We were excited when a large, high profile, UK-based global fashion retailer contacted us for help.
The Brief
Our client needed to automate a mostly manual, internal systems testing process. They had a huge network of internal systems and databases, and a mix of legacy of modern EPoS systems, that needed untangling and streamlining – a brief that would be beyond most consultancy firms, but we love a challenge and couldn’t wait to get started.
The number one objective for the project was to reduce costs, whilst making the testing process quicker, more efficient and highly accurate.
The retailer had also experienced a security incident a while back so it was important that our solution was robust; it was reassuring for them when one of our testers flagged several security issues that we were able to fix.
A Speedy Turnaround
Our client had been trying to make headway on this project for 10 months both internally and with contractors. They had even been turned down by a contractor who didn’t feel up to the job.
Luckily, they were recommended to 2i and they soon had total confidence in us, both from our enthusiastic can-do attitude, and also our proven track record in delivering bespoke automation solutions made possible by using the revolutionary AssureATF framework we have developed in-house.
They were rolling out a modernised EPoS system across UK and Ireland that would be easier for store staff to use, giving their customers a better experience with shorter wait times and a faster payment process.
Our challenge was to modernise their workflows, evolving testing from manual to automated, consolidating a platform of testing that would be all in one place.
The Results
Having been given a six-week timescale to test their new system, our clients were blown away when we ‘cracked the code’ in just two days, coming up with the right automated testing solution that would meet their needs!
As our tech lead explains, “The major benefit of how AssureATF enables us to approach the proof-of-concept study is how we can hit the ground running and get results almost instantly.”
Listening carefully to our clients and positively responding to their “Is this possible?” requests, we innovatively pushed the tooling’s capabilities to its limits, enabling us to achieve everything they wanted.
"2i have partnered with us to help us build a platform for automation across our landscape and helped us to increase the quality and output of testing services across the business. They have been a huge support in helping us transition to an centralised test function, building testing into our continuous delivery pipeline and helping us move to more of a Testing As A Service model. They will be an important strategic partner for us moving forward."
In our client’s words, “They’ve certainly met and exceeded our expectations, in terms of their assessment of what we asked them to do, and the recommendations they came back with.”
We spent several months rigorously testing their system and automating each of their manual testing processes one by one. We worked closely with their internal testing team, familiarising them with our automation tools and training and upskilling them to use the new automated system confidently and independently.
By the end of that process, in the best possible way they didn’t need us anymore. We’d done our job.
But they did still need their own testing team, they had just evolved the way they needed them as they improved the effectiveness of the testing processes.
As one of our team commented, “People can be resistant to automation and worry about their jobs becoming redundant, but it can actually improve testing opportunities and make their jobs more interesting.”
Working Together
What we do might be high-tech and innovative, at the cutting edge of our industry, but how we communicate with our clients is really important to us. We explain everything clearly, and in language to suit the various stakeholders.
We pride ourselves on being easy to work with, approachable and responsive. Always agile, we give our clients an attentive, personal and value-adding service; whilst we attract and keep the best talent.
"All the individuals at 2i are very knowledgeable about what they do I think this is because they operate at a size that can recruit at a very high level and not dilute their offering. From an operating perspective, they’re flexible enough to deliver value without creating extra unnecessary processes."
Each project is unique and you’ll always get curveballs along the way, but our client appreciated the fact that we always kept them in the loop, we managed their expectations and we hit our key milestones. And we came in on budget which gave them, in their words, great value for money.