WEI Implements Universal In-store ‘Mini PC’ Solution for Multiple Business Use Cases Across National Pharmacy’s 10,000 Stores
Retail Case Study
CHALLENGE
The technology team at a nationwide pharmacy retailer was struggling with effectively managing store environments that employed differing PC devices for each of their store functions. PCs for managers’ offices, point-of-sales controllers, pharmacists’ workstations, digital signage, customer kiosks—all from different OEMs with varying maintenance requirements.
These PCs had very short life cycles—no more than 12 or 18 months—which added to the fragmentation of operational processes and cost of maintaining the solutions. The team was exhausting budgets and resources re-certifying new platforms to maintain compliance as devices were intermittently retired. What’s more, their constant efforts to maintain the equipment prevented them from moving their operations forward and getting new in-store initiatives off the ground.
The in-store technology team turned to WEI for advice on standardizing a single platform to support all use cases in each of their stores. The WEI team determined that existing solutions on the market did not meet their hardware and functionality requirements—they would need a custom solution to meet their business needs without getting locked into a costly and rigid proprietary platform.
SOLUTION
WEI’s engineers partnered with Zotac (a manufacturer of mini PCs) to develop a custom, ‘mini PC’ device that employs industry-standard components, which would support the existing and any future operating systems and applications. The team worked with the manufacturers’ existing model, adding key components and standardizing operating system images to meet the retailer’s unique business goals—running all use cases on a single device in any store environment. The resulting hardware would supplement and eventually replace any existing in-store technologies.
WEI also streamlined the entire operational delivery: the manufacturing, customization, assembly, and fulfillment processes associated with deploying the enterprise-wide solution. The result is a ready-to-use, single-standardized product that supports every use case across the company’s 10,000 stores.
OUTCOME
The pharmacy chain now enjoys a better solution for meeting their objectives at a lower cost than other solutions on the market. The company is also saving on capital and year-over-year operating expenses thanks to the architecture and design expertise of the WEI team. Now, the company can extend the life of the solution without investing in new technology, beyond the typical life span of similar technologies. And thanks to WEI’s fulfillment service, the company was able to activate the devices immediately.
WEI also provided extended protections for both the new technology and the company’s business interests. The solution features an extended warranty and streamlined recourse for getting the devices updated, replaced, or repaired. WEI is providing additional services as needed, including providing locked and sensor-protected cases for the devices in compliance with HIPPA requirements. As an additional security measure, WEI created geo-fences in their store environments so that devices set off an alarm if they are taken from the store premises. They can also be wiped remotely if necessary, as an extra security precaution.
Now, the company is spending the time they saved to focus on new initiatives—many of which stem from the capabilities WEI’s ‘mini PC’ platform provides. As the company changes technologies that connect to the devices—different monitors, keyboards, and peripherals—WEI is available to accommodate while maintaining industry standards. In sum, WEI delivered on the company stakeholders’ vision: a system-wide solution for all of their stores to support multiple business-critical capabilities, no matter future business demand.
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