The 402-store retailer has revamped its business and warehousing systems with SAP for Retail, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software.

Halfords updates HQ and warehousing IT kit

Computing magazine reports that Halfords replaced "ageing legacy systems" it inherited in 2002 from former owner Boots Group.

The system provides financial, human resource (HR), warehousing and trading processes.

"The cost and risk of upgrading legacy applications that were designed for a very different business so they would perform optimally for the modern Halfords was deemed a step too far," said Brian Scott, the companyÂ’s head of business systems, told Computing.

"The legacy platform was also a shared mainframe, and therefore Halfords took the opportunity to re-platform with a lower cost structure," he said.

"SAP for Retail replaced the vast majority of our head office applications, particularly in the critical area of trading systems."

Halfords’ previous IT systems suffered from "a lack of integration, where a number of complex retail-critical processes could not be supported," said Computing magazine.

Alison Vasey, Halfords business process manager, said the benefits to the business have included greater IT stability, and helping management make the business more responsive.

"The store replenishment capability within SAP is central to the business case for investing in the development of our enterprise technology, improving stock availability for our customers while reducing overall levels of stockholding," she said.

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