Inventory Verification & Transaction Support

Challenge:

A leading regional retailer required an independent inventory verification exercise following the acquisition of retail operations across five countries in Asia. The engagement involved validating inventory across more than 200 stores and over 500,000 inventory items within a highly dynamic retail environment.

The assignment presented significant logistical and operational challenges, including the absence of a single source of truth for inventory data, varying systems across jurisdictions, and the need to reconcile inventory balances overnight before daily trading activities resumed.

Key Challenges:

• Large-Scale Multi-Country Operations: More than 200 stores spread across five countries required a coordinated and consistent inventory verification approach.
• Inventory Complexity: Over 500,000 inventory items needed to be physically verified and reconciled against multiple inventory records and systems.
• No Single Source of Information: Inventory information was maintained across various platforms and records, creating challenges in establishing accurate balances.
• Limited Count Windows: Physical stock counts could only be conducted after store operating hours, requiring precise planning and execution.
• Phased Counts for Large Stores: Larger retail locations required inventory verification over multiple nights whilst maintaining business continuity.
• Tight Reporting Timelines: Inventory positions changed daily, requiring overnight reconciliation and rapid reporting to management.

Solution:

Our leadership team managed and coordinated a large-scale inventory verification across five countries, supported by centralised project management and reporting from the UAE.

The engagement included:

1. Mobilising more than 300 professionals across multiple jurisdictions to execute inventory verification activities.
2. Developing a customised barcode-scanning application to improve count efficiency, data capture and reconciliation accuracy.
3. Implementing detailed store binning methodologies, with stores segmented into defined aisles, sections and count zones to ensure complete inventory coverage and accountability.
4. Uploading store-level inventory data into the application on the day of each count to enable real-time comparison between physical quantities and recorded balances.
5. Performing immediate reconciliation procedures following counts and conducting recounts for material discrepancies before finalisation.
6. Establishing centralised project management, quality assurance and reporting protocols to ensure consistency across all countries.

Findings & Outcomes:

• Successfully completed inventory verification across more than 200 retail stores in five countries.
• Validated over 500,000 inventory items within demanding operational timelines.
• Identified and reported damaged, lost and other exception inventory categories requiring management attention.
• Delivered reconciled store-level inventory reports within one day of completion of each count.
• Conducted targeted recounts for material variances, enhancing confidence in the final inventory position.
• Maintained consistent execution and quality standards across a workforce exceeding 300 professionals.
• Provided consolidated inventory reporting and management information across the entire acquired store network.

Value Addition Beyond the Review:

• Designed and deployed a technology-enabled inventory verification solution tailored to the scale and complexity of the engagement.
• Established centralised reporting and governance structures, enabling management to monitor progress across all jurisdictions in real time.
• Delivered a comprehensive management presentation and consolidated inventory reconciliation report to support post-acquisition integration and decision-making.
• Provided actionable insights into inventory discrepancies, damaged stock and inventory control opportunities across the acquired operations.

Conclusion:

Through a combination of technology, disciplined project management and large-scale cross-border coordination, the engagement delivered an accurate and independently verified inventory position across a complex retail network. The successful execution of the programme provided management with timely, reliable inventory information to support acquisition, integration and operational decision-making across five countries.