Major Spar distributor selects Vodat International to improve communications

Major Spar distributor selects Vodat International to improve communications

AF Blakemore, the Spar distributor to some 700 stores across England and Wales, has selected retail communications provider, Vodat International, as its recommended provider of broadband network solutions to independent stores to improve communication between stores and head office.

Eighty stores have implemented the technology, which will allow the stores to communicate easily with the Blakemore systems. The network is fully Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliant, which will result in reduced customer waiting time on all electronic file transfer (EFT) transactions. And it is anticipated that stock ordering for the independent stores will become easier and quicker, which will improve the stores day-to-day running.

Third-party benefits maximise investment

James Lloyd, IT manager at AF Blakemore, said: “We wanted to find a Broadband provider that we could recommend to our independent stores. We looked at many options, including providing the service in-house; building a hosted solution at a secure site; and adding the requirement to our own stores private network. All of these provided working solutions and were evenly matched in terms of commercial and technical benefits.”

Lloyd continued: “They were however, overshadowed by the Vodat solution which provided a dedicated retail solution, tailored to our needs and providing scope for future value adding services to our retailers. It provided scalability from one connection to thousands at a price point that would be acceptable to our retailers. We’ve found Vodat’s technical team to be a real asset to us. From integration of support processes to working with us on key projects, we are finding many ways to maximize the benefits of our Vodat retail network.”

Mike Bielinski, chief executive at Vodat International, added: “Our fully managed network will provide a more cost-efficient solution and meet the communication requirements of the independent stores. AF Blakemore’s ability to be able to access our management systems will allow them to be fully informed when discussing any issues with the users. Our network is a much faster and more reliable service which links stores directly to the AF Blakemore system.”