Time IS Everything: Watches of Switzerland’s Leap their IT strategy ahead with Managed SAP BTP

Client Overview

Watches of Switzerland is a renowned luxury retail group that has grown from a family business into a publicly listed company, with an ever-expanding footprint across the UK and the US. As the Head of Business Systems, Glenn Bamford has overseen the company’s digital transformation journey for over two decades, helping the group adapt its IT infrastructure to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving retail landscape.

The Business Challenge

Watches of Switzerland faced several key challenges:

• Legacy Systems: A reliance on on-premise ECC6 systems and bespoke middleware built in-house.
• Limited IT Resources: With a lean IT team, scaling to meet business demands for faster project delivery and modern integrations was difficult.
• Unused Investments: The group had purchased SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) credits but struggled to extract value from the platform due to internal skill gaps and competing priorities.
• Futureproofing Requirements: The company wanted to adopt cloud-based technologies while remaining flexible about future ERP decisions, whether transitioning to SAP S/4HANA or exploring alternative platforms.

To support its growing IT landscape, Watches of Switzerland initially invested in an SAP BTP environment to enable integration, application development, and digital innovation. However, a lack of in-house expertise in managing and optimising the platform led to underutilisation. This resulted in significant unused BTP capacity and higher-than-necessary costs, limiting the return on investment.

Engagement Overview

Watches of Switzerland partnered with Bluestonex to transition to a Partner Managed SAP BTP model (Parter Managed Cloud). Under this model, Bluestonex took over responsibility for managing SAP BTP credits, resource allocation, and infrastructure support. This allowed Watches of Switzerland to shift from an internal, self-managed approach to an expertly managed environment- enabling them to focus on core strategy. Bluestonex also provided tailored guidance to ensure the SAP BTP environment was fully aligned with the retailer’s business objectives.

Engagement Benefits / Outcomes

Since moving to the Partner Managed SAP BTP model, Watches of Switzerland has:

• Maximised BTP Value: Freed from managing credits and technical configurations, the team can focus on business-critical projects rather than platform upkeep.
• Streamlined Fiori Applications: All Fiori apps have been successfully migrated to the cloud, enhancing performance and improving the user experience. This shift has also mitigated risks by deprecating outdated on-premise servers.
• Strengthened IT Resilience: With Bluestonex providing expert advice and acting as a strategic partner, Watches of Switzerland has built a foundation to support future growth and innovation.
• Futureproofed Infrastructure: BTP’s agnostic capabilities ensure that the integration framework remains relevant, regardless of the ERP platform chosen in the coming years.

Why Bluestonex Was Right for the Job

Bluestonex’s expertise in SAP BTP management and optimisation made them the ideal partner for Watches of Switzerland’s transformation. Their proven track record in delivering cost-effective and scalable solutions, combined with a deep understanding of SAP technology, ensured that the retailer’s investment in BTP was maximised. By tailoring the Partner Managed SAP BTP model to meet Watches of Switzerland’s unique requirements, Bluestonex demonstrated a commitment to driving tangible value and supporting long-term growth.

This partnership exemplifies how Bluestonex can help businesses unlock the full potential of SAP BTP through expertly managed solutions.

“The partnership with Bluestonex is not just about technology. They act as an extension of our team, bringing innovation and expertise that we lack internally. With their support, we’ve been able to make strategic moves towards modernising our systems while remaining agile for the future.”

“Partner Managed Cloud (PMC) has been successful in terms of value for money. We’re not paying for all the credits up front anymore, and it scales as we need it, which is a lot more organised and controlled than where we were”

-Glenn Bamford, Head of Business Systems at Watches of Switzerland.

Next Steps

With the foundational work completed, Watches of Switzerland is poised to expand its adoption of SAP BTP services, integrating more business processes and scaling globally. The group’s flexible and secure cloud-first approach will support its ambitions to remain a leader in luxury retail.