Modernizing POS Systems and QA Automation for a Leading Specialty Retailer

Overview 

A leading specialty retailer partnered with SkillNet to upgrade its Oracle Retail Xstore POS system to drive long-term agility across its store systems and reduce operational risk. The project also aimed to streamline complex custom workflows and modernize QA processes to support more efficient future upgrades. SkillNet delivered a strategic solution that not only enabled successful deployment but also established a scalable foundation for ongoing technology transformation. 

Business Drivers 

To support continued growth and operational excellence, the specialty retailer launched an initiative to upgrade its Oracle Retail Xstore POS system. The program was aligned with key business objectives: 

• Sustaining Operational Continuity:  

• Enhancing Testing Efficiency and Speed:  

• Driving Technology Modernization 

• Establishing a Scalable Upgrade Framework

Key Challenges 

While the business goals were clear, the complexity of the project introduced several execution-level challenges: 

• Simultaneous Transformation Tracks 
  Coordinating a POS upgrade and tax system modernization required careful planning, as both impacted core store operations and financial accuracy. 

• Early Adoption Complexity 
  As one of the first retailers to implement the latest Oracle Xstore version, the client had to navigate the uncertainty and stability considerations associated with a newly released platform. 

• High Customization Footprint 
  The client’s POS environment included a substantial number of custom features. These required extensive testing and validation to ensure no disruption to business operations during the transition. 

• Obsolete QA Automation Tools 
  The existing test automation framework was no longer compatible with the new platform version, posing a risk to quality assurance cycles unless modernized in parallel.

SkillNet Solution 

To help the retailer meet its modernization and operational goals, SkillNet delivered a strategic, end-to-end solution that balanced business continuity with long-term scalability:

• Seamless Integration of Supporting Systems: As part of the upgrade initiative, SkillNet successfully integrated a new enterprise-grade tax solution, enabling more accurate and compliant tax processing while streamlining financial operations. 

• Modernization of QA Automation: SkillNet replaced legacy framework with a future-ready solution by migrating the current test suite to the new framework. This significantly improved testing efficiency and positioned the retailer for accelerated release timelines. 

• Customized Testing and Validation Framework: Recognizing the importance of maintaining business-specific functionality, SkillNet provided tailored support for end-to-end testing of custom workflows, ensuring operational consistency post-upgrade. 

• Strategic Upgrade Planning: SkillNet collaborated with the retailer to define a scalable upgrade roadmap and best practices framework, enabling more predictable, cost-effective upgrades in line with Oracle’s product lifecycle and business demands. 

Business Benefits 

The successful execution of Xstore POS upgrade and supporting initiatives delivered measurable value across the retailer’s operations: 

• Improved Operational Agility: The upgrade to the new version of Oracle Retail Xstore, combined with enhanced automation will enable the retailer to adopt future innovations more quickly and respond to business needs with greater speed.

• Enhanced Testing Efficiency: The implementation of a modern QA automation platform significantly reduced manual testing efforts, accelerated validation cycles, and improved overall release quality. 

• Optimized Tax Operations: The transition to a new tax solution streamlined compliance processes and improved accuracy in transaction-level tax calculations across the store network. 

• Foundation for Scalable Technology Upgrades: The collaborative planning and delivery model established a repeatable upgrade framework, reducing future implementation timelines and IT overhead while maintaining alignment with Oracle’s roadmap.