Industry experience
Retail
Back Office Consolidation Program
- Client
- One of the World’s Leading Car Rental Brands
- Sector
- Retail
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- Back Office Consolidation Program
Project description
Our client had previously attempted a large scale consolidation program to centralise their back-office finance processes, whilst introducing a new ERP system. However, time, cost and quality overruns resulted in the termination of the program, along with disengagement of the consulting firm involved, and the disbanding of the project team.
Unwilling to forgo the significant financial benefit that would be captured if the project could be brought to a successful conclusion, our client asked us to establish rigorous program and project governance, control methodology, reporting and tools to enable a restart of the program. This would involve the management of a new ‘lean’ team of internal staff and the initiation of early pilot projects until an internal program manager could join the team.
The program was complex as it spanned a wide variety of disciplines and work streams, some highly technical, others involving sensitive personnel issues as many existing country and corporate based activities were relocated to an off-shore shared service centre. Additional value was to be tracked and realised by leveraging wage differentials, shared learning and economies of scale. Our proven track record in delivery, creation and management of appropriate, rigorous project management disciplines - and the ability to become fully embedded as a trusted member of the client’s team - were all instrumental in our appointment.
Chaucer's scope
Provision of rigour and discipline through our unique planning process - including early identification of critical activities requiring management intervention.
Development of work scopes, work breakdown structures, detailed planning and resourcing, progress tracking, management reporting and project assurance.
Program management for co-ordination and management of a large number of interfaces and interdependencies.
Working with functional, technical and change management leads.
Designing and implementing a robust project controls environment, including detailed reporting.
Risk and issue management and workshop facilitation.
Definition and tracking of program budget. Cost challenges to optimise the budget.
Benefits
From the position where the previous program had been cancelled, Chaucer was able to quickly establish new program and project management rigour and a clear reporting structure based around a new ‘lean’ team.
Our ability to work on an international basis, along with our skills as project management experts, brought tangible results quickly and efficiently, engendering confidence in the program overall. Pilot project activity in one country was quickly templated and cascaded into other territories.
The internal program manager was appointed rapidly into a stable environment and a full handover took place with the Chaucer Consultants - ensuring no reduction in operational performance.
Our client was very satisfied with program and project success and our work was shared and utilised in other areas of
their business.
Chaucer succeeded where a very major international management consultancy had failed.
