Case Study: Ashley Stewart achieves retail reinvention and operational turnaround with Dayforce

Ashley Stewart - Customer Case Study

Ashley Stewart, a plus-size women’s apparel chain founded in 1991, fell into steep decline after rapid expansion, ownership turnover and the 2008 recession, culminating in repeated bankruptcies and multi‑million-dollar losses. In 2013 CEO James Rhee rebuilt the business by overhauling culture and operations—closing unprofitable stores, modernizing distribution and technology, and shifting to data‑driven merchandising and e‑commerce—to stabilize the brand and reconnect with customers and employees.

To modernize HR and payroll, Ashley Stewart implemented Ceridian Dayforce in October 2016 for scheduling, time and attendance, payroll and benefits, replacing paper processes and fragmented systems. The single‑database solution gave field managers real‑time data, enabled a paperless benefits enrollment in one week, introduced pay cards so hourly associates received full pay without cashing fees, and streamlined recruiting and onboarding—improving operational efficiency, decision‑making and the employee experience.

Ashley Stewart

James Rhee

Chairman and CEO