Case study
Ladbrokes Coral Group
Transforming the Ladbrokes Coral Retail Estate
When Ladbrokes Coral Group embarked on a major retail transformation programme, it faced a significant challenge. The existing point-of-sale infrastructure across its estate was based on a legacy betting shop platform that had been in place for almost two decades. Hardware failures were becoming increasingly common, replacement parts were difficult to source and the ageing technology was limiting the business’s ability to innovate and improve the customer experience.
At the same time, the business was introducing a new retail application, Omnia, designed to modernise betting shop operations and provide a platform for future growth. The challenge was clear, replace the entire POS estate, deploy the new application and do so at scale within an ambitious timeframe.
BOXTEC was selected to deliver the nationwide transformation. The project ultimately saw more than 20,000 devices installed across approximately 3,000 shops throughout the UK and Ireland, with deployment rates reaching up to 30 stores per day.
The Challenge
The refresh programme coincided with COVID-19 lockdown, creating unique operational challenges. With restrictions in place and an aggressive rollout schedule to meet, traditional deployment, training and project management approaches were no longer viable.
The project required:
- Complete removal and decommissioning of ageing legacy POS hardware.
- Installation and configuration of new POS devices across the estate.
- Deployment and integration of the new software application.
- Training installation engineers rapidly and effectively despite lockdown restrictions.
- Maintaining deployment quality while scaling at pace.
- Introducing new technologies, including AI-powered self-exclusion monitoring systems.
- Minimising disruption to retail operations throughout the rollout.
In addition, the solution needed to be scalable, future-proof and capable of supporting new innovations as Ladbrokes Coral continued its digital transformation journey.
Highlights + Challenges
20,000+Devices installed across the estate
30New shops being deployed per day
3000Shops across the UK & Ireland
New hardware & new application delivery
Two different client brands across the estate
P2PE compliance
The Solution
BOXTEC designed and delivered a complete end-to-end deployment programme combining professional services, hardware supply, staging, configuration and implementation expertise. The solution centred on the deployment of the BOXTEC All-in-One touchscreen POS platform, based on one of our Panel PCs, supported by associated peripherals and a tailored connectivity design to meet future business requirements.
To ensure the rollout could be delivered at speed during lockdown, BOXTEC adopted innovative remote deployment and training methodologies. Installation engineers were rapidly trained and supported through structured deployment processes, enabling consistency and quality across thousands of locations despite the restrictions in place.
Each store deployment included:
- Decommissioning and removal of legacy POS systems.
- Installation of new BOXTEC hardware.
- Deployment and configuration of the Omnia retail application.
- Full device staging and testing.
- Integration with store infrastructure and associated peripherals.
- Validation and support to ensure operational readiness.
The programme also incorporated facial recognition technology at store entrances as part of the self-exclusion process. This pioneering deployment represented an early practical application of AI within the betting shop environment. Fully GDPR-compliant, the system automated the identification of self-excluded customers, replacing a previously manual process and improving both efficiency and consistency across the retail estate.
Delivering Operational Benefits
The new retail platform delivered immediate and measurable improvements across store operations.
- Faster Customer Transactions – The modern POS hardware and Omnia application significantly improved transaction processing speeds, reducing delays at the counter and creating a smoother customer experience. Team members could serve customers more quickly and efficiently, helping to reduce queues during peak trading periods.
- Increased Reliability – Replacing ageing hardware eliminated many of the failures and maintenance issues associated with the legacy platform. With a modern, supported infrastructure in place, stores benefited from greater system uptime and improved resilience.
- Improved Accuracy – The refreshed POS environment provided greater consistency and accuracy in transaction processing, reducing the potential for human error and supporting more reliable retail operations across the estate.
- Enhanced Operational Efficiency – Store colleagues were able to complete everyday transactions and processes more efficiently, enabling them to spend more time focusing on customer service rather than dealing with technology issues.
- Future-Proof Technology – The new platform provided a modern foundation capable of supporting future software releases, new services and ongoing innovation within the Ladbrokes Coral retail environment.
- Smarter Self-Exclusion Management – The introduction of facial recognition technology transformed the self-exclusion process. By automating identification at the point of store entry, the solution reduced administrative burden, improved consistency and ensured a more efficient customer protection process across the entire estate.
As a result of the project’s success, BOXTEC became a trusted deployment partner for future retail technology initiatives.
What clients say
Conclusion
The Ladbrokes Coral refresh demonstrated BOXTEC’s ability to manage complex, large-scale technology transformations under exceptional circumstances. By combining specialist retail deployment expertise, robust project management and innovative delivery methods, BOXTEC successfully replaced legacy technology across thousands of locations while introducing new capabilities that improved both operational performance and customer protection.
The result was a faster, more reliable and future-ready retail estate positioned to support Ladbrokes Coral’s continued growth and innovation.
Solutions provided for the project
Professional services
- Gold image creation
- Deployment tool process definition via SCCM
Managed services
Solution/product tailoring
- K758 POS Connectivity modification to meet LCG future proofing requirements
Hardware selection
- BOXTEC Core 500 Panel PC 18.5" i5 Touch Screen POS – Core retail till system
- Star TSP100 receipt printer – Till Printer
- Generic Keyboard & Mouse – Secondary input devices