Food
retailer Southern Co-operatives has signed a three-year deal with
virtual network operator Sirocom for its Retail Application Network
(RAN) service.
The service is
designed to allow the centralisation and prioritisation of
applications, including e-mail, stock management, electronic
delivery notes, price promotional control, IP CCTV, Chip and Pin
authorisations and Pay Point transactions, using a single broadband
IP network. It will replace Southern Co-operatives’ current ISDN
system, which is managed in-house.
Southern
Co-operatives IT manager Paul Sargeant said, “Competing in the
retail sector, we need a modern infrastructure that can adapt
according to customer demand, and free resource to explore exciting
new applications that add value to our organisation.”
Sargeant said that
Southern Co-operatives had decided on a virtual network operator
because it offered more commercial and technical flexibility.
“We wanted the
reliability of a managed service but with the flexibility of an
in-house solution. The virtual network operator model commits us to
no single carrier or technology, meaning the network can flex and
change with our business needs, enabling our in-house team to
introduce new and exciting services that add value.”
The RAN service is
expected to improve processing times for credit card authorisations
and Pay Point transactions.
“With real-time
information available we’ll be able to improve stock management
within the business. This will not only improve customer service
and satisfaction, but also increase profitability,” Sargeant
said.
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