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Connecting BrandsTop Tips on how your brand can improve staff efficiency,

enhance customer experience and grow revenues through

secure and scalable network solutions

Connecting Brands

Top Tips on how your brand can

improve staff efficiency, enhance customer experience and grow revenues through

secure and scalable network solutions.

Retail, hospitality and leisure brands are constantly seeking

new ways to enhance their connectivity with customers, as

well as their employees and other stakeholders.

In Vodat’s special ‘Connecting Brands’ guide, we outline

our Top Tips on how brands can meet their network

connectivity challenges with scalable and secure

solutions, using real-world customer examples.

To find out how our comprehensive portfolio of network

solutions can help your brand, visit

www.vodat-int.com

“We are a very agile

business and we need

solution providers to move

fast with us. Vodat’s array

of connectivity solutions,

and their ability to provide

rapid and flexible support,

combine to help us meet our

commercial and customer

service goals, wherever our

stores are located.”

Tip 1 – Prepare your network for growth

For brands on a fast-growth path, the question is: how do we ensure that we

have the right network infrastructure in place to support business expansion?

It is vital that the network infrastructure is balanced to meet both the

current and future aspirations of the business, particularly when international

expansion may be on the agenda.

Customer example: Leading lifestyle brand

A premium UK-based lifestyle brand, which designs and sells branded clothing, accessories and homeware, needed new technology infrastructure to support international growth and meet the evolving needs of today’s multichannel consumers.

SolutionVodat implemented and manages all of the client’s MPLS (Multi-protocol label switching) high-performance network communications infrastructure, keeping existing stores ‘always on’ in terms of connectivity. Vodat’s next generation firewall (NGFW) also improves security by giving the company more control and simplifying its network infrastructure.

BenefitsThe infrastructure provided by Vodat enables their client to incorporate a wide range of applications, including connecting in-store EPOS systems to its head office, as well as providing Wi-Fi (in some cases via 4G wireless) connectivity to enable staff to advise customers on stock availability and ‘order in store’ via their tablets. Vodat’s NGFW has also helped to increase the retailers’ network security level.

What the client says

Connecting Brands

“We have been working

with Vodat for a number of

years in the UK. Selecting

them for the Wi-Fi solution

was an obvious choice and

we have been impressed

with the team’s attitude and

dedication.”

Tip 2 – Enable increased customer engagement on premises

Today’s ‘always on’ consumers expect to be able to access the internet and apps on their smartphones and tablets, wherever they are.

To drive customer engagement on premises, brands face the challenge of being able to provide customers with fast, reliable and secure Wi-Fi connectivity that enables them to not only browse on the store’s website while on your premises, but also access their favourite websites and apps.

Lush

Lush, the hand-made cosmetics retailer, wanted a solution across all its stores in the UK to drive customer engagement and educate shoppers around its ethical products and campaigns.

Vodat rolled out an in-store Wi-Fi solution to all Lush’s UK outlets, providing the IT backbone to enable this and consolidating the IT infrastructure. The retailer can balance connection bandwidth between store and customer usage depending on demand. This can mean up weighting stores for staff training or allowing customer devices to stream live feeds from events at other Lush locations.

The in-store Wi-Fi system is enabling the brand to engage with shoppers through digital signage and social media, as well as educating staff on these subjects. It is simplifying and enhancing the customer experience, as well as encouraging shoppers to further understand Lush’s ethos and campaign work.

What the client says

Connecting Brands

“The new system is already

enabling our area, display

and training managers to get

better access to our head

office systems when in-store.

They can now easily connect

to our wireless network,

giving them full and quick

access to all our systems.”

Tip 3 – Drive the highest possible standards of service

The challenge to all brands is how to make customer interaction a more personalised experience for consumers. To achieve that, they need to enable staff to have the right technology to provide the highest standards of customer service - and ensure that customers are directed to the right place to browse and complete purchases.

Customer example: Beaverbrooks

UK jewellery retailer Beaverbrooks needed technology that made the sales process more personal and enabled store staff to complete a transaction with the customer, instead of having to guide them to another part of the store.

SolutionBeaverbrooks selected Vodat for Voice over IP (VoIP) telephony to underline its commitment to offer customers the highest possible level of service. When customers call in, they are directed to the right place and calls are managed more efficiently. Vodat’s solution included the addition of 3/4G wireless back up, upgrading stores with higher bandwidth connections along with a router hardware refresh and wireless access points across its stores.

The system links Beaverbrooks’ area, display and training managers to get better access to head office systems when in store. Easy connectivity to wireless in-store networks gives full and quick access to all IT systems. Hand-held, point-of-sale (PoS) terminals have also been introduced to the main PoS using Vodat’s wireless network.

BenefitsBeaverbrooks has worked with Vodat for over 12 years and continues to see significant business benefits as a result. Customer service, stocktaking and access to data have all improved throughout the partnership.

What the client says

Connecting Brands

“Consolidating and

integrating our network will

make data transfer much

quicker, and improve how

we use data to drive further

revenues. Vodat’s solution

has been instrumental in

helping us achieve this.”

Matthew Sparks, Head of IT

Services at Poundland

Tip 4 – Enable expansion in support of your brand

As retailers and hospitality brands expand, either organically or through acquisition, it is essential that they can grow their network capabilities rapidly, while also ensuring that they don’t dilute brand recognition or values.

Any network expansion or upgrade needs to be done with minimal disruption to the business, while processes remain streamlined and customer-centric.

Poundland

Poundland, one of Europe’s largest value general merchandise retailers, was upgrading its store network following the acquisition of 99p Stores with a managed network solution from Vodat International, the leading retail communications provider.

With ambitious roll-out plans, Vodat updated Poundland’s network model across its store estate at a rate of around 15 per week – including 240 newly acquired 99p Stores, providing the fibre connectivity to support the retailer’s new wholesale management system.

The solution from Vodat used multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) to direct data from the existing network to the cloud. The upgrade ensured all Poundland stores are using asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) broadband, delivering cost savings by streamlining processes and simplifying the company’s data input.

Vodat’s project management expertise and experience in the retail sector enabled the upgrade of Poundland’s legacy systems in the 99p Stores with minimal disruption to operations in-store. The new system is providing Poundland with a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach to network management and supports the brand as it continues to realise its expansion plans.

Connecting Brands

“We were attracted to

Vodat’s offering as they are

the experts in this area. We

migrated across and at the

same time implemented their

Wi-Fi network, a platform

which will allow us to provide

internet access to our

customers as well as giving

us scope for the future with

the potential to introduce

mobile devices (MPoS) in

store.”

Tip 5 – Integrate on-premises and online operations

Customers are increasingly seeking seamless interaction with brands, whether they are on their premises or online.

The challenge for today’s multichannel brands is to have reliable and secure networks to manage their businesses, transferring data between head office and stores, while also ensuring that customers can browse their products online - even while they are on their premises.

Customer example: Hotter

Hotter, the UK’s biggest shoe maker and multichannel retailer with 68 stores, is a multichannel retailer and needed a comprehensive view of the customer at all times, so a secure network capable of managing all its business data was essential.

SolutionVodat provided Hotter with a fully managed multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) network solution, deployed across all the brand’s UK stores, including its concessions, to speed up the transfer of data to head office and stores. As part of the project, Vodat supplied an in-store Wi-Fi network to enable customers to browse the company’s website when in-store.

BenefitsPreviously, it could take up to four days to resolve network failures. Managing its network in-house placed great demand upon the company’s IT resources and was no longer sustainable for its evolving business model. Since migrating across to the Vodat network, any issues are dealt with in a matter of hours. Since go-live the network connection has significantly improved and the company’s IT team can now focus on other areas of the business.

What the client says

Connecting Brands

“The active network

monitoring that Vodat

provides alert us instantly to

problems, allowing us to take

appropriate remedial action,

and the resilience built in

to the network keeps our

critical business areas online

and ahead of the game.”

Mark Keeble, IT Support Manager at BMB

Tip 6 – Get visibility of your network performance

The fast pace of modern commerce means that businesses need greater visibility and control of their network traffic.

Many are adopting active network monitoring to ensure stock is correctly allocated from head office to their premises and enable brands to take remedial action when problems occur.

BMB Clothing (now Baird Group)

BMB Clothing (now Baird Group), one of the UK’s most diverse menswear companies, with brands such as Racing Green and Suit Direct, sought to upgrade its network at its head office locations in Leeds, Goole and Hartlepool.

The company’s existing network was struggling to cope with the increased demands of its growing business, particularly with the radio frequency stock scanning system in its warehouses. The retailer’s existing circuit was also struggling to cope with increased demand and it had no visibility or control over network traffic.

The retailer, which has 170 concessions and 28 of its own stores, upgraded to Vodat’s multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network to meet the demands of business growth and also to help with how stock is allocated from the head office to retail stores.

The Vodat network not only provided the brand with increased bandwidth and the flexibility of adding more when required, but also give the company greater visibility and control of its network traffic through active network monitoring.

What the client says

Connecting Brands

“The communication

enabled through Vodat’s

system is very robust and

gives us much flexibility

within our business. Aside

from their competitive

prices, we also chose Vodat

as our supplier because

of the many people who

work there who have a

background in retail.”

David Bordon, IT Director at SOLETRADER

Tip 7 – Enable secure transactions anywhere on premises

Having staff equipped with tablets to help advise and serve customers is becoming more prevalent.

However, while it is vital that Wi-Fi networks are robust and reliable enough to ensure the best customer experience, they also need to be secure to avoid the risks of external access by hackers.

Customer example: Soletrader

High Street brand Soletrader wanted to securely process transactions through its store checkouts as well as online, giving customers immediate access to both store and online stock.

SolutionSoletrader introduced iPads into all its UK stores with a private Wi-Fi network from Vodat. The network connects in-store iPads to Twinmar’s network, which in turn enables secure payment transactions, such as customer card data, doesn’t touch public Wi-Fi.

BenefitsVodat’s private wireless network communicates with the company’s server to process transactions at any point within a store. Without the solution from Vodat, this would not be possible. The benefits seen by being able to trade securely online were described by the company as ‘remarkable’. Revenue has increased, as has overall reliability and performance of the service that Vodat provides.

What the client says

Connecting Brands

Tip 8 – Make sure networks meet current and future needs

Brands simply can’t stand still, given the ever-changing needs of customers and the highly competitive retail and hospitality landscape.

They also need to do some crystal ball gazing, ensuring that their networks are fit for purpose today, but can also support their operations in the future.

British Heart Foundation (BHF)

With more than 735 retail outlets throughout the UK, the British Heart Foundation welcomes 60 million people to its shops annually. To comply with the rules on Gift Aid, all charities are expected to trace the source and destination of goods sold in their shops.

This data had been obtained by its head office by overnight polling of stores’ electronic cash registers via a variety of leased lines. This was an expensive and inefficient method and BHF was keen to reduce costs and improve reliability.

A thorough analysis of BHF’s requirements resulted in Vodat providing a flexible solution to meet both current needs and adapt to changing future requirements. The system is a fully managed network, providing a more cost-efficient solution to BHF’s communication requirements.

It also provides a foundation to introduce new applications such as EFT processing and ecommerce applications; retail Intranet, workflow and locked down email; innovative and cost-effective Voice over IP and IP Telephony solutions; multimedia applications that help to drive sales in-branch CCTV and Wi-Fi.

The network is private and fully managed meaning all issues connected with the network are dealt with by Vodat.

“Vodat provided a

flexible solution to meet

both current needs

and adapt to changing

future requirements. The

system is a fully managed

network, providing a more

cost-efficient solution to

BHF’s communication

requirements.”

What the client says

Connecting Brands

Tip 9 – Deploy one IT infrastructure for multiple brands

For larger organisations with multiple brands, the challenge is to ensure that networks are integrated and enable sharing of data, infrastructure and resources.

But individual brands also need the flexibility to operate independently to identify and pursue new business opportunities, as well as react to changing customer demands.

Customer example: Aurora

Aurora Fashions was the parent company of some of the UK’s most respected women’s fashion brands, including Karen Millen, Coast, Warehouse and Oasis. It wanted to develop unique, independent brands able to share skills, infrastructure and systems such as distribution, IT and accounting. Network requirements changed dramatically as systems originally designed for all the brands have since been separated.

With each brand growing internationally, Vodat provided bespoke system connectivity and management. Each required a highly resilient IT infrastructure, with staff able to securely access online sales information, supporting click and collect and real-time view of stock.

SolutionVodat deployed a multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network and high-speed internet connection, linking each of the brands’ international sites. The flexibility of the new broadband network enabled the brands to do more than just send data. The guaranteed bandwidth for critical traffic and the low contention ratio of the NGN was perfect for data and video streaming.

BenefitsDesigned from the outset to support Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), as well as the large volumes of retail data being transferred between stores, Vodat’s solution immediately delivered cost savings on telephone charges.

“The flexibility of the new

broadband network enabled

the brands to do more

than just send data. The

guaranteed bandwidth for

critical traffic and the low

contention ratio of the NGN

was perfect for data and

video streaming.”

What the client says

Connecting Brands

“Vodat really understands retail.

We needed a managed network

service provider that could

manage all our requirements, as

well as offer instant and ongoing

support. Their Account Manager

goes above and beyond for us

and is always available on the

phone or email if we need a

direct response to a particular

issue. Security was a key issue

for us in selecting a managed

network services provider. We

wanted the provider to manage

all the connections for maximum

security and control and we were

comfortable that Vodat offered

the best systems to help us

achieve that.”

Tip 10 – Ensure your network is fully supported 24/7

For any brand, IT network downtime almost certainly leads to lost sales, eroded customer loyalty and reputational damage.

It is vital that the right levels of IT support are available 24/7, ensuring that operations and customer experience are never interrupted.

Boodles

Boodles is a premium British jeweller with a focus on design, craftsmanship and service. The company needed a fully managed IT network service looking after every aspect of its systems.

Vodat started working with Boodles in 2013, providing a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) connection in every store and ensuring they were all connected to the same private network. The system is a robust and reliable way for Boodles to run its digital services.

The company required a support team that would be available 24/7, ensuring that its customers’ experience was never interrupted at any point of their journey. Vodat has an exemplary customer support team, including a dedicated Account Manager who is always available to assist.

Vodat’s MPLS network between stores means that all Boodles’ stock items can be viewed instantly via tablet devices, ensuring that the customer has access to the entire bespoke jewellery catalogue, regardless of the location of the item. Sales advisors have access to the full details of each jewellery item via their handheld devices, and never have to leave customers unattended to check stock details or product information.

Vodat has continued to upgrade Boodles’ network, which has led to improved customer service in-store and greater staff efficiency.

What the client says

Connecting Brands

Tip 11 – Ensure your payments are customer focused

Customers across all sectors of retail and hospitality hate queues. Long lines at checkout trigger sales abandonment, erode customer loyalty and ultimately hit your bottom line.

That’s why more and more businesses are looking to harness the latest customer-focused payment solutions to speed customers through checkout, making the experience as frictionless and pain-free as possible.

Customer example: Leading motorway services chain

SolutionThe company chose Vodat, its existing PCI compliance partner, to embark on an ambitious programme, installing contactless payment

terminals at over 100 kiosks across the nationwide network. Vodat worked closely and flexibly with this client, supporting the company on a 24/7 basis to complete the project in 10 months, despite an original timeframe of two years. The new EPOS solution required significant back-office work to change the client’s existing IT network

structure.

BenefitsVodat’s integrated payment terminals now play a key role in the success of this company’s new kiosk strategy, delivering fast and frictionless payments. It has also helped to build brand loyalty among the UK’s motorway users, especially among millennials with 38% saying they prefer electronic self-checkout.

With limited opportunities to further expand its motorway estate, and UK traffic volumes steadily growing year-on-year, one of the UK’s leading motorway services companies sought a fast and frictionless payment solution for tired and hungry motorists who would be driven away by checkout queues.

The company decided to revolutionise its customer fast food ordering process at concessions, by installing multiple self-service kiosks at each of its sites.

Connecting Brands

Contact Vodat today

Vodat works with some great brands. Our scalable

and flexible networking solutions are enabling them to

connect better with employees, customers and other

stakeholders - and we can do the same for your brand.

Contact us now:

T: 0161 406 1820

E: info@vodat-int.com

W: www.vodat-int.com

About Vodat

Vodat is recognised as a leading supplier of private,

managed networks to the UK retail, hospitality and

leisure markets. We provide services to companies with

estates ranging from 10 to 1,000 stores.

Our mission is to deliver fast payback on our customers’

investment in communication technologies through

the delivery of technically and commercially innovative

solutions, backed by exemplary service.

Connecting Brands