Enabling Growth for a Global Sports Retailer with Finance and HR Transformation
Global sports retailer turns to HFS for Finance and Accounting and Human Resources outsourcing market evaluation and selection
Business Challenge:
A global retailer aimed to self-fund its transition to a direct-to-consumer model. Facing rising costs in managing core support services, the retailer needed to consolidate its operations in Asia and Europe for greater efficiency and cost savings. With a diverse evaluation team, they sought HFS Research’s expertise to navigate stakeholder alignment and develop a targeted strategy for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).
To gain control over costs across key functions—plan-to-report, source-to-pay, and order-to-cash—HFS leveraged its knowledge of the BPO marketplace, identifying providers with the scale, geographic reach, and technology partnerships necessary to meet the retailer’s financial goals.
Comprehensive Solution:
HFS’s Enterprise Research and Advisory team partnered closely with stakeholders to define requirements and make informed recommendations on top-tier providers. Our team guided the client through the RFP and scorecard development, identifying gaps in requirements and aligning priorities across the enterprise.
When the project sponsor changed, HFS adapted by incorporating a flexible build, operate, and transfer model as an option alongside traditional outsourcing. We went beyond standard reference checks, interviewing providers’ clients to offer a realistic view of long-term support in finance and accounting. This approach allowed us to design a dynamic governance model that addressed lessons learned and potential challenges.
Business impact:
With HFS’s guidance, the client surpassed initial savings goals and gained strategic control over key decision triggers for the build-operate-transfer option. Key outcomes included:
- 30%+ reduction in operating expenses
- No transition fees, achieving upfront savings
- Gain-share mechanism for capturing an additional 30% in expense improvements
- Multi-million Euro budget reallocation toward growth initiatives.
Even with changes in project leadership, HFS ensured the client achieved all objectives and developed the knowledge and skills needed to manage similar sourcing initiatives across the business.
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