The aim of the programme was to improve the order capture and management experience for customers and employees and to maximise the efficiency of fulfilment services.

The programme consisted of four major components. The first was the integration of demand management with the retailer’s distribution centres. The second was about improving availability management for customers and employees and integrating that function with the retailer’s third-party distribution organisations. The next component was focused on the development of a single view of the customer for contact centres and online orders – it also addressed self-service functionality and a more consistent billing experience. The last was around omni-channel payments and the delivery of a payment and profit protection solution for card payments.

We were appointed to provide an experienced programme management team, with delivery and programme management office (PMO) capability, to recover and drive these complex transformation programmes forward. Replacing an incumbent PMO and programme director, we quickly formed a collaborative senior team with the client to work on a carefully crafted six-week transition plan.

One of the first exercises was for the assurance leads to conduct an in-depth review of the planning and estimating standards used by the programme to help optimise delivery costs. This led to the creation of a realistic baseline and budget.

We also put in place a structure consisting of teams focused on business engagement, people and change, communications, finances and a programme office. The PMO team was responsible for operating the governance structure and maintaining controls, including plans, risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies, resourcing, costs and benefits, scope and the associated reporting.

We worked hard to improve the strategic execution of the programme, liaising with the client and third- party team members to optimise delivery effectiveness wherever possible and create common goals.

The Group CIO, said the availability management aspect of the programme was by far the most complex IT and business system implementation attempted by the retailer. Our programme management expertise was considered instrumental in the successful delivery of both business and technical change.  We also managed to eliminate time and cost over-runs, which had dogged the programme prior to us taking over.

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