R.brands automates more than 100 processes and digitizes its end-to-end product development process with SoftExpert Suite

An operation without borders

With more than 2,000 products in its portfolio and a supplier network predominantly based in Asia, R.brands digitized its product development process end to end, connecting teams across Product Development, Sourcing, Supply, Quality, Logistics, Controllership, and Sales through integrated workflows. The initiative accelerated the company’s digital transformation: today, more than 100 automated processes are running across different areas of the business.

A process-driven culture

At R.brands, the pursuit of efficiency did not begin with automation. Over the years, the company has built a process-driven management culture, shaped by the founders’ vision and supported by management excellence frameworks. The approach is simple but continuous: make the process work, monitor its results, learn from execution, and continuously improve it.

This mindset also shaped the company’s approach to digitalization. As processes were designed and matured, the need emerged for a platform capable of structuring, automating, and continuously evolving them.

The challenge: ensuring knowledge management

Before automation, processes were predominantly manual.

Without connected and standardized workflows, each team managed its activities in its own way. As the company grew and new functions were established, the need arose to standardize the end-to-end journey and reduce fragmentation.

The challenge went beyond digitizing activities. R.brands needed to create a structured record of its processes, standardize how they were executed, and ensure that knowledge was captured and managed across the organization.

The solution: using the value chain as a guide

To address this complexity, R.brands adopted SoftExpert Suite in a dedicated Cloud environment, structuring and connecting its end-to-end product development process and integrating teams, stages, and locations through connected workflows.

Today, the process starts with the Product Development team, moves to Sourcing, and progresses through sampling and prototyping. From there, the workflow automatically connects Supply and Procurement teams with suppliers in Asia. As the physical product takes shape and makes its way across the ocean, the workflow directs activities to Quality and Logistics teams in Brazil, moves through Controllership for pricing, and ultimately reaches Sales.

Everything happens in the same environment, with clear responsibilities and full traceability.

The results: automation at scale

Automating product development became a catalyst for greater integration and process efficiency. R.brands recognized that SoftExpert Suite could serve as a common platform for orchestrating processes across the organization. Today, the impact can be seen both in the numbers and in day-to-day operations:

• +103 automated processes: spanning everything from operational routines to strategic decision-making.
• +1,500 workflows executed per month: 2026 consolidated monthly average, keeping operations moving at scale.
• +1,400 documents managed digitally: eliminating paper-based processes and reducing the risk of information getting lost.

The impact on day-to-day operations is tangible. Technology has eliminated much of the invisible manual work. Contracts are now signed digitally, with automated expiration alerts; travel reimbursements include supporting documents directly in the workflow; and opening a new HR position automatically triggers system access requests and cost center approvals. Processes that once operated in isolation can now work together seamlessly.

“One of the software’s key advantages is its ability to intelligently connect subprocesses. For example, opening a new position can trigger steps such as access requests and cost center approval. This integration prevents each activity from being handled in isolation and brings much greater connectivity to our operations,” explains Mauricio Martini, Head of Governance at R.brands.

The impact: from operational efficiency to customer experience

By centralizing operations in a unified digital environment, R.brands gained real-time visibility across its processes.

And the benefits extend beyond the company itself, they reach the end customer. Returns, warranty claims, and exchanges are now integrated into the workflow. When a customer submits a request, it is automatically routed to Customer Service and the teams responsible for handling it, creating a smoother experience with less friction.

Technology has taken over the manual, repetitive work involved in handling data, allowing teams to focus their time on what really matters: analyzing information, making decisions, and solving problems.

Growing without increasing complexity

For R.brands, the path forward is clear: scale the business while maintaining operational efficiency.

The next step is to deepen system integrations and continue improving operational efficiency. The company is also already preparing to introduce autonomous agents and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to handle repetitive activities.

The ultimate goal is to let systems, automation, and AI take care of lower-complexity tasks, while people focus their time on activities that require critical thinking, creativity, strategic vision, and relationship-building.