The PwCK working environment is a somewhat schizophrenic experience. One half of the building is the front entrance to PwCK and its systems integration practice providing e-commerce solutions. A separate entrance to the property leads to PwC’s Retail Solutions Centre. This is an initiative aimed at winning consultancy business from global retail players.
The concept is based around a fictitious, but highly realistic, multi-national retail company called T&K. The Retail Solutions Centre simulates the world of T&K, its employees and its customers by providing mock-ups of a shopping mall, a distribution centre, a head-office and even the living room of a customer’s home. Each scenario is packed with the latest e-business technologies that demonstrate the benefits that can be delivered by implementing PwC enterprise resource planning and e-business solutions.
During the past two years, the entire building has undergone two completely separate network replacements using Siemon structured cabling products, installed by cabling specialists Network Cabling Installations (NCI) of Bookham, Surrey. The first new network was for the PwC ground floor ‘Retail Solutions Centre’ and the second was for the first and second floor offices of PwCK consulting headquarters. The separate Siemon networks carry all voice, data and image traffic.
The PwC Retail Solutions Centre makes use of a Siemon Cat 5 structured cabling system. NCI was responsible for both the network installation and the wiring of a complete, operational comms room. The network includes 180 Siemon Cat 5, CT modular outlets plus 180 power points. The separate first and second floor PwCK office network and communications room was designed and installed by NCI using a Siemon Cat 5e network comprising a quantity of 380, Siemon CT modular outlets for the Net and 380 power points.
Good use has been made throughout the network, of the special Siemon moulded indent on each CT modular outlet, enabling the addition of colour coded labels. Every desktop is provided with a four-way arrangement, using four patched outlets plus four mains power points.
The communications room also utilises Siemon HD5 patch panels and modular chords. By re-planning the first and second floor desk layouts and the associated network a 45% increase in operating desk space was achieved.
PwC implemented the Retails Solutions Centre on the ground floor of the PwCK offices, allowing them to readily use local e-commerce expertise from within the company. Visiting clients are taken through the virtual but apparently living T&K organisation. The Retail Solutions Centre has its own reception that is totally separate from the PwCK company front entrance. From the reception clients are ushered into the T&K boardroom. Leading directly off from the board room is the T&K mini retail shopping mall, which is fully networked. It includes a mini T&K store with check-out and a mix of typical trading products. Included are food stuffs, hardware and clothing (both high street and T&K house brands). A mini distribution centre comes next, with a virtual delivery vehicle ready to depart. Then clients are led to a European head office and finally a typical home environment, with lounge, complete with TV and importantly, internet trading.
There is also a separate training room. It accepts ten people for IT based training sessions using PwC and PwCK business solutions.
As a working example, the Retail Solutions Centre is used to demonstrate various business models and solutions particularly e-commerce. These are discussed in parallel with potential clients’ own trading requirements.
This novel application demonstrates just how far modern communications and structured cabling networks have become an integral part of everyday trading, not just business-to-business but potentially for every household.
Source
Electrical and Mechanical Contractor
