Evolve, a provider of managed network solutions and IT services, has played a critical role in Asda’s strategic expansion. Following Asda’s £600 million acquisition of 116 petrol forecourt sites from the Co-op in 2022, the retailer faced the challenge of delivering a consistent and efficient customer experience at these new locations.
To address this, Asda required cutting-edge technology and reliable managed connectivity services. Evolve stepped in to provide the necessary infrastructure, ensuring customers benefit from a seamless and dependable experience across the expanded forecourt network.
“The fuel forecourt sector is highly competitive, where connectivity is key to success. Asda selected Evolve as it’s connectivity partner thanks to our two decades of extensive experience and expertise in the forecourt sector, and I’m incredibly proud of the service we delivered,” stated Alan Stephenson-Brown, CEO at Evolve.
“A key challenge facing the team was that each of the new sites requiring connectivity faced time constraints, meaning it was imperative for our engineering and development teams to tailor the connectivity solution to fit the deadline. We are well-versed in the dynamic nature of the market and the importance of keeping pace with its customers, and were able to deliver the Asda solution ahead of schedule.”
Evolve’s fully managed network solutions, including SD-WAN, connectivity, guest Wi-Fi, and links to third parties such as point-of-sale (POS) vendors and fuel tank polling, are vital for the smooth operation of forecourts. Evolve provided a secure network capable of supporting fuel sales, retail operations, third-party services, and guest Wi-Fi.
“We approached Evolve with this project as we knew it was a big ask to get everything up and running with limited downtime. The team got round this by setting the sites up to run on 4G/5G to ensure they remained operational. Temporary communications for installations were also used at the beginning of the project, and overnight installations were carried out to minimise disruption to operations,” said Ashley Cowley, Asda Technology Senior Manager for Express Stores.
“Evolve managed the entire project from start to finish, and we now have a new tech stack that’s been specifically designed with point-of-sale, and all other connectivity-dependent elements in mind. Evolve’s solution will enable us to operate more efficiently while streamlining operations and reducing downtime in future.”
Through its investment in fully managed network solutions, Asda’s forecourts can now collect valuable data and analytics to make more informed decisions, allowing it to customise its offerings.
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