The national enterprise Budějovický Budvar is one step ahead

Could you introduce Budějovický Budvar to us?

Budějovický Budvar is the national brewery of the Czech Republic, and as such, it belongs to all Czech people. We export our beer to more than 70 countries worldwide, while every single drop originates in České Budějovice, the city we proudly call home. We place great emphasis on honest ingredients and a passion for quality beer, which is why we also cooperate with a number of craft breweries that, like us, aim to spread the fame and joy of authentic Czech beer.

What is your role within the company?

My main responsibility is payroll and payroll administration within the brewery. Thanks to this project, I also stepped into a new role as a project manager.

How many employees does the Czech branch have, and what is the company’s international presence like?

In the Czech Republic, we employ more than 600 people. We also have subsidiaries in Slovakia, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Why did you decide to implement SAP SuccessFactors, and how did the implementation process take place at Budějovický Budvar?

We implemented SAP SuccessFactors to modernize our HR processes, automate routine tasks, and significantly reduce administration. Thanks to one unified HR system, all data is organized and available in one place, enabling better analytics across the entire brewery, including our subsidiaries. We eliminated inefficient Excel files and emails, gained a modern and user-friendly tool, and most importantly, freed up more time for our people and for brewing great beer.

The project started in March 2025. In the autumn, we successfully launched the first two modules — Employee Central and Onboarding — together with the Document Generator application. In January of this year, the Performance & Goals module followed, and last month we implemented the Compensation module. Later this year, we are also planning to implement the Learning module.

What do you see as the greatest benefits of SuccessFactors and the Document Generator application from Success Solutions?

• Unified HR data in one place: Employee Central serves as a single source of truth for employee data, positions, and organizational structure.
• Less administration thanks to automation: manager and employee self-service significantly reduces manual work.
• Smooth and guided employee onboarding: Onboarding is fully integrated with Employee Central, eliminating duplicate data entry and ensuring a clearly managed process. It also provides a more comfortable experience for new colleagues.
• Efficient document management: the ability to generate documents in bulk.

Why did you choose to work with Success Solutions for the implementation?

We decided to cooperate with Success Solutions mainly because of their strong know-how in HR systems, extensive experience with similar projects, and their ability to adapt best-practice solutions to our specific needs.

What challenges was the project expected to address?

The main challenge was to create a tool that employees would perceive as a real day-to-day assistant — intuitive, easy to understand, and genuinely useful, rather than another complicated system increasing administrative burden. The goal was to simplify work for employees, make the solution meaningful, and provide clear added value. From this perspective, we consider the project a success.

If you were in the role of a consultant, what advice would you give companies considering the implementation of SAP SuccessFactors? What should they pay attention to, and what is actually easier than it seems?

It is essential to carefully select and stabilize the internal project team right from the beginning and ensure they have sufficient time capacity for the implementation. This is a demanding period, so it is important to ensure backup coverage and allow team members to fully focus on the project. I would also strongly recommend paying close attention to the quality of HR data preparation, process design, and the timely resolution of integrations with other systems — this always pays off during the project.

The pace of the project can be very intense in the early phases. We worked in a highly demanding mode, where there were often only days available for preparation and decision-making, which was challenging while maintaining a strong focus on quality. The good news is that after the initial implementation of key modules such as Employee Central and Onboarding, subsequent implementations (for example Performance Management or Compensation) progressed at a much calmer and more manageable pace.

How does internal communication with employees and managers work to ensure they understand the implementation, what it means for them, and how they can contribute to a smooth process?

Our internal communication is primarily based on targeted workshops where we introduce individual system modules, their functions, and the specific benefits for employees’ and managers’ everyday work. This also includes practical guidance on how to use the system and what changes it will bring. Communication is further supported by clear manuals with links and continuous personal support from our HR business partners, allowing everyone to actively participate in the process and ensuring the implementation runs as smoothly as possible.

So, would you say the implementation was successful?

Yes, we evaluate the implementation very positively. It was completed on schedule, delivered with high quality, and the resulting solution is fully functional and provides the expected benefits.

Is there a timeframe in which the investment in the system pays off? Is there a tipping point when savings become visible?

Time savings were visible immediately, mainly because we no longer have to enter data into three different systems as we did before.

Have you received any positive feedback from your employees?

Yes. Employees have responded positively, especially regarding the clarity of the system and the accessibility of HR information. The system is perceived as more modern and user-friendly compared to the previous solution.

Any final message you would like to share with Success Solutions and its clients?

We would like to thank our partner for their professional approach and the successful implementation of the new HR system. We especially appreciate their expertise, collaborative attitude, and ability to respond to our requirements throughout the entire project.