Straw man · For ExCo discussion
Building Ourselves
The proof is on the floor. The savings stack pays for the build. The unmanaged 540k won't serve themselves. Here's the case to commit — and the roadmap to execute.
01
The proof — we've already done it
OMX has built two production-grade internal platforms in the last 18 months. Neither was a packaged SaaS. Both are live, both are paid for, both work.
Lens
Replaces Sisense
OMX's own BI tool. Same Snowflake, same dbt models, same data — better UX, better fit, no vendor licence. 181 imported Sisense reports stay as the regression test set; new build runs on the forward-state design language.
When the data is in Snowflake and the question is OMX-shaped, fit-for-OMX wins on cost, time-to-value, and team capability.
WhoOnSite
Frontline identity · NFC + Gallagher
OMX-built worker identity stack. NFC tap, Gallagher integration, real-time on-site presence. In production. Confirmed input to DC Optimisation, Mobile Workforce identity, Desk Booking.
When the workflow is OMX-specific (DC frontline + AD-only workers without SF licences), fit-for-OMX is the only honest answer.
The pattern is proven. Snowflake-native data + thin web UI on the Lens design language + Postgres for state + Anthropic-grade AI where it earns its keep = OMX can ship internal tools that beat the packaged-SaaS alternative on every dimension that matters.
02
We've proven we can do this with AI. We now have the roadmap.
Lens and WhoOnSite shipped the proof. The pattern is now a roadmap — 26 forward-bet ideas that deliver better solutions to the unmanaged 540k and save real cost at the same time. Organised into five stacks. Each pays off differently.
Stack A — Direct savings (~$840k/yr baseline)
These ideas reclaim spend from packaged SaaS or sales-team time. The numbers are conservative and confirmed.
Deck
Idea
Reclaim / yr
02
PPSS — Snowflake-native promo + rebate + demand
$350k
14
IBP Full Programme — replaces Anaplan, adds Supply + ASN + Put-away
$230k Y1
—
Lens — replaces Sisense (BI vendor reclaim from Jan)
$130k
23
Contract Vault — lifecycle management
$70k
24
Desk Booking
$30k
25
Project Management (Accelerate — EPMO tier-aware)
$30k
22
Territory Management (replaces walked-away SF code)
$25k+
PPSS + IBP overlap on Anaplan reclaim (counted once). Clean baseline ~$640-840k/yr depending on sequencing.
Stack B — Strategic revenue + experience
These grow the top line and the brand. Multi-year horizon, multi-deck dependencies.
01Ask Max · Conversation as the next interface for the 540k POC · concept valid, theory tested
04Self-Service Quoting + BTS-27 · Quote turnaround days → <1hr · ~1 FTE reclaimed from BTS-season manual quoting
05Global Catalog (PIM) · Catalog as a competitive moat
08Web Optimisation · Lucene closed · Filters in flight · PDP next · $1.9M/yr 1pp sized
09Switching · "Match my old supplier" → first order · ~2 FTE reclaimed (matching + switching, combined with Deck 20)
10Automated Comms + Socials · Triggered + lifecycle + GenAI social
15Curated Marketplace · Farmlands-shape; 7x Farmlands base addressable
16Product Data Enhancement · $1.8-4.8M off-range margin recovery
20Product Matching · Win-win switching + sustainability · paired with Deck 09 for the 2 FTE reclaim
Stack C — Operations + innovation
03DC Optimisation · IoT + Robotics + Twin · $750k saving modelled
11DS Supplier Visibility · QR + photo · Innovation Garage Oct 2026
12Local Owner-Driver · $110k/yr per zone × 6 = $660k
Stack D — Commercial + intelligence
13Plex-CI Productised · $625k/yr margin recapture potential
17AI Semantic Conversations · $900k/yr QBR capacity reclaim
18Company Research + QBR · Briefing Room engine
19RFP Response Platform · 7-12% win-rate lift
21Strategic Deep Dives · Codify the standing types
Stack E — Internal capability (the savings stack)
06Uniform & BOM · Kit builder + sizing + logo
07Subscriptions · Paused; angle clarification needed
22Territory Management
23Contract Vault
24Desk Booking
25Project Management
03
The roadmap — sequenced for proof + payback
Three rules:
- Ship the small things first to prove the pattern compounds.
- Land the big things on top of proven foundations.
- Garage every quarter — Innovation Garage is the public commitment device.
Phase 1
Q3 2026 – year end
Ship + prove
Internal tools sweep (Territory · Vault · Desk · PM) in parallel. PPSS WS1 in flight. DS Visibility Garage Oct demo. Web Optimisation Sprint 1.
By year-end: ~$160k savings landed. Two Garage demos. Web Opt baseline measured.
Phase 2
H1 2027
Data foundations + revenue
IBP WS2 Demand Planning (replace Anaplan core). Catalog + PDX. Switching lands on top of Web Opt. Automated Comms running daily. Plex-CI productised.
By H1 2027 end: PPSS + Demand reclaim banked (~$350k). First switching cohorts measured.
Phase 3
H2 2027 – 2028
Closed-loop + revenue compounding
IBP WS3 Supply + ASN + Auto Put-away. AI Semantic Conversations. Product Matching. RFP Platform. Briefing Room + QBR + Deep Dives. Owner-Driver pilot → 6-zone rollout.
By 2028 end: Full IBP closed loop. ~$1.5M+/yr confirmed savings + recapture.
Phase 4
2029+
Long horizon
Marketplace + curated partners (Farmlands-shape). Marketplace credit facility (Funding A or B). Ask Max as the front door to the whole platform.
By 2030: OMX is the trusted hub for the unmanaged 540k. Brand-extension without inventory expansion. The Farmlands of small business.
04
The case to commit
- The proof is on the floor. Lens runs. WhoOnSite runs. The pattern is no longer theoretical.
- The savings pay for the build. ~$700k+/yr of confirmed reclaims funds the engineering capacity that ships the rest.
- Vendor lock-in is real. Anaplan, Enable, Sisense, Robin, Asana, Jira, Salesforce-custom — every one tells OMX what to do next. Building ourselves keeps the roadmap in OMX hands.
- Capability compounds. Every internal tool the team ships makes the next one cheaper. Lens enabled Ask Max (POC). Ask Max proves the pattern for Semantic Conversations. Semantic Conversations enables QBR pre-fill. 26 surfaces, one capability.
- The unmanaged 540k won't serve themselves. Somebody is going to build the platform for NZ small business. Our choice is whether that's us — leveraging the data, brand, and infrastructure we already own — or someone else.
05
What we need from ExCo
Decision
Owner
Window
Endorse the build-ourselves pattern as the default
CEO + ExCo
This quarter
Approve Phase 1 envelope (internal tools + PPSS + DS Visibility + Web Opt Sprint 1)
CFO + COO
This quarter
Confirm Innovation Garage Oct demo set
Commercial + Strategy
August 2026
Resource the EPMO Project Management tool first — every other deck routes through it
EPMO + COO
This quarter
Sign the Anaplan exit plan (contractual lock-in review)
CFO + Commercial
Q4 2026
Funding model decision for Marketplace credit (Deck 15 — A vs B)
CFO + Board
2027
We are not a SaaS shop. We are an office products business that has learned to build software when no off-the-shelf product fits.
Lens proved it. WhoOnSite proved it. The next 24 ideas in this library are the same pattern, applied at scale.
The choice is whether we sequence them with intent — or watch a competitor do it first.