High Street Retailer Case Study - High Street Retailer Benefits from an Education in IT Investment

The Challenge

Five years ago a national UK high street chemist took the decision to implement SAP as underlying technology behind some of their core business processes. This led to a company-wide business transformation programme involving head office, over 1,400 stores and affecting 50,000 employees.

Response

As well as requiring expertise in implementing the core technology, the client needed to train 1,000 key end user staff in the new system. A multi-partner team approach was initiated with Steria as the lead business process re-engineering partner. The client strategy required key UK staff from the business to participate in and deliver the new system to end users. A third party worked with the client to develop SAP course material. As the client wished to deliver the training using their own staff, Steria designed and delivered a Train the Trainer course and were involved in developing some of the initial course materials until the third party came on board. As part of the transformation programme, two hundred members of staff from the client IT department transferred to Steria. All received a level of re-skilling from Steria with a quarter of staff receiving extensive re-training into SAP technical skills. This was provided via a combination of third party training and on the job coaching and support.

Outcome

Whilst the SAP retail implementation programme has been described as Europe's largest, the client continues to draw on our training services;

• ITIL® training provision, enabling client service managers and Helpdesk staff to work together in a consistent way
• PRINCE2® for Programme and Project Managers

This combined training approach not only allows for a common language but a deeper understanding of project requirements between IT and the rest of the business, which means it can retain its competitive advantage on the high street.

Back to Case studies