Kinepolis streamlines the movie-going experience HP Dynamic Configuration creates IT consistency and agility for international cinema company

CUSTOMER CASE STUDY

Objectives • Standardize hardware and

support globally

• Give customers ease, convenience and promptness

• Centralize control of the IT function

Approach • Use HP solutions to bring

consistency and efficiency

• Build interoperability and security

• Set standards to reduce vendor duplication

Business Outcomes • Reduces staging times by 90%

• Business is free to focus on customer service, digitization and acquisition

• Relieves strain on local IT resource

• Provides a clear vision of future progress

INDUSTRY: Entertainment

COUNTRY: Belgium

Kinepolis

“HP provided a complete solution. It addressed immediate efficiencies and provides us with a clear vision of future progress.”

Global Head of ICT Production Kinepolis Group

Kinepolis

Objectives Creating agility at the world’s leading cinema operator COVID-19 proved to be tough for many, but the cinema industry was hit harder than most. Yet, Kinepolis, a Belgian company with 111 locations throughout Europe and North America, remains poised and ready to overcome these challenges. During much of 2020 and into 2021, most of Kinepolis’ cinemas were closed, but it continued to work on new product development while streamlining its IT infrastructure.

“When some of our sites did reopen there was tremendous appetite from consumers to enjoy the shared, big-screen theater experience,” says the Global Head of ICT Production, Kinepolis Group. “We want to be ready to bounce back when the time comes.”

Kinepolis has invested heavily in growth. It has acquired cinema chains in Canada and the US and fully updated its IT infrastructure. The business is now more standardized, consistent and professional in its adoption of technology.

The theater business depends upon efficiency, as time available for admission and purchasing snacks is limited. Cinemas aim to provide a high-end luxury experience without standing in lines. IT infrastructure is more important than ever for customers to realize ease, convenience and promptness in every step of the process.

“Increasingly, movie-going is a digital experience, from buying tickets via the app, to paying for snacks, to scanning your ticket,” says the Global Head of ICT Production. “We need to ensure that the IT supporting these systems is consistent. It impacts the customer service experience and our operational efficiency.”

Ultimately, Kinepolis wants to centralize IT control and set clear standards for local operations. It also needs to scale quickly and successfully absorb new acquisitions. “Our focus has to be the customer experience, not the day-to-day running of IT,” he adds.

40 million visitors to Kinepolis locations in 2019

2,800 devices operating across 111 cinemas in Europe and North America

Approach Centralized oversight and a consistent, digital workflow HP delivers comprehensive hardware, services and support for Kinepolis’ European operations. It brings consistency to the device experience and streamlines management.

HP technology deployed includes HP EliteBooks, the HP Engage One Point of Sale (POS) solution, HP Engage Flex Pro Retail System, HP Engage Go Mobile System and HP ProDesk 600. In total there are 2,800 devices, with the means to expand quickly should new locations come onboard. In an increasingly digital workplace, the HP solution strengthens interoperability and security.

“HP provided a complete solution,” says the Global Head of ICT Production. “It addressed immediate efficiencies and provides us with a clear vision of future progress.”

These efficiencies begin at the HP factory, where devices are loaded with customized imaging. HP Dynamic Configuration Services delivers standard devices to every location that reflect the company’s latest configuration. This service has provided a 90% reduction in time spent configuring new devices.

For Kinepolis, the engagement with HP is evidence of a new level of professionalism around IT. It establishes centralized oversight and reduces the need for local IT expertise. It sets a global standard, reduces vendor duplication and moves the IT team away from break-fix and into strategy.

The HP Engage family of products, powered by Intel® Core™ processors, present a sleek, design-led image to customers. Each device comes with security, durability and flexibility built into its design.

“Most importantly for a busy retail environment, they’re easy to use,” says the Global Head of ICT Production. “Mobility enables us to move out from behind a counter and engage with our customers.”

Business Outcomes Exploring opportunities to extend the cinema experience HP establishes the scale, support and hardware consistency to underpin Kinepolis’ growth. The business is free to focus on customer service, digitization and acquisition, knowing it has an IT partner capable of flexing to new requirements.

“HP has changed our entire outlook. We were a business that wanted to fix everything itself. It has taken us some time to realize the value of leaning on a partner.”

Global Head of ICT Production Kinepolis Group

111 cinema locations in Europe and North America

9,200 the capacity of Kinepolis’ largest cinema, a 25-screen complex near Madrid

Kinepolis

HP Services

Dynamic Configuration

HP Hardware

EliteBook 800 G6 Notebooks

EliteBook 805 G7 Notebooks

Engage One Point of Sale Solution

Engage Flex Pro Retail System

Engage Go Mobile System

ProDesk 600 Desktops

Solution at a glance

The Global Head of ICT Production says HP devices are now key to the cinema-goers’ digital experience, from mobile POS to ticket scanning to in-theater sales points, all linked to Kinepolis’ CRM system: “They are all fundamental components. Reliable, straightforward and presenting the right image for a modern business.”

The engagement brings the desired centralized oversight, and relieves the strain on local IT resource. HP Dynamic Configuration means a device can be ordered from Belgium and shipped directly from a HP warehouse to whichever Kinepolis location. Rather than local IT spending eight hours to configure a new laptop, devices are ready out of the box. The Global Head of ICT Production says his team’s involvement is down to 45 minutes.

“It has changed our entire outlook,” he explains. “We were a business that wanted to fix everything itself. It has taken us some time to realize the value of leaning on a partner. We should never be in the business of configuring laptops. It has taken a tremendous effort off our internal team with this change.”

Kinepolis has benefited from clear SLAs that are in place to track and manage the engagement with HP. “We have clear dashboards and a greater means to measure success,” he says.

It is difficult to make accurate predictions, but the Global Head of ICT Production firmly believes digital will play a big part of any recovery. Kinepolis has experimented with drive-thru cinema events and ticket sales from mall and event spaces. It is eager to explore opportunities to take the cinema experience one step further. This can only happen with mobility, agility and a digital workflow.

“It used to take us months to onboard a new acquisition or set up a new opportunity,” he says. “With HP we can move in weeks.”

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90% reduction in time spent configuring a new device, eight hours to 45 minutes

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