Global footwear brand enhances employee productivity with HCLTech

Overview

A global icon in motion

Our client, a global sportswear and apparel giant, is recognized not only for innovation, performance and style but also for their ability to inspire people worldwide. With 60,000+ employees working across 70+ countries and 2,500+ retail stores, their workforce is the face of the brand, delivering every customer interaction, every product launch and every store experience. As athletes and customers thrived, the brand saw an opportunity to better support their employees by modernizing workplace systems and aligning their digital workplace with a global ambition.

The challenge

A fragmented landscape with too many suppliers and too little cohesion

Employees across offices, warehouses and retail stores worked with a patchwork of IT systems, supported by over 100 different suppliers. This left them:

Waiting too long for IT issues to be resolved
Juggling disjointed systems and tools that slowed their productivity
Lacking a single, reliable channel for support

Frontline workers, store associates and warehouse teams often had to “make do,” diverting their focus away from customers and innovation. The strain was real and the urgency for change was undeniable.

The objective

A unified digital workplace

Our vision wasn’t just about IT—it was about people. Our client wanted every employee, whether a store associate on the shop floor or a manager in HQ, to have a frictionless, intuitive and empowering digital workplace. The goal was to:

Remove barriers so employees could focus on delivering great customer experiences
Provide seamless, secure and intelligent support across every location
Turn IT into a trusted enabler, not a bottleneck

By embracing automation, predictive support and human-centered design, they sought to create a workplace where people could consistently deliver their best work every day.

The solution

A three-phased transformation journey

Phase 1: Consolidation and harmonization – Simplifying the foundation

Transitioned from 100+ suppliers to a single global partner for seamless service
Standardized workplace support across regions, giving employees a consistent experience everywhere
Launched a global service desk in 19 languages, so every employee could get help in their own voice

Employees now have one reliable support system, allowing them to focus fully on delivering exceptional experiences to customers.

Phase 2: Field and retail support – Empowering the frontlines

Supported 60K+ end users, including retail staff, warehouse operators and store managers
Ensured reliable IT for POS systems, label printers, surveillance and inventory tools
Delivered smooth IT lifecycle support for store openings, remodels and closures

Store associates could focus entirely on helping customers, without worrying about technology interruptions.

Phase 3: Innovation and automation – Accelerating with intelligence

Deployed a GenAI-powered chatbot for 24/7 multilingual assistance in 19 languages
Introduced automated workflows and self-healing systems, reducing disruptions
Rolled out DXO 2.0, a user-centric workplace model designed with employee feedback

IT became a proactive, empowering partner, enabling employees to innovate, collaborate and deliver faster, smarter services to customers.

The impact

A future-ready enterprise

Operational stability: Employees now trust that their workplace tools work consistently, every time.

Efficiency gains: Automation removed tedious manual tasks, saving time and reducing frustration across the workforce.

Enhanced experience: From corporate HQ to a remote warehouse, employees now enjoy seamless support and fewer disruptions—leading to higher satisfaction and productivity.

Scalable and adaptive model: Our client’s workplace is future-ready, designed to evolve with both business and employee needs.

Our client’s transformation wasn’t just about IT systems; it was about empowering their 60,000+ employees worldwide to work smarter, serve customers better and feel supported every day.