Hills’ Digital Transformation Fast-tracked
In Brief
Hills, the iconic Australian brand behind the Hills Hoist, partnered with CTO Consulting to fast-track its digital transformation journey. CTO Consulting condensed what was planned as a six-month definition and vendor selection phase into just eight weeks, using a rapid, vanilla-first approach to requirements gathering and procurement.
As the program moved into execution, CTO Consulting assumed a critical delivery role—managing vendors, driving change, and implementing governance—to ensure the program stayed on budget while simplifying core processes and reducing future operating costs.
Background
Hills has held a unique place in Australian households since 1945. The invention of the Hills Hoist rotary clothesline wasn’t just a commercial success—it became a cultural emblem of practicality and resilience, enduring through generations and even natural disasters, such as Cyclone Tracy. But as the world changed, so too did the needs of modern business.
Hills recognised the limitations of its legacy systems and the opportunity that digital transformation presented. The goal was to implement Microsoft Dynamics Finance & Operations, integrated with Customer Engagement and a suite of SaaS applications. The company needed a partner who could move quickly, bring clarity, and deliver results without the burden of a drawn-out planning cycle.
That’s when Hills turned to CTO Consulting.
Taking Control of Complexity
CTO Consulting proposed a rapid, “vanilla-first” methodology—cutting through complexity with focused workshops and iterative interviews to identify and prioritise business needs. At the same time, a streamlined vendor selection process was launched. Rather than relying on traditional RFPs, CTO Consulting used a collaborative and adaptive approach to guide systems integrators toward a scoped solution and commercial model that met Hills’ requirements.
Once the selection was complete, CTO Consulting transitioned from a strategic partner to an embedded delivery leader. Acting as an extension of Hills’ internal team, they took responsibility for:
Setting up and managing the program office
Driving program and change management initiatives
Leading stakeholder engagement and alignment
Designing best-practice business processes
Coordinating all internal and external delivery teams
Maintaining governance and transparency from board to boots-on-the-ground
Results That Matter
CTO Consulting’s disciplined yet agile approach reduced the six-month planning phase to just eight weeks, putting Hills on an accelerated path to digital enablement. The program was delivered within the original cost envelope, while introducing simpler, more effective processes and laying the groundwork for sustained cost reductions.
CTO Consulting helped Hills reimagine transformation—not as a drawn-out disruption, but as a decisive leap forward. Today, Hills is building on its legacy with the same innovation and resilience that made it an Australian icon.