Challenge

Merge and Consolidate Operations

Corporate Express, A Buhrmann Company, is the world’s largest business-to-business supplier of essential office and computer products and services to customers who value superior procurement solutions. Corporate Express’ North American operations have 400 facilities, including 54 distribution centers, and employs 15,000 people. In 1999, Corporate Express completed a merger with Buhrmann NV, a leading international business services and distribution company, and the parent company of BT Office Products. As a result of the transaction, Corporate Express, Inc. became a  wholly owned subsidiary of Buhrmann.  The combination of these two organizations creates the world’s leading business-to-business office supply and services company, with total revenues of approximately $9 billion, 30,000 employees and operations in 28 countries.

 

Corporate Express was acquired by Staples Inc. in 2008. Today the company is known as Staples Advantage.

 

Solutions

Telecommunications Program and Project Management

As a result of the merger between Corporate Express and BT Office products, there were redundant sites in many locations. In the ongoing process to merge the two organizations, duplicate sites in the same city were consolidated.

Selected to manage the telecommunications aspects of the consolidations. Provided both engineering and project management aspects to consolidate PBXs, Carrier Trunks, Voice Mail, and other services.

Put in place a team of telecommunication project managers strategically located around the country to cover the projects. For each project, the project manager gathered information including user call pattern and feature sets. After analyzing the information, the project manager evaluated options and designed a solution. Based on siter equirements, the design involved upgrading, moving, replacing and decommissioning equipment; order and disconnection of circuits and services. The project manager was then responsible for implementing the design by tracking circuit delivery, overseeing installation, cutover, and training.

Due to the nature of this type of consolidation, project managers were required to perform with high degrees of professionalism and technical competence.

A program manager was also assigned to lead the team of 10 project managers, establish strategies, set direction and provide direction and communicate status of all projects to Corporate Express Executive Management.

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