Overcoming SAP BTP Underutilisation at Watches of Switzerland

For a business built on precision, Watches of Switzerland found its IT landscape misaligned. Despite investing in SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) to modernise and innovate, much of that value sat unused. Legacy systems, limited IT resources, and a lack of in-house expertise left the platform underutilised, which was costing the business.

To break free from this cycle and realise the full potential of SAP BTP, Watches of Switzerland turned to SAP BTP Experts, Bluestonex. By moving to their Partner Managed Cloud model, the retailer tapped into immediate value from its investment, streamlined its applications, and laid the foundation for a more resilient, future-proof IT strategy.

About the client

Client: Watches of Switzerland
Industry: Luxury retail
Headquarters: Leicester, England
No. of Showrooms: 195

Watches of Switzerland is one of the UK’s leading luxury retail groups, with a strong presence across the UK, as well as internationally. The company is renowned for offering high-end watches and jewellery, combining exceptional customer service with a carefully curated portfolio of prestigious brands. With 195 showrooms, the business serves a diverse and discerning clientele, making seamless operations and efficient IT systems critical to delivering a consistent, premium experience both in-store and online.

Business challenge

Watches of Switzerland faced four interlinked problems that were limiting its ability to innovate:

• Legacy SAP estate and bespoke middleware that reduced agility
• A small IT team stretched between maintenance and new delivery
• Purchased SAP BTP credits that remained underused, increasing cost without benefit
• The need to future-proof integrations and stay flexible on ERP strategy

This combination of legacy complexity, constrained IT capacity, and underused technology posed a real barrier to growth. Watches of Switzerland needed a solution that would optimise its SAP BTP environment, free up internal teams, and establish a foundation for scalable, future-ready digital operations.

Engagement and solution journey

Watches of Switzerland partnered with Bluestonex to adopt a Partner Managed Cloud model for SAP BTP. Under this approach, Bluestonex took on platform management responsibilities, handling credits, resource allocation and infrastructure support — while aligning the environment to the retailer’s strategic priorities.

Key elements of the engagement included:
• Transfer of SAP BTP administration to Bluestonex, removing the operational burden from the internal team
• Migration of Fiori applications to the cloud, improving performance and decommissioning ageing on-premise servers
• Ongoing advisory and optimisation to ensure the platform is mapped to business needs and future plans.

The partner-managed model meant Watches of Switzerland could stop “running the platform” and start using it to run the business.

Real impact across the business

The Partner Managed Cloud model delivered rapid, practical benefits. Freed from the daily platform administration, the internal team redirected focus to business-critical projects and faster delivery. All Fiori apps were successfully migrated to the cloud, improving performance and user experience while reducing risk from legacy infrastructure. With Bluestonex acting as a strategic partner, the group strengthened IT resilience and created a scalable foundation for future innovation.

Measuring the impact

Since moving to the Partner Managed SAP BTP model, Watches of Switzerland has realised clear outcomes:
• Maximised BTP value by removing wasted credits and simplifying cost control
• Streamlined Fiori performance and user experience by migrating apps to the cloud
• Strengthened IT resilience through expert platform management and ongoing optimisation
• Future-proofed integration architecture that remains ERP-agnostic and ready for growth

Looking ahead

With the foundational work complete, Watches of Switzerland is now positioned to expand its use of SAP BTP services, integrate more business processes into the cloud, and scale globally with confidence. The partner-managed approach leaves the group flexible on future ERP choices while providing a secure, efficient platform to support its growth.