The effectiveness of planning for success was recently demonstrated across 259 Costa Coffee stores nationwide by leading Island-based EPOS solutions company, WRS Systems.
The requirement from Costa was to undertake the upgrade of existing terminals to new Oxhoo Indigo units running software from Datasym UK. Importantly, all new terminals had to be implemented and old terminals decommissioned without any disruption to trading. Added to this, the whole project had to be completed within a reduced timeframe at some of Costa’s busiest stores and in the run-up to the important festive trading period.
WRS Systems are recognised as the sole EPOS provider to Costa Coffee, supporting over 4,000 terminals across the Costa estate. The project was led by WRS Systems IT Director Chris Jackson and Richard Hawkins, Implementation Manager with support from WRS Systems’ operations and Logistics teams.
The approach adopted by WRS Systems pre-planned all stages, including equipment testing and ‘hot staging’ at the company’s dedicated facilities on the Isle of Wight. This enabled systems imaging and advanced system set-up, including store-specific configuration to be completed prior to equipment being delivered to the 259 stores covered under the upgrade programme.
Importantly, the team from WRS Systems worked closely and in full collaboration with Costa and delivery partner Celestra throughout the project and supported installation in the field remotely, through their professional technical and support service teams.
Up to 18 stores were upgraded each evening with the project being completed in a little over 30 days – and ahead of schedule.
Martin Haverson, Head of Store Solutions at Costa, says:
“It has been a truly successful project and reflects the planning and coordination from all those involved at WRS, Celestra and Costa, including the engineers in store and the store teams during their busiest period of the year. A job well done by everyone.”
Article continues below this advertisement
Richard Hawkins, WRS Systems Implementation Manager concludes:
“WRS, Costa and Celestra worked tirelessly to achieve the successes seen with this rollout, it is from this hard work and commitment that we completed the project ahead of schedule and ensured all stores were operating at maximum capacity in time for Christmas. Something that also reflects the confidence any retail or hospitality outlet can have in our abilities to deliver.”
How about getting the toilets sorted out in Costa. Newport i.o.w. Sometimes looks like fat Harry’s fish shop.