Hills Partners with Cognizant to Drive Digital Transformation

SYDNEY, Sept. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hills Limited (ASX: HIL) today announced that it has embarked on a digital transformation programme in partnership with Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH), a global professional services leader, to revitalise the company's e-commerce capabilities and improve core business processes, customer engagement, and operational efficiencies.

Hills is focussed on the distribution of technologies that 'connect, entertain and secure people's lives'. With a strong presence in security, audio-visual, communications and health markets, Hills has positioned itself as a 'one-stop shop' for integrated building technology solutions, targeting industry verticals such as health, education, banking, and government infrastructure.

Cognizant will leverage its digital strategy, design, and technology capabilities to develop an e-commerce platform that will provide the customers of Hills with 24x7 real-time inventory and self-service capabilities, including customer statements, invoices, pricing, online payments, and delivery information. Cognizant will implement a managed service model to enable Hills to improve operational agility and lower costs, while re-deploying savings to fund investments in innovation for growth. Hills believes it will allow staff to be more engaged with customers and vendors, and create a stronger platform to promote vendor products.

"The digital transformation initiative is integral to our 'back to growth' strategy," said David Lenz, Chief Executive Officer at Hills. "The digital experience is critical in our endeavour to transform Hills from a product-centric to a customer-centric company. It's an enterprise-wide transformation that will see Hills exit third-party supply chain arrangements early next year, to take control of our own supply chain – a decision key to the performance of the business.

"The transformation is technology-enabled but it's customer focused. We're improving warehousing and dispatch processes to create a better buying experience, tailored specifically to the B2B market. Cognizant's expertise in systems, technology and business operations will help us create world-class capabilities to better compete in today's digital economy. Customers will see improvements in our level of service, our product range and our engagement in the market," Lenz added.

"Winning in the digital economy requires that business leaders use the latest technologies to improve productivity, consumer experiences, business processes, and core IT infrastructure," said Dr. John Burgin, Head of Australia and New Zealand at Cognizant. "We improve consumer experiences with solutions that integrate human behaviour insights, digital strategy, design services, analytics, IoT services, cloud applications, and interactive content. That — coupled with process expertise, technology modernisation, and as-a-service business model — will allow us to enhance brand differentiation for Hills. We are pleased to be chosen by Hills to help them on their journey to provide even better technology solutions to schools, hospitals, homes and businesses."

The planned go-live date for Hills' e-commerce site is early 2018.

About Hills Limited
Hills is a majority Australian-owned publicly listed company (ASX:HIL), a value-added distributor of integrated technology solutions that connect, entertain and secure people in the environments they trust the most: their homes, schools and universities, hospitals and aged care facilities, workplaces and government institutions. For more information, visit www.hills.com.au.

About Cognizant
Cognizant (NASDAQ-100: CTSH) is one of the world's leading professional services companies, transforming clients' business, operating and technology models for the digital era. Our unique industry-based, consultative approach helps clients envision, build and run more innovative and efficient businesses. Headquartered in the U.S., Cognizant is ranked 205 on the Fortune 500 and is consistently listed among the most admired companies in the world. Learn how Cognizant helps clients lead with digital at www.cognizant.com or follow us @Cognizant.

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SOURCE Cognizant