Workplace management solution for the retail sector

Crowd Services collaborated with a major group in the fashion retail sector to implement a complete workplace management solution dedicated to the management and maintenance of IT assets at retail locations across Italy and Europe. The goal was to ensure operational continuity and technological efficiency of the entire IT infrastructure, consisting of over 2,130 workstations distributed across approximately 1,450 retail locations, with integrated management of over 8,520 peripherals.

Project goals

The project aimed to:

• Centralize and optimize IT management to ensure consistency in operations across various retail locations.
• Ensure the operational continuity of the technological infrastructure, which is essential for the daily functioning of sales and management activities.
• Reduce intervention times through efficient logistics and quick, competent technical support.

Implemented solutions

To achieve these goals, we developed an integrated solution based on three main operational areas:

Logistics management of devices

We organized an advanced logistics system, with a central warehouse and a network of peripheral warehouses distributed both nationally and internationally.

This system allowed us to ensure the availability of hardware and spare parts, optimizing delivery times and minimizing downtime.

IMAC/R (Install, Move, Add, Change, Remove)

The project included a comprehensive IT asset management service, covering installations, moves, additions, changes, and removals of IT devices.

This flexible approach enabled us to quickly adapt the IT infrastructure to the operational needs of retail locations, ensuring dynamic and scalable management.

Technical support and hardware maintenance

Crowd Services provided continuous technical support for preventive and corrective maintenance of devices, ensuring maximum efficiency and reliability.

The maintenance covered a wide range of devices, including desktop and laptop computers, monitors, local and fiscal printers, tablets, barcode readers, routers, and TVs.

The project required addressing and overcoming various operational and logistical challenges:

1. Geographical distribution: with 1,450 retail locations situated in different European countries, meticulous planning was necessary to ensure uniform and timely service.
2. Diversity of IT assets: managing over 8,520 peripherals and various types of devices required a highly flexible organizational system and specialized technicians for each category of hardware.
3. Tight timelines: it was essential to complete installations and maintenance interventions without interfering with the daily activities of the retail locations.

Results achieved

The project produced significant results, including:

• Improvement of operational efficiency: the workplace management solution ensured uniform and centralized management of IT assets, reducing the risk of malfunctions and optimizing technical processes.
• Reduction of downtime: thanks to advanced logistics and quick technical support, intervention times were minimized, ensuring the operational continuity of the retail locations.
• Adaptability to the needs of retail locations: the IMAC/R service allowed for quick responses to changes and requests, keeping the IT infrastructure aligned with operational needs.

The workplace management project developed by Crowd Services for the retail sector represents an example of how technology and integrated management can significantly improve a company's operations. Thanks to our experience and ability to provide tailored solutions, we were able to support a complex and distributed infrastructure, ensuring the client's retail locations a solid and reliable technological foundation to face the daily challenges of the retail market.