Growing complexity and risk
Over time, the STEP implementation had become heavily customised. Bespoke logic had been introduced to meet local requirements and specific use cases, resulting in a solution that was difficult to evolve. Changes to data models or configuration required specialist intervention, slowing delivery and increasing reliance on technical expertise.
These customisations also introduced increased risk. Platform upgrades were harder to adopt, as existing bespoke components had to be carefully assessed and reworked. This limited the organisation’s ability to benefit from new standard capabilities and increased the cost and complexity of ongoing support.
From a governance perspective, the level of customisation made it harder to apply consistent ways of working across markets. While the platform continued to support day‑to‑day operations, it was no longer aligned with RS Group’s ambitions for automation, standardisation and scalable growth.
RS Group recognised that without intervention, technical debt would continue to grow. They needed to simplify the platform, reduce unnecessary customisation and establish a more sustainable product data foundation.
Phil Scully, VP Digital & EMEA Technology, RS Group commented: “Our STEP platform had become heavily customised and increasingly difficult to change. We brought Amplifi in to help us simplify that complexity and move back to standard, supportable ways of working that we can scale as an organisation.”
Solution
Assessing the existing STEP implementation
Amplifi worked closely with RS Group’s digital, data and technology teams to define a clear modernisation approach. The focus was on addressing the underlying causes of complexity, rather than simply migrating the existing solution as‑is.
The engagement began with a structured assessment of the current STEP implementation. Amplifi reviewed data models, workflows and integrations to identify where custom logic duplicated standard platform capabilities or created avoidable risk. The incumbent solution was lacking workflow, relied heavily on manual processes, and carried technical debt due to customisations around exports and reporting.
Defining a simplified and governed target design
Based on this assessment, Amplifi supported RS Group in defining a simplified and standardised target design. This included agreeing where out‑of‑the‑box functionality should be adopted, where configuration was appropriate and where custom development should be avoided to protect long‑term supportability.
Governance was a core part of the approach. Amplifi worked with internal stakeholders to ensure that the redesigned platform supported consistent ways of working across markets, while still allowing controlled flexibility where required. Decisions were made collaboratively, balancing immediate business needs with long‑term platform health.
Delivery and SaaS migration
With the target design agreed, Amplifi supported the migration to a SaaS‑based STEP environment. This involved preparing data structures, validating data quality and ensuring that legacy complexity was not reintroduced during delivery.
Amplifi collaborated closely with RS Group for the end‑to‑end duration of the programme, from discovery through design, build, test and go‑live deployment. Development cycles were iterative, and regular demos provided continued feedback on the emerging solution, building confidence as the programme progressed towards go‑live.
Throughout the programme, Amplifi provided both strategic guidance and hands‑on delivery, helping RS Group make informed decisions that reduced future risk and enabled a more resilient product data platform.
Results: A modern, global STEP platform built for scale
The modernisation delivered a simpler, more sustainable product data foundation. By reducing customisation and migrating to a standardised SaaS platform, RS Group significantly reduced technical debt and improved the platform’s ability to evolve.
Christian Horn, Product and Supply Chain Exec Sponsor, RS Group commented, “The modernisation and standardisation of our product data platform is a key enabler to accelerate and optimize the management of our expanding product offering across more than 30 markets. With Amplifi’s support in migrating to a SAAS-based environment and a modernized data chain, we now have a platform for scalable and sustained growth and range expansion.”
RS Group is now live with a modern global solution using out‑of‑the‑box configuration only, delivering high levels of automation and providing a platform for scalable and sustained growth and range expansion. Core processes are now governed through workflow, creating a trusted and well‑governed foundation for enriched product data.
Key outcomes included:
- A modern global STEP platform using only standard configuration
- High levels of automation supporting scalable growth
- Core product data processes governed through workflow
- Fully automated translations using out‑of‑the‑box STEP frameworks and integrations
- Quarterly upgrade cycles, enabling RS Group to benefit from the latest SaaS enhancements and features
Post‑delivery, the STEP platform is easier to operate and change. Standard capabilities can be adopted with confidence, reducing the effort and risk associated with upgrades and improving long‑term supportability.
The engagement helped RS Group reset how its product data platform supports the business. Rather than working around legacy constraints, teams can now build on a modern, governed foundation aligned to their future ambitions.
As Phil Scully, VP Digital & EMEA Technology, RS Group concluded: “We needed a partner who could operate across the full data chain, Amplifi stood out as true data specialists. They didn’t simply implement STEP, they designed and delivered the foundations that make product data reliable, governed and operationally usable at global scale.
What we valued most was Amplifi’s ability to combine strategic direction with hands‑on delivery, translating our requirements into a solution that supports consistency and automation across markets. That end‑to‑end capability gave us real confidence in our ability to scale.”
In need of a product data management platform that’s capable of scaling with your organisation’s evolving priorities?
Read Amplifi’s guide to Leveling up with MDM below, or speak to our data experts to discuss how we can help simplify your data landscape and support long‑term growth. Get in touch here.
