Ashley Stewart selects new trend in WAN network design

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Ashley Stewart selects new trend in WAN network design
Abandons lagging technology to create next generation store model.
CIO Challenges
Ashley Stewart maintains a small IT department
tasked with managing a lagging technology network
for over 175 stores. The company had been using a
broadband provider, but wasn’t reaping the benefits
a full service managed service provider could offer.
Further, the company needed a modern, robust
network with increased bandwidth that could keep
pace with its aggressive store opening plans.
Ashley Stewart’s Director of IT Infrastructure
looked to IRG because of its technology approach in
the retail space. IRG’s forward thinking WAN designs
would be required for positioning the company to
easily manage current and new technologies without
increasing IT resources.
The IRG Solution
IRG’s consultants and engineers proposed a
two-phase process for the Ashley Stewart network.
Since the early 1990’s, Ashley Stewart has been styling
customers and setting fashion trends for the plus-size
fashion industry.
Fashion conscious plus-size urban women shop at
Ashley Stewart to find the latest fashions that reflects
their inner-confidence. With 100 plus stores located
in urban areas from New York to Los Angeles, Ashley
Stewart is looking to expand the number of stores
within the United States The company’s flagship store
is located on 125th Street in Harlem, NYC, where its
customer service team has been satisfying the fashion
savvy consumer since 1999.
As the Ashley Stewart brand expands, the company
will vigorously open more storefronts, remodel existing
stores and continue to enhance its
distinctive merchandising
and marketing strategies.
Phase one primarily concerned the consolidation
of the existing network. IRG leveraged its relationships
with national carriers and, in 48 hours, was able to
create for the company a single invoice for all stores.
The simplified billing had an immediate, positive
impact on efficiency in the corporate office. The
transition occurred with no interruption of service
in any of the stores or corporate office.
Next, IRG assigned a dedicated client advocate
to manage customer onboarding. This includes
ensuring all IRG services are delivered as expected
and providing immediate response to any customer
concerns. This one point of contact alleviated
pressure on the IT team from having to address timeconsuming store issues.
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Phase two is currently in the planning stages. Over the next several months, the Ashley Stewart network will
be completely redesigned—increasing bandwidth by over 1500% while keeping costs neutral.
Technologies to be implemented may include: fiber optics Ethernet, cable, and reducing POTS lines in
favor of wireless failover for greater cost savings. Under consideration are TruManage Pro-Active Support,
Enhanced PCI support, and RetaiLAN for turn-key integration.
About Industry Retail Group
Industry Retail Group, Inc. (IRG) is a Gartner-recognized, and VISA PCI DSS validated, provider of customized
managed network services, offering a comprehensive portfolio of broadband and broadband-centric services targeted
to retailers and other multi-site companies. Additionally, IRG is an industry leading, highly specialized, yet agile, singlesource purveyor of managed IP communication, application and turnkey professional services; plug-in IRG applications
such as Hotspot and Enterprise Wi-Fi solutions, Hosted VoIP, and IP-based Video Surveillance to further help Clients
leverage their broadband investment in a scalable, yet secure manner. IRG’s growing client base includes Fortune 1000
retailers, quick-serve restaurants and convenience store chains.
IRG has a simple objective: to provide retailers and other multi-site organizations with the premier suite of broadbandenabled network services that will help provide a competitive advantage while keeping costs in check. Through the
managed integration of leading edge technology components such as DSL, Cable, Wireless, and traditional access,
IRG is able to provide the most comprehensive network coverage and bandwidth availability to meet each client’s unique
business requirements.
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