Creating a superior in-store network experience for a large French retailer

SUMMARY

In-store advisors at the French company Cuisine Schmidt use tablets for their customers to explore kitchen designs. It’s a level of interactivity that requires high bandwidth and high-performance WiFi, so Cuisine Schmidt looked to invest in powerful wireless network technology. The company also wanted to offer high-quality WiFi connectivity for visitors to the store.

To achieve these goals, Cuisine Schmidt upgraded its WiFi network with NETGEAR Business WiFi 6 access points, including remote cloud management provided by Web’in Informatique, a NETGEAR Business partner. So, whether customers are deciding on the kitchen of their dreams or simply checking their messages and social media, they can now enjoy an impressive in-store digital experience.

CONTEXT

The experience at a high-end kitchen and furniture retailer is so much more than a trip to just any store. When people invest in their indoor space, they want to take the time to make the right choice. That means that in-store connectivity, comfort and hospitality are vital aspects of the customer experience. They also want to have in-depth discussions with customer advisors, and see things like how a new kitchen might look in their home.

That’s why Cuisine Schmidt, a leader in the kitchens market, decided to upgrade to a faster and more reliable WiFi network in its Hagenau and Vendenheim stores. Although their existing systems still work, Cuisine Schmidt wanted better performance — especially for employees who use tablets to present layouts to customers and help them visualise how products will look once they’ve been installed.

Given the amount of time a customer could spend in a Cuisine Schmidt store, it is also essential to provide high-quality WiFi for guests as part of the overall customer experience. Finally, enhancing the network would benefit every employee who connects to the Internet.

EXPERT ADVICE

With all this in mind, Cuisine Schmidt turned to Web’in Informatique, an IT service provider based in Soultzsous-Forêts, France, for advice. With over 20 years of experience, the company has also been a business partner of NETGEAR Business for several years.

Web’in recommended a new network for Cuisine Schmidt stores using NETGEAR Business hardware, including a GS728TP PoE switch as well as four WAX610 wireless access points (powered by PoE) in Hagenau and five in Vendenheim. This hardware meets the WiFi 6 standard, which provides far greater speeds and bandwidth as well as the ability to connect more devices and users simultaneously than previous WiFi standards. Power over Ethernet (PoE) boasts an invaluable benefit — it uses a single Ethernet cable for both power and data, removing the need for additional power cables or access point wires.

What’s more, the solution also includes NETGEAR Insight Pro. This cloud-based network management solution is used to remotely configure and monitor the network, enabling troubleshooting and even reconfiguration. This allows for remote management, makes configuration easier and reduces the need for travel.

CONCLUSION

Installation took place in May 2022 and everything went smoothly. The process took just one day, with a NETGEAR trained Web’in engineer using Insight Pro to configure the network without needing to contact NETGEAR support.

The Cuisine Schmidt stores instantly felt the benefits of faster and higher-quality connectivity, with the reassurance that the network is monitored and managed remotely by Web’in. The same kind of system is expected to be brought to other Cuisine Schmidt stores in the future. In the meantime, everyone who visits these stores can expect an excellent WiFi network.