HCL helps a leading US based women’s fashion retailer in establishing multi-channel retailing capabilitiesRegion : US and Canada

Industry/ Domain : Speciality Retail – women’s apparel, footwear, fragrances and accessories

Bringing together

Enabling Multi-Channel Order Management

‘Clicks’and ‘Bricks’

Functional Area• Development,testing,andimplementationformulti-channelintegrationplatform–builton

SterlingIntegrator,SAPPI

• Testingservicesandimplementationsupportformulti-channelapplicationfromManhattanAssociates’DistributedOrderManagement(DOM)

Area of Engagement• Complete ownership of the entire multi-channel program involving collaboration with

multiplepartners–client,HCL(SAP,NonSAPandInfra),ManhattanAssociates,SapientandInnotrac

• Integrationarchitectureanddevelopment–designed,architectedanddevelopedahighlyrobustintegrationplatformusingIBM’sSterlingIntegratorandSAPPItoenableseamlesscommunicationbetweenDOMandotherapplications

• Testing –planned, led, andmanagedextensive testing of end-to-end functionalities andintegrationacrossthemulti-channelplatform.Oneofthehighlyappreciatedandacclaimedphasesof theprojectwascoordinatedandadministeredwithnumerousteamstoensurequalitydeliverables

• Productionsupportfortheentiremulti-channellandscapeincludingSterlingIntegrator,SAPPIandManhattanAssociates’DOM

Client ProfileTheclient isoneofthe leadingspecialityretailersfor fashionablewomen’sclothing,servingclients through its981storesacross theUnitedStates,PuertoRico,andCanada.Over thecompany's fifty year heritage they have become a well-known resource for quality suits,separates, dresses, shoes and accessories with a feminine, polished approach to updatedclassicstyle.Thecompanymeetstheneedsofamodernwomen'sbusylifestylebyprovidingafullrangeofcareer,casualandoccasionofferingsinonelocation.

Partnership Pre-Requisites and ChallengesThe client wanted to achieve higher growth in its online business, but was challenged byresource-intensiveorderprocessing,noreal-timeinventoryvisibilitytoensureon-timedelivery,andrapidgrowth inordervolume.Theclientneededtostreamlineandhavegreatercontrolandvisibilityoverinventoryfromallchannels(stores&online)andatthesametimeimprovecustomerserviceandexperience.Themajorchallenges/problemsfacedbytheclientbeforemulti-channelimplementationarelistedbelow:

• Meetingcustomerexpectationsofseamlesspurchaseanddeliveroptionsacrossgrowingnumberofchannels

• Increasedcross-channelconsumerresearchandvariedshoppingpatternsofcustomers

• Unpredictableshort-termproductdemandwithinanysinglechannel

• Risingmarkeddownunsolddistressedinventoryinstoresthatresultedinreducedmargins

• Inabilitytokeeppacewithgrowingconsumerdemandande-commercesales

• Lossofpotentialsaleswhene-commercefulfillmentcenterswerestockedout

• Decentralizedinventorymanagementandnovisibilityofinventoryacrosschannels

• Lackofstandardizedintegrationbetweensystems

Enter HCLTheclientdecided toengageHCL tosupport the implementation,designandbuildingofarobust integration architecture and to provide independent testing services. HCL not onlyprovidedanexceptionalsupportplatform for itsservicesandperformedend-to-end testingactivities for theclient’smulti-channelprogram,butalsotooka lead inmanagingtheoverallprogram.Consideringthequalityofservicesandsupportextendedduringtheimplementationphase,HCLhasbeenidentifiedtotakeovertheapplicationsupportfortheirordermanagementapplicationandensureapplicationdevelopmentandsupportfortheintegrationplatform.HCLalsomanagestheentireITinfrastructurefortheclient.

HCL Services SnapshotThe client engaged HCL as an integration partner for implementing Manhattan’s DistributedOrder Management System. HCL played a pivotal role in overall program management,productimplementation,designingandbuildingarobustintegrationarchitecture,andprovidingindependent testing services. Post the successful implementation and roll out across 700+stores, HCL has been entrusted with long-term application maintenance and support for theDOMplatform.

Following are the services that HCL provided:

• Programmanagementformulti-channelprogram

• Managementandcollaborationwithmultiplepartners–customer,externalandinternalvendors

• Programplanningandmanagingresources–bothon-siteandoffshore

• Programlevelriskmanagementandcontingencyplanning

• Governanceandstatusreporting–PMOandsteeringcommittee

• Blueprintinganddesigningoftheentireend-to-endtechnologyarchitectureforthemulti-channelplatform

• Integrationarchitectureanddevelopment–definedthearchitecture,designedanddevelopedahighly robust integrationplatformusing IBM’sSterling IntegratorandSAPPI toenableseamlesscommunicationbetweenATGe-commerce,SAP,DOM,Onlinefulfillmentcenter,andotherapplications

• Testmanagementfortheprogram–plannedandmanagedextensivetestingofend-to-endfunctionalitiesandintegrationacrossthemulti-channelplatform

• Developeda testplan, scenariosandscripts for thewholeprogram incoordinationwithmultiplestakeholders

• Builtarobustperformancetestplanandexecutedend-to-endperformancetests

• Builtaregressiontestsuitetocovercurrentandfuturereleasesforthemulti-channelande-commercebusinesses

The HCL Difference

• Domainexperience–on-boardedateamofconsultantswithstrongdomainexperienceinDOM

• Crosspartnercollaboration–efficientlycoordinatedandmanagedtodrivetheprogramasoneteamwithrepresentationfromcustomer,HCL’shorizontal teams,externalandinternalpartners

• Robustarchitecturaldesignframeworkfortheintegrationplatform,whichcanbescaledupforfutureenhancements

• Qualityassurance–leveragingbusinessanalystsindefininganexhaustivetestplancoveringallaspectsoftheclient’sbusinessimpactedbytherollout

• HCL representation included highly skilled team members with very strong technicaland functional experience across SAP, GIS and DOM ensuring high quality and non-compromisingdeliverables

• Phaseddeploymentapproachthatcausedminimaldisruptionandprovidedtimeforbusinessuserstoacquaintthemselveswithnewfunctionalities,therebyeliminatingrisksassociatedwithvolumes,changemanagementandtraining

Hello, I’m from HCL!Weworkbehindthescenes,helpingourcustomerstoshiftparadigmsandstartrevolutions.Weusedigitalengineeringtobuildsuperhumancapabilities.Wemakesurethattherateofprogressfarexceedstheprice.Andrightnow,90,000ofusbrightsparksarebusydevelopingsolutionsfor500customersin31countriesacrosstheworld.How can I help you?

www.hcltech.com

Business Benefits From capturing additional market share to achievingnumerous process improvements, HCL has deliveredseveralkeybenefitstotheclient.Withthenewsolutioninplace,theclientwasabletosellahugestockofmarked-down inventorywhichotherwisewouldhavegoneunsoldin stores.With themulti-channel platform, the clientwasabletoeffectivelycaptureunfulfilleddemandbyprioritizingsalesfromtheleastperformingstoresandsellingthemostdistressedinventoryinthenetwork.

OtherkeybenefitsthatHCLwasabletobringtothetablearelistedbelow:

• Improved total brand sell through - since items stayavailableonthewebsiteevenaftertheonlineinventoryissoldout

• Significantlyhigheraverageretailandmarginratesseenacrossbrands

• Exceeded2012revenuetargetsdrivenbymulti-channelfulfillmentwhichis50%fasterthanprojected

• Established standard operating processes andprocedures that have allowed stores to fulfill largevolumes

• Process and systems successfully stood the test ofhistoric volumes during the 2012 Cyber Monday saleperiod

• Allowingcustomerstocheckrealtimestockavailabilityat thenearbystores- ifnot found,theycouldstillorderonline

Current ScenarioHCL has built a strategic partnership with the client inthe multi-channel space. Currently HCL is helping themin their phase-II implementation, enhancements and newfunctionality development. As a result of the successfulphase-I implementation,HCLisnowthepreferredvendorfor application development, support, maintenance andenhancementinthemulti-channelordermanagementandintegrationspace.

Currently HCL is fixing UAT and production defectsbacklogandistakingcareofminorenhancementsaswellas providing 16*7 support in an on-site-offshore model.HCL is also helping the client perform impact analysisandestimationforactivitiesplannedin2013-14,thatmayinvolvemajorchangesinexistingbusinessprocesses.