New Core Merchandising and Finance System Improves Inventory and Visibility

A multi-brand, multi-channel global retailer specializing in the design and production of stylish, high-quality footwear and accessories selected SAP’s Fashion Management Solution (FMS) and S/4HANA Finance to replace multiple, highly customized, and separate legacy systems that managed their retail, wholesale, and franchise businesses. The company needed strong retail and wholesale industry experience and system implementation guidance to fully take advantage of the selected system’s core merchandising and finance capabilities.

Parker Avery recommended a pilot of the new core merchandising and finance system in one brand that represented a small part of the client’s business. Implementing the system in a pilot environment minimized the risk to the client while ensuring all functionality worked as designed before a full rollout. Parker Avery led the following activities: ​

• Led the design of industry best practices and several key transformational changes into the new solution to provide competitive advantage and financial benefits. As an example, before implementation, the client’s inventory was segregated by country and channel. Parker Avery recommended a global, pooled inventory approach that allows for flexibility to ensure products are available at the right place and right time.​
• Created a master data governance plan and team, clearly identified data owners, and established data setup and maintenance processes. The client discontinued the use of free-form text fields in favor of structured data elements, which provide better information to make informed buying decisions. ​
• Instituted a robust organizational change program, which focused on communication, training, and aligning the organization to new roles and responsibilities.​
• Established and led a program management office (PMO), ensuring the initiative stayed on track, issues/risks were addressed in a timely fashion, and scope was managed through a rigid change control process.