The modern car dealerships is a fast-paced environment, and it’s not only the cars which run on full throttle. Demands on the IT team have never been higher as the market becomes increasingly reliant on technology to manage the business, provide excellent customer service and to ultimately drive footfall and sales.
Customers Expectations
Customers now expect guest wi-fi as the norm and being able to connect to a wireless network isn’t enough. They want high-speed access, fast response times and the ability to connect simply and quickly on-demand.
Manufacturer Demands
Manufacturers too are increasingly reliant on wi-fi for the upload and download of technical data, for the display of streaming video in the sales area and to ensure that the customers have the best possible experience when visiting one of their dealerships.
Mobility
Mobility is of key importance within the modern dealership. Fixed desks are being replaced my “hot-desking” zones. The use of mobile devices is on the rise, and more and more core applications are hosted in the Cloud rather than on premise.
Challenges
Controlling multiple sites
Technical innovation is now at the forefront of the modern dealership, and the responsibility for delivering it sits squarely with the in-house IT team who must not only translate the multiple requirements into a single, consolidated design but also deliver it across multiple sites and, in many cases, multiple brands, each with their specific standards.
Network Infrastructure efficiency
Understanding the requirements and formulating the design is not necessarily a challenge for the IT team; after all, they are your technical experts, and this is what they do. Ensuring the infrastructure on any particular site is fit for purpose and capable of supporting any new deployments, however, can be much more of a challenge.
Local Support
By their nature, technical teams tend to be based on a central location, often many miles from the sites they support. New sites may be added through the process of acquisition with the IT team only finding out once the deal is done. As there is rarely a dedicated IT presence on the site, it is not surprising that over time, the underlying network infrastructure may deteriorate to the point that it is not capable of supporting any further developments.
A car dealership is naturally a volatile environment. With heavy vehicles moving around the site, it is not uncommon for data cabling to be damaged. Changes in layout can mean that data outlets are no longer in the position required while comms rooms and cabinets become very untidy over time, often used as storage by non-technical on-site staff or loaded with redundant equipment, in many cases still powered up and running despite no longer being in use.
Outdated WI-FI APs
Wireless access points, installed when Wi-Fi was first introduced as a “nice to have” are now a necessity. However, it is often the case that they are in the wrong position or of insufficient quantity to provide the coverage required. Poor Wi-Fi is the most common complaint of the Site Manager who now also expects that external areas are covered to seamlessly support mobile devices across the whole site.
All of this places an enormous burden on the IT team, tasked with delivering new services to multiple remote sites without the resource to identify and resolve any issues with underlying infrastructure before commencing a new roll out. In the same way that you wouldn’t build a new house on crumbling foundations, so the modern car dealership must ensure that it has a robust network infrastructure across its sites to enable it to keep pace with technical development.
ISG Technology Solutions
Network Infrastructure Experts
As the leading supplier of network infrastructure solutions to the Automotive sector, ISG has developed a comprehensive range of site audit, survey and remedial services to ensure our Customers are capable of evolving their businesses to the next level.
Site Audit
Our site audit services will provide the IT team with a clear report of every cable, outlet and device on site, with documented patching schedules, cabinet layouts and access point locations. Whatever you need to know about your site, we can tell you, in a format agreed with you to enable you to make the right decisions for your Business.
Our Wi-Fi surveys included heat maps of existing coverage, recommendations for the relocation or addition of access points to provide you with the coverage you require. Our nationwide teams of multi-skilled engineers enable us to survey multiple sites very quickly and at a fixed price point regardless of location.
Design, Deployment and Management
And once you know everything about your site, we can help you to resolve any issues with the current infrastructure or work with you to design and deploy a new one to ensure that you can meet the requirements of your stakeholders both now and in the future.
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The cars may be parked but your IT certainly shouldn't be
