Our Customer

The client had an urgent need to upgrade its entire fleet of PCs to the latest version of Microsoft Windows. Their ongoing rapid expansion of business operations across Europe, with large numbers of new retail stores opening, meant they needed standardised systems. It also meant
that maintaining productivity was an important priority, so the migration had to be done as efficiently as possible, with minimal disruption, and to a hard deadline.

Objectives

Through the project Allied aimed to:

  • Upgrade more than 200 PC systems across multiple store locations in 11 European countries
  • Deliver a seamless pan-European retail IT infrastructure as a strategic business enabler
  • Maximise efficiency, minimise costs, maintain ‘business-as-usual’ productivity, and all to a deadline
  • Ensure that no data was lost as part of the migration

Solution

Allied’s tailored service offer to the customer included:

  • Centralised audit of all PC hardware at every site to record key system information
  • Design of a project plan that made the most efficient use of existing assets and human resources
  • Creation of centralised project ‘hubs’ in Italy and the UK as focal points of infrastructure and expertise
  • Use of those hubs to perform system builds and store hardware that was ready for delivery on site
  • Troubleshooting of network latency issues at smaller sites to ensure they didn’t cause delays
  • Rigorous back-up of all user data so that it could be restored as part of the new systems
  • Pre-planning for logistical challenges of intra-continental equipment transfers
  • Iterative re-evaluation of all processes, and identification and pre-emptive resolution of problems

Benefits

After successful implementation, Allied managed to achieve:

  • Over 200 systems successfully migrated across multiple store locations in 11 European countries
  • Clearer central visibility of all IT assets, delivering major efficiencies and improved productivity
  • Easier and faster IT administration and troubleshooting, plus stronger security
  • Major time savings in store thanks to globally-optimised IT systems and no lost data

Keys to success

Through the project, Allied and our customer have achieved:

  • Strong IMAC credentials – The client chose Allied for its strong track record in complex IMAC (installs, moves, adds, changes) projects.
  • 100% accuracy –The overall implementation was managed seamlessly with 100% accuracy.
  • Short time window – The need for continuous trading at each site meant there was limited time for each PC installation.