Finding the Right HCM for a High-Growth Retail Organization

Client Background

This client is an operator and support center for an international chain of independently owned stores, most of which are in the US. They currently have more than 4,000 employees in the US and continue to experience significant growth, both organically and through mergers and acquisitions.

The Challenge

As the client scaled, their existing HCM platform, used to support corporate headquarters and corporate-owned stores, began to create operational bottlenecks and could no longer support the complexity of their growing workforce. With a workforce of over 4,000 employees, 85% of whom are hourly across multiple jurisdictions, the absence of critical structural features such as effective dating and automated position management created a significant administrative burden.

This forced the HR team into a reactive mode, focused on manual data entry and urgent compliance fixes rather than strategic growth and new initiatives.

Client Profile

• Operator and support center for an international chain of retail stores.
• More than 4,000 employees in the US alone, with many more around the world.
• Experiencing continued growth, both organically and through M&A, domestically and globally.

The Project

True digital transformation is rarely linear. HRchitect first engaged with the client in mid-2023. When internal leadership changes required a strategic pause at the final selection phase between two top-tier vendors, HRchitect remained a steady resource until the client was ready to move forward.

When the project resumed in early 2026, HRchitect leveraged prior discovery work to move with speed, refreshing the requirements to reflect the current state.

HRchitect’s primary objective was to conduct a Market Revalidation, benchmarking the two finalists from 2023 against the evolved HCM landscape. This dual-track approach ensured the continued viability of the previous frontrunners while introducing a third high-potential contender. As a result, a competitive shortlist consisting of Darwinbox, Paylocity, and UKG Pro was brought together.

To ensure the selected solution could handle the client’s unique multi-state complexities, HRchitect facilitated rigorous, full-day scripted demonstrations. The process culminated in a Vendor Fit Report validating that all finalists met over 98% of the client’s 500+ requirements. This report provided a data-driven foundation for the final selection.

Key Benefits

• Strategic blueprinting: HRchitect translated fragmented operational pain points into a cohesive future-state roadmap, ensuring no critical compliance or functional gaps were overlooked.
• Market navigation: By serving as a strategic filter for the HCM landscape, HRchitect empowered the client to bypass vendor marketing and identify three viable options, including the ultimately selected platform, Paylocity, which aligned closely with the client’s scalability needs.
• Risk & cost mitigation: HRchitect’s oversight during the due diligence and contract phase protected the client’s interests, securing favorable terms and ensuring the vendor was equipped for a secure, multi-state implementation.

The Results

As a result of the engagement, the client selected Paylocity as their vendor of choice. HRchitect served as the strategic intermediary during the final evaluations, facilitating a transition from legacy system constraints to a modern, configurable solution that will scale as they continue to grow and bring far greater administrative efficiency.

By leading the initial contract review and partnering with the client’s procurement team, HRchitect secured competitive pricing and client-centric terms. HRchitect’s expertise ensured the client selected a dynamic solution that scales alongside their growth strategy, leveraging automated organizational management and culture-centric experience to drive workforce alignment.