Enterprise Digital Transformation for a Global Retail Leader [Case Study]

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Our client, global bulk retail giant, required a multi-year digital transformation to overhaul their legacy IT operations and e-commerce infrastructure. 

For this to work, they needed a highly customized Enterprise IT Service Management (ITSM) Platform. They selected ServiceNow as their platform but quickly encountered three critical roadblocks. 


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The Challenge: The Customization of "Off-the-Shelf" Solutions

  • Extreme Customization: To meet unique operational needs, the platform required significant modification, far exceeding standard out-of-the-box features.
  • Inadequate Standard Training: The software provider’s generic training manuals were insufficient for the developers tasked with building the customized system. And were completely inaccurate to train the newly customized system.
  • Operational Scale: The transition impacted hundreds of employees across diverse divisions, including IT, HR, Customer Support, and Security. 

The Methodology: Real-Time Mentoring & Co-Development

To prevent their massive technology investment from becoming a “failed software adoption," we implemented a high-touch, embedded methodology. This ensured the training was grounded in the client’s functional environment rather than generic software features.

Phase Focus Area Key Activities
 1 Embedded Mentoring Two senior subject matter experts co-located with the client’s developer team to provide
in-person coaching as the platform was being modified.
 2 Real-Time Documentation As developers progressed through the system build, our instructors thoroughly documented the custom
environment to create customized courseware and training materials.
 3 Multi-Role Enterprise Rollout We developed specific curricula tailored to different functional roles (IT, HR, Security, etc.), ensuring the training
mirrored their new business processes using their new customized operations platform. Our SMEs provided just-in-time training for each of those roles as the new software was being rolled out. 

Value-Add Services: This cost included strategic consulting, real-time developer coaching, and the creation of bespoke courseware for the Unified Service Ecosystem. 

The Solution: Building the "Enterprise Operations Portal"

Rather than delivering a generic course, we formed a deep-level partnership to co-create a customized learning ecosystem for their new internal platform, renamed the "Enterprise Operations Portal,” a platform fully customized to the client's global operations. 

 This customized curriculum was tailored to specific job functions, ensuring the new system was adopted successfully throughout the organization. 

  • IT & Operations: This IT Operations Management Training Course focuses on tracking incidents, managing support tickets, and overseeing change requests. 
  • HR & Management: This HR Workflow Automation Training Course covers the automation of approvals, workflows, and the structured handling of employee onboarding and offboarding. 
  •  Security & Risk: This IT Security and Risk Management Training Course involves managing assets, configuration items, and the execution of security and risk processes. 
  •  Service Desk: This Service Desk Management Training Course centers on the administration of self-service portals for both internal employees and global customers.

The Outcomes: Measurable Success and System Adoption

The partnership resulted in the successful deployment and organization-wide adoption of the Enterprise Operations Portal.

  • Exceptional Learner Satisfaction: In comprehensive evaluations, 81.9% of participants rated the training as "Excellent" (4 or 5 out of 5).
  • High Perceived Value: 81.9% of attendees agreed or strongly agreed that the training was worth attending and essential for their daily operations.
  • Strategic Capability: The developer team acquired the expertise needed to maintain the highly customized environment long-term, eliminating future reliance on external vendors for basic system upkeep.
  • Impact at Scale: We successfully trained hundreds of personnel, facilitating a seamless transition to the new system across the entire enterprise. 
Traditional Approach "Reinventor" Approach
Generic training that leaves employees struggling to apply tools to their specific daily tasks. Role-Based Mastery: Training designed specifically for HR, Security, and Ops roles using the client's actual data and workflows.
Dependence on the software vendor or external consultants for any future system modifications. Internal Expert Creation: Embedded mentoring that left the client's own developers with the "know-how" to evolve the platform internally.
High risk of underutilized assets because the workforce cannot navigate the custom environment. Immediate ROI: Ensuring 177+ employees were proficient and ready to use the system from day one, as evidenced by high "worth attending" scores.

Private Customized Training

At Ascendient Learning, Part of Accenture Learnvantage, we don't just teach technology; we de-risk major enterprise investments. When the software vendor’s own training wasn't enough, our ability to integrate with their build team ensured the client's multi-million-dollar platform didn't become "shelf-ware."  

 Ascendient Learning is uniquely positioned to be the bridge between a complex technical build and true organizational adoption. Contact us to start your workforce and technology reinvention. 

Read our blog on Leading Human-AI Systems: The Four Conditions for Reinvention to see how we prepare teams for the future with our LearnVantage ecosystem.