DEPARTMENT STORE
Executive Summary
Industry: Retail
Technology: Cisco Wireless,
Network Equipment, Cable
Management, MOH Devices,
Energy Management,
Accumulators, People Counters,
Printers, POS Devices
Location: Plano, TX
Number of Employees: 116,000
Business Challenge: Initially
this retailer used a company who
over-promised and under-delivered,
leaving them in a bad situation.
With a nationwide project of
network refreshes, this top retailer
needed to find a way to meet its
deadline.
Business Result: The retailer
has a wireless network that can
support all their mobile traffic in the
deadline they had internally set.
National Department Store Chain Network Refresh & Install
Background Information
Known for apparel and home furnishings, this company is one of the nation’s largest retailers. Since 1902
this retailer has grown to over 1,100 department stores in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. They were seeking
a technology partner to refresh its wireless network, Comm-Works completed the proposal with full confidence in its ability to provide the products, resources and support for a successful installation. The retailer
required a wireless network that would allow it to be more flexible and resilient in its store planning, such
as with the placement of point-of-sale (POS) systems and the evolution of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).
Business Challenge
Although Comm-Works was among the final choices for this large project of network refreshes, this retailer
decided to pursue the project with a different IT Integrator based on a lower price. By over-promising and
under-delivering, the initial IT Integrator was eventually given a diminishing role with only a small portion of
the project complete. This left the retailer with 800 nationwide locations, unfinished and with a time-frame
of only 100 days.
The Comm-Works Solution
With short notice, Comm-Works was asked to join the effort where the previous partner left off, to help get
the project back on track and on-time. Comm-Works jumped in by correcting the work that had been completed by the previous company in 19 locations. Comm-Works was so effective in their performance that
the scope increased to an additional 301 locations nationwide.
© 2014 Comm-Works Holdings, LLC. All rights reserved.
www.comm-works.com
DEPARTMENT STORE
The remaining 499 locations were divided amongst four additional companies.
The four-phase project included the installation of:
• Wireless systems at stores of varying sizes and environments, from suburban and metropolitan
outlets to those in small, remote locations
• A total of 3,707 Cisco access points
• 3,000 Cisco switches, routers and firewalls, patch panels, battery backup power units
and cabinets
• 1,000 music-on-hold devices, energy management accumulators, people counters, printers
and POS devices
The service Comm-Works provided in completing the four phases of the installation were:
• Staging and configuration
• Deployment
• Installation
• Project Management
• Site Surveys
• Infrastructure
Comm-Works came in to pick up the pieces left by the previous partner as well as coordinated with four
additional partners that the client enlisted to handle other aspects of the project. These elements presented
delayed equipment, resources and schedules. Site surveys and infrastructure changes were also not initially
part of the project. Due to the great distances between access points many of the locations current cabling
systems were unable to support their desired network.
Comm-Works worked around the clock to ensure the project was completed on schedule. Because various
IT integrations were involved, Comm-Works utilized exceptional project management skills, constant communication, and technology expertise to promote exceptional collaboration. In order to stay on schedule,
Comm-Works provided a 24–hour on site presence at the retailer’s headquarters. In times of need, CommWorks had 30 full-time employees focused on just this project alone.
Results & Value
As a result, the retailer learned that quality should always come first, especially when handling the complexities of a large-scale technology deployment project. Despite the project’s initial setbacks, Comm-Works was
able to ensure the retailer’s internal deadlines were met, by utilizing flexibility, human capital, exceptional
project management skills, constant communication and technology expertise to promote collaboration between the partners, resulting in thorough discussion and a thoughtfully devised plan.
The improved wireless network enables the retailer to meet the mobile technology expectations of the customers and employees. They are now able to be more flexible and resilient regarding store planning, such as
with placement and mobility of point-of-sale systems.
© 2014 Comm-Works Holdings, LLC. All rights reserved.
www.comm-works.com
DEPARTMENT STORE
“Collaboration played a significant role in the success of this project,” states the retailer. “With twice daily
calls to our offices, as well as a daily call between all five partners, Comm-Works made sure that all gaps
were identified while on site.”
When the original partner was not able to complete the work, Comm-Works came through and picked up the
pieces, ensuring that the retailer’s internal deadlines were met. Through this deployment, Comm-Works was
able to prove to the client that they have both the human capital and internal project management resources
to complete large-scale projects. In turn, the retailer has continued to reach out to Comm-Works to review
additional deployments.
About Comm-Works
Comm-Works operates in a manner that removes the burden from the end customer. By offering all-encompassing services on a multi-site basis, the need to coordinate multiple services and projects at once is
eliminated. With Comm-Works’ scalable and repeatable processes for all locations and expertise in project
management, no project falls behind schedule or exceeds the budget. With 20,000+ Service Partner technicians worldwide Comm-Works has 24/7/365 support and on site capabilities in 4 hours or less.
© 2014 Comm-Works Holdings, LLC. All rights reserved.
www.comm-works.com