details were included when available.
  • Master Database Creation: Our team developed and maintained a master brand and product reference list, streamlining future data processing and onboarding of new team members. We refer to this “intelligent matching.”
3

Supplier Data Research Services

Our team efficiently collected data on 8,000 manufacturer and supplier records for a month. This was a one-time task. We were required to ensure the output met the high accuracy and relevance standards required for the MRO industry.

  • Data Integration & Analysis: Our first step was to analyze the structure of the client-provided raw data in standardized XLS format, including the layout of columns and the presentation of information, to ensure alignment with their requirements. Any ambiguities or inconsistencies were resolved by referencing the client’s instructions. This thorough review ensured accurate data interpretation and efficient processing.
  • MRO Data Standardization & Validation: We focused on cleaning, verifying, and standardizing the raw manufacturer data provided by the client. Each record was assessed for relevance and usability based on the client’s specific MRO requirements, with entries marked as "Valid" or "Unusable," along with explanations for invalid entries.

    Logo verification was integrated into the workflow, involving the identification of correct manufacturer logos. To address challenges from multiple logo variations online, we conducted extensive cross-referencing with official manufacturer websites and followed the client’s strict guidelines to ensure consistent and accurate logo selection.

  • Supplier/Manufacturer Data Enrichment: We conducted extensive research to update information such as legal names, short names, websites, addresses, logos, parent company details, synonymous names, and related manufacturers. We also assessed the crawlability of manufacturers' websites to determine whether they supported eCommerce platforms or webshops suitable for web scraping. These evaluations required a deep dive into official manufacturer resources, ensuring compatibility and reliability for data extraction.

    To manage the large data volumes, we deployed a dedicated team of skilled MRO data enrichment & research experts. We used automation tools to streamline repetitive tasks such as initial data extraction and attribute standardization. A rigorous multi-stage quality assurance process was implemented, which included a blend of automated tools and manual reviews, enabling us to identify and correct errors or inconsistencies effectively.

Project Outcomes

Achieved an exceptional 98%+ accuracy rate in final deliverables, exceeding client expectations.

Successfully processed over 1 million records, ensuring standardized and enriched spare parts information for improved efficiency.

Delivered detailed and verified data for more than 100,000 spare parts, enhancing data completeness and usability.

Conducted comprehensive research and validation of 8,000 supplier records, ensuring accuracy in company details.

The project remains ongoing, with continuous improvements in data quality, automation, and research methodologies, further optimizing the client’s MRO spare parts management capabilities.

CONTACT US

Struggling with MRO Master Data Management?

We got your back! Our team specializes in cleaning, standardizing, and optimizing your MRO data for better efficiency and decision-making. To know more about our MRO data management services, get a free trial, or request a quotation, write to us at info@suntecindia.com.