http://www.gamma.co.uk/news-events/news/american-golf-ups-its-game-with-converged-network-from-gamma/
American Golf ups its game with converged network from Gamma
Date 10/10/2014
American Golf, Europe’s largest golf equipment and clothing retailer, has turned to communications solutions provider Gamma to deploy a next generation data, voice and WiFi network across its 103 stores, headquarters and new Gamma data centre.
The foundation of the solution is Gamma’s multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) WAN, a converged platform that provides American Golf’s stores with low latency access to critical business applications and to Gamma’s cloud voice service, Horizon. In-store WiFi allows customers to use provided tablets to buy from an extended online catalogue.
American Golf’s Head of IT Phil Barker says despite common perceptions there’s a lot more to the game of golf than meets the eye. “A lot of people might not see it but golf is a fast-moving fashion industry all of its own. Our customers expect the best products, the best prices and the best service.”
“For us to deliver we have to be flexible and fast moving and today that means having the best technology across all areas of the business. Gamma helps us achieve that technological edge and more importantly, understands how critical it is for us to maintain that edge.”
David Macfarlane, Managing Director for Gamma’s Network Solutions business said; “All our communications solutions provide real business value and the system for American Golf is a perfect example, improving customer service while driving out complexity and cost.”
This is the second time American Golf has worked with Gamma. The first time it was for the deployment of Gamma’s cloud-based Inbound call handling and routing platform, chosen to allow more coordinated, intelligent and flexible handling of calls to all its retail outlets. This was especially crucial during marketing and advertising campaigns when call volumes can rise sharply.
“We forged a good relationship with Gamma from working on the Inbound project. We got to know and appreciate their skill and professionalism and in turn they developed a deep understanding of our business. So when it came to selecting a provider to upgrade our infrastructure and move our business forward, it was an easy decision,” says Phil Barker.
The Inbound service continues to play an important role at American Golf and, with the roll out of a much wider Gamma network, will be more tightly integrated with the rest of the telephony system. This is now largely based around Gamma’s own Horizon service and its extensive SIP network.
Overall Gamma’s system, by simply replacing a lot of legacy lines and circuits, will deliver operational savings of around 30% believes Phil Barker. He is also quick to acknowledge the extra degree of control it allows. “We’ve gained a fantastic amount of granular control over our network, giving us the ability to mould the network to fit our needs,” he says.
“Retail always has its challenges but by working closely with the Gamma team we have implemented some exciting technology to help move us forward. This includes what I believe to be a class-leading WiFi solution on to enable our in-store Extended Catalogue Range offering.”