Client
Walgreens, the second largest pharmacy in the US, has a distribution center in South Carolina. The massive facility needed a better way to communicate with its staff daily and in case of emergency. Walgreens selected ASD® to upgrade their sound, paging, and mass notification systems.
Challenge
Walgreens 700,000 sq. ft. distribution center is currently active and operating. This meant it couldn’t be shut down during normal business hours and there was a very narrow time frame to turn off the system, upgrade it, and get it back up. ASD®’s project managers would need to do a lot of upfront prep, coordination, and planning to ensure that the project would be successfully completed.
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS
- How much equipment and manpower will be needed to get the job done within the time frame?
- What’s the best way for Walgreens to communicate important information to different parts of the facility?
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Solution
After months of designing, prepping, and coordinating, the facility closed on a Friday afternoon. Technicians then worked around the clock to revamp the entire sound and paging system. They utilized the existing conduit but upgraded the old analog system to a new digital system. Upgrading the system was no easy feat, ASD® had to work closely with the technology manufacturers to engineer and properly program the systems.
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Result
Walgreens distribution center’s sound and paging systems were upgraded and running by Sunday afternoon, well before the employees returned to work for the week. The new mass notification system makes it easier to communicate in times of emergency since it has the ability to send out live messages and pre-recorded messages. It’s also possible to page specific areas of the center, which is helpful when communicating daily updates such as break times or deliveries. The system can also be accessed and operated remotely so management can quickly and easily communicate with the facility.
TECHNOLOGY PROJECT BUDGET CALCULATOR
