Source: Intel.com

Leroy Merlin is a leading global retailer specializing in home improvement and gardening products, serving customers across Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa since 1923. They offer a wide range of DIY solutions and operate large-format stores known as "DIY Hypermarkets."

The Challenge: Optimize Device Management

Jorge Diaz, a systems specialist at Leroy Merlin Spain, oversees a diverse array of devices including desktop PCs, laptops, point-of-sale (POS) systems, kiosks, and digital signage systems deployed across 120 stores in Spain and Portugal. With Leroy Merlin undergoing digital transformation, Diaz sought a modern, centralized approach to support these devices efficiently. Traditional methods like sending IT staff to stores or disrupting end users for repairs were no longer feasible at this scale.

Leroy Merlin prioritized technology with hardware-based, out-of-band management capabilities to enhance and complement existing IT solutions. The search for suitable technology was driven by the limitations of current IT software options.

The Solution: Enhances Leroy Merlin's Help Desk Productivity

To address these challenges, Leroy Merlin leveraged Intel vPro® technology with Intel® Active Management Technology (Intel® AMT) and Intel® Endpoint Management Assistant (Intel® EMA). This hardware-based, out-of-band management solution provided wireless device management capabilities, including remote power control, patch management, OS upgrades, and more. The Intel EMA console enabled cloud-based device management beyond the corporate firewall, enhancing operational efficiency significantly.

Remote Management Capabilities 

Intel AMT utilizes Intel EMA software as its endpoint management console, empowering IT to access cloud-based functionality for device management, both within and outside the corporate firewall, even in the event of system failures. This out-of-band manageability enables IT teams to efficiently oversee and troubleshoot devices that are powered off or unresponsive, especially beneficial for managing unattended devices and systems after business hours.

Given Leroy Merlin's longstanding relationship with Intel and OEM Dell, activating this comprehensive manageability tool was a natural fit within the company's existing technological framework.

Image: The Intel® EMA agent on each Intel vPro® platform-powered unit was installed and configured across 120 retail locations.

Deployment Success: Leroy Merlin's Rapid Integration of Intel vPro® Platform

Collaboration between Leroy Merlin, Dell, and Intel ensured a seamless integration of the technology. The first step involved installing and configuring the Intel EMA agent on each Intel vPro platform-powered unit, which automatically set up the Intel AMT hardware. Previously, deploying Intel AMT required numerous manual tasks, but Intel EMA simplifies and speeds up the process.

According to Jose Romero, Business Development Manager/Presales Technical Consultant EMEA at Dell, "Intel EMA simplifies vPro deployments by eliminating many previous requirements, reducing implementation timelines from weeks to days."

Diaz used Symantec Altiris Deployment Solution to deploy Intel EMA across the enterprise by grouping devices based on their models. If a device was powered down during this process, the remote management tools would automatically install upon reboot, giving Diaz's team immediate endpoint control through Intel EMA. Using this method, Diaz successfully configured 4,500 devices in a single day.

In addition to effectively managing AMT-enabled systems, Diaz appreciates that Intel EMA can handle non-Intel systems through its software agent, providing essential capabilities for devices without AMT support. This flexibility is crucial for companies managing mixed fleets of devices.

Results: Improved Support and Efficiency

Leroy Merlin Spain's adoption of Intel AMT and Intel EMA has significantly reduced operational costs and minimized disruptions for end users. Previously onsite issues now can be resolved remotely, offering support at any time of day.

“Our main use case for Intel EMA is to provide support for every device across the Leroy Merlin network: stores, platforms, warehouses, and at home,” explains Diaz. “Lots of people have been working from home since the pandemic, and we can now provide support without the end user having to download external third-party software that does not have the same IT validation.” 

Moreover, setting up new equipment is now a streamlined process: installing the agent grants immediate device control within minutes.

“The Intel EMA console opens up infinite benefits compared to the way we were operating before, including the ability to support equipment beyond the Leroy Merlin enterprise network. That was simply not possible with our old solution. For me, that’s key.”

Jorge Diaz, systems specialist at Leroy Merlin Spain.

Intel vPro® Technology Overview:  

Empowering Leroy Merlin's Device Management Strategy with Intel AMT and Intel EMA

The Intel vPro® platform integrates the latest Intel® Core™ vPro® and Intel® Xeon® processors, offering hardware-level security and remote management capabilities. With Intel AMT and Intel EMA, Leroy Merlin gained proactive maintenance features and cloud-based repair functionality, ensuring a seamless digital transformation.

For Diaz and his team, this combination of powerful hardware and software technology meant a giant leap forward in Leroy Merlin Spain’s digital transformation. “With this deployment now in place,” Diaz says, “we can lower time-to-resolution of support tickets, increase support coverage and, therefore, increase end user satisfaction.”

Summary: Leroy Merlin Spain's Digital Transformation

Company: Leroy Merlin Spain

Challenges: 

• Managing a diverse range of devices including desktops, laptops, POS systems, kiosks, digital signage, and more
• Controlling total cost of ownership
• Supporting devices across 120 retail locations in Spain and Portugal
• Freeing the IT team to pursue business-critical initiatives

Solution: The Intel vPro Platform with Intel AMT leveraging Intel EMA

Results: 

• Rapid deployment – 4,500 devices in a single day
• Reduced cost – Fewer service agents required on site
• Faster time to resolution – Service calls can be handled remotely from anywhere
• Safer – Minimizes physical contact when servicing devices could be risky or hazardous
• Minimal disruption – Updates can occur overnight and without local user input

Conclusion: Enhancing Device Management Efficiency with Intel vPro® Activation at Leroy Merlin

Leroy Merlin's successful implementation of Intel vPro® with Intel AMT and Intel EMA underscores the transformative impact of modern device management solutions. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, Leroy Merlin optimized its IT operations, delivering enhanced support capabilities and driving operational efficiencies across its retail network.