Thresher Group
Thresher Group is the UK's leading independent specialist drinks retailer, serving over 150 million customers a year and employing over 12,000 people.
The Business Challenge
Thresher Group was faced with the challenge of how to find the most efficient method to broadcast important messages to its network of 3,590 stores throughout the UK.
As well as a need to deliver messages 'globally', there was also a requirement to reliably cascade messages from senior management to specific geographies, teams and individuals. It was also desirable that the chosen solution should offer recipients a simple way to reply to the message.
Solution
Owing to its ease of use, speed and simplicity Threshers chose to implement a SmartNumbers Messaging solution. This technology also complemented its business continuity strategy without the need for any new hardware.
Each Threshers store was provisioned with a SmartNumbers mailbox, which had a unique DDI number. The stores were then organised into distribution lists that were also provisioned with a unique DDI.
To broadcast a message, or to deliver a message to an individual, a senior manager simply dials the appropriate DDI number and leaves a message. The system then calls the recipient at a defined location and plays back the message. The recipient can also be prompted to enter a password, should only one person within the store, such as the manager, be authorised to access the mailbox.
Results
With this solution important information is relayed quickly and efficiently to staff throughout the UK. This has helped solve communication problems involved with a growing dispersed business, whilst supporting Thresher's business continuity needs as an added bonus.
"The simplicity and easy management of the technology is part of the great appeal of the SmartNumbers Mail. We have been actively using the system for several years and it has become a vital component of our communications strategy."
Peter Baxter, IT services Manager, Thresher