Retail Renault Group streamlines connectivity across Europe
Retail Renault Group’s IT systems architecture team wanted to simplify the group’s networking and network management by moving from multiple national operators to a consolidated, managed voice and data networking model.
A Colt IP VPN interconnects around 60 Retail Renault Group dealerships and garages in four countries and connects them to the group’s data centre for access to business applications, VoIP (delivered by Colt SIP Trunking) and other services.
Colt responded to Retail Renault Group’s separate RFPs for data and voice networks with an attractive combined proposal. The group selected Colt as a key provider for its network stability, pricing and geographic coverage.
The consistent quality of the Colt IP VPN underpins everyday data transfer, video calling, and internet and application access; while Colt SIP Trunking assures critical inbound and outbound voice communications. The unified networking model enables cost optimisation and streamlined billing.
Business drivers – why Colt connectivity?
Retail Renault Group (RRG), a wholly owned subsidiary of Renault Group, is the European leader in new and second-hand vehicle sales and after-sales service. Present in five European countries, it sells 283,000 vehicles annually and has a turnover of €6.3m.
Previously, each RRG country procured its own data networking and voice services. This made it challenging to streamline costs and manage contracts efficiently, and led to slow and complex incident management.
“Each provider had a different process and we didn’t have enough influence with any of them to escalate resolution,” recalls Thomas Laromiguière, IT Systems Architect at RRG.
To resolve the situation, Thomas collaborated with Laurent Lachet, Head of Systems Architecture, Development and Operations, on a strategy to simplify the group’s data and voice networking by consolidating with just one or two operators across Europe, and rolling out VoIP.
What did Retail Renault Group need from its Colt solutions?
Laurent and Thomas selected Colt IP VPN for data networking and SIP Trunking for VoIP. “Colt met our top criteria for network stability, pricing and geographic coverage,” says Laurent.
The IP VPN connects around 60 RRG dealerships and garages in Germany, Spain, Switzerland and the UK to each other and to the RRG data centre for access to centralised business applications, internet breakout and SIP Trunking. RRG’s sites in France also connect to Colt SIP Trunking over a separate network.
“The Colt IP VPN allows our dealerships and garages to work and connect externally, while SIP Trunking assures the voice quality we need,” says Laurent. “Voice calls are very important to our business as more than 60% of customer appointments are booked over the phone.”
The Colt difference
“With Colt we have a reliable networking solution that meets our simplification and consolidation aims,” says Laurent. “It also allows us to centralise our billing and optimise our networking and telecoms costs across Europe.”
A single point of contact and support streamlines incident management and helps ensure RRG’s interventions are prioritised. “We have excellent relationships with our Colt sales, operations and deployment contacts, and all our communications are open, honest and human” says Thomas.
Having extended the original five-year Colt contract by two years, Laurent and Thomas are now looking at options for evolve RRG’s network to SD WAN. “We’re currently reviewing proposals from a number of partners, including Colt” says Laurent.
CLIENT
Retail Renault Group
SECTOR
Automotive
LOCATIONS
France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, UK
EMPLOYEES
5 900
COLT SOLUTION
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