Future Proofing IT for a Footwear Retailer

The shoe retailer asked Leading Resolutions to carry out an assessment of their IT business systems and deliver a strategic yet pragmatic plan to future proof their IT infrastructure.

The client’s IT organisation had grown organically with the business over a 20 year period and during that time, their IT business systems had been designed and developed in-house to support the retail, logistics and head office functions of the company.

Although the systems had supported the business growth and flexed as the trading model changed, “future proofing” the retailers IT infrastructure had become a key consideration. IT would be fundamental to support the success of the business which was seeking to dramatically increase ecommerce capability and customer engagement.

The client asked us to carry out an IT capability assessment to review and identify opportunities, gaps and risks and make recommendations to enable IT to align its purpose and activities to the continued growth and success of the organisation.

A review was undertaken in the context of the retailers market sector, size and trading position in order for us to deliver outputs that were proportionate, pragmatic and would enable them to move forward in an appropriate way.

The review focussed on five distinct areas of investigation as a means of assessing the current state of IT and as a basis for constructing an IT strategy for the client: organisation & resource, governance & processes, investment, application landscape and technical infrastructure.

Solution

We identified opportunities for restructuring operations across IT in order to improve services, application deliveries, and reduce business risk in an increasingly risky cyber-world:

Develop an IT strategy focused on buy versus build, and move quickly to replace commodity systems with best in breed products from commercial suppliers

Create a more business and service focused IT organisation and form a business led change board to define priorities

Define a clear technical infrastructure and applications roadmap to ensure the business is aware of the risks and opportunities for technology use aligned with functional requirements

Carry out an IT and Data security audit to reduce security risk to the business

Look to increase the level of IT investment (below typical spend in retail), and invest in areas to give a competitive edge such as advanced data analytics, retail AI, automation and in-store/online customer aids

28 Increase

key recommendations made

28

key recommendations actioned

Only 2.2 %

increase in budget to complete recommendations