Story highlights
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At a glance
- Industry - Retail
- Region - Global
- Company Size - 3,650+ employees
- Project - 'Project Reboot: Join the Revolution'
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Products & Services
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations
- Microsoft mPOS and cPOS
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Results Snapshot
- 200+ stores supported globally
- 125+ stores rolled out with Microsoft mPOS and cPOS
- 8 countries live at launch, with Asia Pacific following
- 1 end-to-end platform replacing all legacy applications
The Customer
Dr. Martens is an iconic British footwear brand, loved the world over for a signature style that unapologetically represents freedom, self-expression and authenticity. Formed in 1947, the brand built its reputation on durable, characterful footwear, most famously its air-cushioned-sole boot, which has been worn across generations of music, subculture and self-expression, evolving from hard-wearing workwear into a globally recognised cultural icon.
Dr. Martens made its name as a wholesale business and now operates in more than 60 countries, with over 200 stores and a fast-growing direct-to-consumer and e-commerce presence alongside its wholesale and distribution channels. Backed by more than 3,650 employees worldwide, the brand has set out ambitious plans for retail and e-commerce growth, and knows that delivering on them depends on modern, joined-up systems behind the scenes.
Recognising the need to evolve to suit the twenty-first-century consumer, and to give its people the tools to support that growth, the brand embarked on „Project Reboot: Join the Revolution“ to replace all of its legacy applications with a single, modern platform built on Microsoft Dynamics 365.
The Challenge
Dr. Martens wanted to become a more efficient business, operate globally, enrich the roles of its people by replacing manual and cumbersome tasks, and support global growth. Specifically, the brand wanted to leverage its investment in Dynamics 365 to:
- Create an integrated and engaging digital strategy to support growth
- Provide a true multi-channel business model
- Create a flexible platform that enables easier decision-making
- Invest faster in existing stores and increase its store presence globally
It was recognised that we needed a major transformation project to replace all our legacy applications to give us the tools to be able to grow the business. Microsoft Dynamics 365 was selected because it gave us an end-to-end solution across all areas of the business.
The Solution
Hitachi Solutions’ global expertise in retail, wholesale and distribution, combined with extensive experience across Microsoft Dynamics 365, enabled the team to quickly define Dr. Martens’ requirements and deliver the best options. The programme:
- Rolled out Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations to more than 200 users
- Rolled out Microsoft mPOS and cPOS to over 125 stores across EMEA and North America
- Continued to improve the solution to provide greater agility and open new markets
Why Hitachi Solutions
For a transformation of this scale, Dr. Martens needed a partner that shared its ambition and could deliver with discipline. Hitachi Solutions’ global retail, wholesale and distribution expertise, paired with a proven Dynamics 365 methodology, gave the brand confidence the programme would land to schedule and within budget.
It was really important for us to select the right calibre of partner with the same ambitious vision to help us drive this project to a successful deployment. Hitachi Solutions had good practice and methodology to deliver this project to a schedule and within budget.
The Benefits
- A single, end-to-end platform across all areas of the business, replacing fragmented legacy applications
- A true multi-channel business model to support retail and e-commerce growth
- A flexible platform that makes decision-making easier
- Manual and cumbersome tasks reduced, enriching the roles of Dr. Martens’ people
- Greater agility to invest in existing stores and open new markets
What’s Next?
The solution has been implemented in the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Germany, the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, Canada and the United States, with the rollout extending across Asia Pacific. The brand is thriving with its new solution, with benefits being realised across all areas of the business, and continues to improve the platform to add agility and open further markets.
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