Case: Asset Life Management
End-to-End Asset Lifecycle Management for a Major North American Retailer
Client Profile
Industry: Retail
Employees: 39,000
Annual Revenue: $785 Million
Retail Locations: 865
The Challenge
With nearly 900 stores across North America, this leading retailer faced a growing challenge in maintaining operational uptime while managing the logistics of break-fix support and store closures. Their IT and facilities teams were burdened by the need to coordinate hardware replacements, handle storage and shipping, and dispose of obsolete equipment in a secure and environmentally responsible way.
The client required a centralized asset lifecycle management (ALM) solution that could scale with their store footprint, integrate with their existing ticketing system, and provide full visibility and accountability for every asset — from deployment to retirement.
Our Solution: The ThinkALM Program Powered by ThinkTLS
ThinkTLS implemented a fully integrated ThinkALM solution, supported by ThinkFORCE for field execution and ThinkECO for secure and sustainable end-of-life disposition.
Step 1: Centralized Inventory & Warehousing
Received, organized, and tracked store-level assets, including:
Cash registers, POS terminals, routers, switches
WiFi controllers, access points, servers, workstations
Phone systems and in-store music equipment
Utilized over 160 pallet positions in a secured warehouse environment
Structured as a multi-year engagement under a service-level agreement
Step 2: Integrated Ticket-Based Dispatching
Connected the client’s ServiceNow platform directly to ThinkTLS’ proprietary internal ticketing system
Our ThinkALM Program Management team processes daily tickets and dispatches:
Over 60+ replacement devices per month
Field Engineers for onsite swaps, including elevated work using scissor lifts for ceiling-mounted APs and speakers
Return logistics for damaged or end-of-life equipment
Step 3: Full-Service Store Closure Support
ThinkFORCE teams perform complete shutdowns of approximately 60 retail stores annually, including:
Packing and collecting all technology assets
Coordinating reverse logistics for shipment to ThinkTLS HQ
Devices are tested, reimaged, and restocked for redeployment
End-of-life devices are sent through ThinkECO for R2v3-certified recycling, and ESG credits are issued to the client
Results & Impact
Established a single point of accountability for all IT hardware lifecycle events
Reduced downtime and response delays through automated ticket workflows
Created a circular hardware ecosystem, reducing e-waste and maximizing reuse
Delivered monthly asset performance reports, serialized audit trails, and ESG reporting
Enabled seamless execution of both reactive swaps and proactive store closures
“With ThinkTLS, we gained a partner that doesn’t just manage our assets—they maximize their value and lifecycle. Their ability to move quickly, document every step, and keep our store teams running has been a major operational win.”
— VP of IT Operations, National Retail Chain
Want to simplify your retail IT asset lifecycle while improving sustainability?
Let’s talk. Visit www.thinktls.com or reach out to learn how ThinkALM, ThinkFORCE, and ThinkECO can support your multi-site retail strategy.