WBA inks new network deal

Retail and wholesale pharmacy Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) has announced a new multi-year agreement with its network partner

WBA has agreed a new deal with BT to transform its networking and enhance the customer and colleague experience with the deployment of next-generation technology.

Steve Rempel, senior vice president and CIO, WBA said: “We chose BT because we share a focus on delivering standout customer experiences. Our digital plans demand full visibility, control and security of applications and data crossing our network so we can join up in-store and online experiences for customers and colleagues alike.”

BT’s network will provide faster, more responsive access to applications and data and simplify the roll out of new customer service innovations as part of WBA’s digital transformation.

Customer experience

The new, managed service will support the shift of business applications and data in the UK and Republic of Ireland to the cloud and will enhance the customer and colleague experience by improving the reliability and performance of connectivity in the company’s stores, warehouses, distribution centres and support offices.

Designed with joined-up, omnichannel retailing in mind, the network provides WBA with the agility to respond to new opportunities in a fast-changing market.

The solution includes the transformation of voice services across Boots UK and Republic of Ireland stores, cyber security to protect customers, colleagues and devices, and extending mobile connectivity – with plans to include 5G – for service resilience and to rapidly expand capacity to support peaks in demand.