By Jenine Quiambao and Fay Canoza
Bakery Solutions Company, or BaSCO, is the Food Group’s one-stop shop for bakery products in the Philippines. It primarily caters to small bakeries and businesses that lack easy access to digital payment options, relying heavily on cash transactions. This reliance on cash presents significant inefficiencies and security risks in the remittance process. Sales specialists spend excessive time collecting payments instead of selling, and cash analysts work long hours counting money, leading to delays and potential security issues with overnight cash storage. Moreover, the heavy weight of coins carried by sales specialists poses a physical burden and safety risk, and the long hours exhaust our team, leading to lower job satisfaction.
The BaSCO squad was created to address these issues using the Scrum framework to drive an Agile transformation in our cash remittance process. This is a testament on how we are innovating the ways of working within the Group.
To tackle these challenges, two solutions were introduced: 1) we optimized third-party trucking services to handle delivery, collection, and remittance; 2) We partnered with PeraHub to expand secure and convenient remittance options, leveraging their network and extended hours. These enhancements also placed our employees’ well-being into consideration, increasing efficiency, reducing the workload, and enhancing security.
Despite disruptions from a major reorganization, we embraced Agile methodologies and Scrum values to maintain focus and improve continuously. Regular updates and external partnerships were crucial to our success. With successful implementation in South Luzon, we aim to scale the project and enhance customer experience across all locations, ensuring continuous improvement through stakeholder feedback.
The impact of our Agile approach resonated deeply within the team. Jenny De Guzman, a developer, found joy in the Agile process, appreciating the quality training that elevated productivity and confidence. Charlie Santos, initially reluctant about Agile Scrum, discovered that it fostered innovation and adaptability. The iterative cycles enabled quicker, more effective solutions, empowering the team to be more hands-on and collaborative. Kevin Veloso shared his transformative experience, where Agile helped him “unlearn” traditional project management methods, enhancing his ability to develop flexible and relevant business strategies.
Monick Miranda, overcoming initial self-doubt, found confidence in delivering tasks like Customer Journey Mapping and Business Process Mapping, realizing that competence could be nurtured through collaboration.
Our journey to transform BaSCO’s cash remittance operations has been challenging yet rewarding. By implementing smart, low-risk solutions and fostering strong partnerships, we have created a more efficient and secure process that benefits our team and the business as a whole.
