Timeline: September-November 2020

Planning a Network Upgrade

Wireless Networking is becoming increasingly important in retail as the amount of technology retailers use in their stores exponentially grows. Per McKinsey, by 2030 an estimated one third of all retail employee activities will be automated through technology. Therefore, retailers need a reliable Wireless Network to support their technology growth.

Spencer was contracted to dispatch technicians to 2,600 stores for a router, switch, and wireless network deployment project for one of its fashion retail clients, ABC Retail. ABC Retail was upgrading their Point-of-Sale to a modern and mobile solution, requiring a stronger in-store network.

After running into challenges with previously contracted vendors managing the staging, configuring, shipping of network kits, and circuit upgrades to the stores, ABC Retail reached out to Spencer to supplement the circuit upgrade.

Spencer was able to support and successfully full-fil the project in three key stages:

  1. Pre-Installation Deployment
  2. Command Center Assistance
  3. On-Site Installations

Pre-Installation Deployment

  1. Success in Canada: While Canada was a difficult region to stage, configure, and ship network kits, Spencer confidently assured ABC Retail of our capabilities handling Canadian activities through our Canadian facility outside of Toronto. Spencer successfully managed the pilot and implemented a rollout of circuit upgrades at 500+ stores in Canada to prepare them for their new Network Solution. 
  2. Servicing the US: After successfully managing the Canadian locations, ABC Retail felt confident Spencer could deliver the same level of service to their US locations. Most locations averaged between 4-12 Wireless Access Points and Routers which were staged, configured, and shipped from Spencer’s US facilities to stores across the country for install by a Spencer Tech – a major success for ABC Retail.
  3.  Safely disposing equipment: Questions arose around what ABC Retail would do with the old network equipment. Some of their concerns were: shipping costs, validation that the equipment was received and disposed of, and zero-landfill. Spencer took on the challenge and stood up 3 facilities (East, Central, and West), then architected a process to ensure equipment was all received in, properly disposed, and reported back properly, achieving zero landfill.
  4. Strong Program: ABC Retail needed to purchase equipment in bulk, but didn’t have the capabilities to store in-house. While other companies presented a lot of hurdles and high pricing, Spencer offered to receive the equipment and store through a strong program later shipping to site for installations.

Command Center

  1. 24/7 support: When it came time for installations, ABC Retail’s staff assisted with daytime deployments, but needed Spencer to supplement the ABC team for overnight installations. To assist, Spencer spun up our Command Center. With 5 Level 2 Command Center Agents, Spencer had representatives on call for every store to verify the installs and walk through necessary steps to complete the Network Upgrades.

On-site Installation

  1. Spencer Techs: While onsite for the installs, technicians recognized the Access Point brackets did not affix to the ceiling as expected and needed additional screws and bolts. Spencer’s W-2 technicians were able to quickly resolve by leveraging their Van stock or stocking up at local hardware stores prior to installs. Although a small adjustment, the flexibility and fast reaction was appreciated by ABC Retail.
  2. Asset Monitoring: To finish the upgrade, Spencer completed Site Surveys post upgrade at each site to verify that the WiFi coverage was as strong as expected.

Spencer’s flexibility, reliability, and scale delivered a successful rollout.

Spencer completed Network upgrades in over 2,600 stores across North America.

A project that originally began with Spencer upgrading the Network with technicians onsite, quickly turned into a success story of partnering with ABC Retail to leverage our facilities, command center agents, and technicians, to create a complete deployment solution.

Due to the partnership, excellent delivery, and solution engineering, ABC Retail chose Spencer to do a number of other projects and continues to be a strategic partner. 

Ready to take advantage of Spencer’s ability to maximize your Wireless Network? Contact us today!