At Digicel Group’s retail locations in Turks & Caicos Islands, the company needed to clear up the hardware clutter at their point-of-sale counters. At the same time, they needed to be sure that sales staff had the processing power to process their wireless customers’ transactions as well as enterprise-level software. They turned to Cybernet to find what they needed: a keyboard PC that had the power and reliability, and a zero footprint – the ZPC-GX31.
The Customer
To become one of the fastest-growing cell phone companies in the world, Digicel Group of Kingston, Jamaica, provides state-of-the-industry communications in places where telecom infrastructure has historically lagged. Across the Caribbean, Central America and the South Pacific, more than 10 million subscribers in 32 countries rely on Digicel for their mobile telephone service.
The Business Challenge
Recently, the company decided to improve customer service and increase sales of handsets and accessories in the Turks & Caicos Islands by opening and managing a number of company-owned retail stores. In the process, they displayed their skill at leveraging technology for business success by choosing computers that will save space in the point-of-sale environment and deliver the performance they need, now and for years to come.
The CEO at Digicel Turks & Caicos Islands, E. Jay Saunders, sets high standards. In fact, that’s one reason Digicel has succeeded in each market it’s entered. For the computer setup in the new stores, E. Jay set two mandatory requirements. One, he wanted space saving computers to create a clean, high-tech look for customers as well as to minimize workspace clutter. Second and even more important, they would have to offer high performance with superior reliability. This would ensure the computers could handle future editions of industry software that always demand more computing resources, while minimizing downtime and the resulting operational headaches.
The Cybernet SolutionA thoroughly modern CEO, E. Jay keeps an eye on technology publications to stay abreast of trends that can make his company more successful. While planning the retail roll-out, he recalled reading of a manufacturer and product that might meet his two requirements,
Cybernet Manufacturing and their
ZPC-GX31 all-in-one computer that features a powerful processor inside the keyboard unit.
E. Jay first considered a touchscreen monitor with an integrated processor. But because a typical service contract requires so much information, and entering all that on a touchscreen would be time-consuming and impractical, he realized his sales associates needed a keyboard. With the
ZPC-GX31 all-in-one PC he could give them a keyboard, and because it has an integrated processor he could still eliminate the largest potential component, the bulky desktop box. The
ZPC-GX31 also had all the connections necessary to hook up the monitor, scanner, receipt printer and server that would complete Digicel’s system.
He also considered using netbooks to save even more space, but found they did not offer the computing power to do what he wanted right now, much less in the future when he would need to run apps that will be even more resource hungry. So for a small footprint and performance to spare, the
ZPC-GX31 all-in-one PC gave him the best available combination.
Key ResultsThe company purchased 10
ZPC-GX31s, with the first one set up at their Turks & Caicos headquarters in a retail store mock-up created for training purposes. E. Jay, his managers and in-store staff all liked the machine right out of the box, because it was easy to install, performed flawlessly and looked great. After that success, the retail roll-out quickly moved forward and Digicel continued to buy more ZPC-GX31 units and deploy them in the field.
“I like them quite a bit,” said the understated E. Jay, reflecting on how the power and reliability of the
ZPC-GX31 small pc from
Cybernet made the IT function one of the smoothest-running elements of their expansion. Not only are they saving space in his retail stores, the computers have continually provided the computing power to handle each generation of demanding new software, and four years after the first units were deployed, more than 8 of every 10
ZPC-GX31 units Digicel purchased are still in service on a daily basis.
