Read up on the Google Apps guest post by Z Gallerie’s Howard Kolodny, VP of Information Technology, to learn more about how the cloud suite is helping large retailers streamline operations (just in time for the holiday shopping season, too!): Z Gallerie goes Google and moves its 55 retail stores to Google Apps.
Customer
Z Gallerie is a Southern California-based home furnishing, home accessories and framed art retailer with 55 stores in 19 states. The company was started as a poster shop by 3 siblings in 1979 and has grown into a national furnishings store with over 1,000 employees.
Challenge
Z Gallerie was looking to upgrade their entire store network’s email and productivity applications and bring them to the cloud, but had concerns about security since the only computers located on premise were also cash registers. Because Google Apps would be deployed in all 55 stores across 19 states, there was a need to minimize software installation and maintenance efforts as well as train employees to get them up to speed on Google Apps. In addition to assisting with migration and deployment, Z Gallerie engaged SADA Systems to help train its administrators and end-users on the Google Apps suite.
Solution
SADA coordinated on-site and remote Google Docs and Email training for 150 users. Utilizing a classroom setting where SADA’s trainers engaged Z Gallerie employees to actually use the new Google Docs and Email functionalities helped them hit the ground running on day one. SADA helped ensure a high adoption rate by:
- Adapting curriculum and training style to a retail store setting making sure employees were able to see the value in working with Google Apps
- Creating customized training material for employees to follow along with during training and to review outside of the training sessions
As a result of Z Gallerie’s collaboration with SADA, the stores were deployed on schedule with no productivity down time due to effective change management. Z Gallerie Vice President of IT Howard Kolodny notes that the company has “been pleasantly surprised by how easy the adoption process was. Many of our employees were already Google users at home and so already know how to use the new applications. The employees particularly appreciate how many paper based processes can now be moved online improving efficiency and communication at each store.”
The stores are now preparing for Black Friday and the busy Holiday shopping season. With Google Apps deployed, the company anticipates seeing a big boost in productivity as tasks such as supply orders, stockroom reports and other manual tasks are now streamlined in the cloud.
About Google Apps Partner SADA Systems
SADA Systems, Inc. (https://www.sada.com) is a privately held information technology consulting, outsourcing, and development firm founded in 2000. SADA started as a Google partner for its search technology, and is proud to be one of the world’s first 10 Google Apps partners, having participated in the Google Apps official launch campaign in February of 2007. SADA is highly experienced in Google Apps migration, implementation and deployment for the enterprise, education, non profit and government sector.
