Resources – References

Smartphones for OBI

To increase the level of digitization and employee loyalty, Everphone rolled out around 10,000 devices for OBI — fully configured and GDPR-compliant for private use.

Field of action & Requirements

OBI is the market leader in the German DIY store business. In the stores, employees had access to stationary computers and landline telephones. As part of its digitalization strategy, OBI wanted to equip its employees with smartphones so that they could access product information, check stock, place orders, and contact suppliers directly from the sales floor.

The goal was to equip the entire workforce with pre-configured Samsung Xcover 6 Pro devices to increase digital integration in internal communication. The possibility of private use also turns the company device into an employee benefit.

Roll-out of nearly 10,000 devices

The project kicked off in August 2023 with a pilot for testing and staging. After the pilot was coordinated and evaluated, more devices were added for training purposes — already picked and packed according to OBI's guidelines.

Within four weeks, almost two thousand devices were shipped. During Christmas season, the roll-out was paused so that OBI could fully concentrate on the seasonal business. After the beginning of 2024, the second phase of the roll-out took place. We shipped an average of 780 devices per week until the total number of almost ten thousand devices was reached after about nine weeks.

Out-of-the-box readiness and 100% service

Everphone inserts the SIM cards into the devices and returns the pairing data (device/SIM) to Datanet via API. Datanet then activates the mobile plan. At Everphone, the next step is to attach the protective glass and packaging: the OBI bumper and lanyard are added for optimal use in the hardware store.

All of this is bundled into a handy "digitization package" that is personally addressed to the individual employees. If one of the devices breaks, Everphone takes care of sending a replacement device and taking back the defective device quickly and without red tape.

“As part of our strategic roadmap, we have placed a very strong focus on digitization. Telekom and Everphone have presented themselves very well and established themselves as equal partners in the project.”

André Kotoll

Vice President IT | OBI

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