Focus Group and Mitchells & Butlers: Raising the Bar for Digital Transformation in Hospitality

[ad_1] In at present’s fast-moving hospitality sector, the proper know-how partnership is extra essential than ever. At Cisco, we’ve witnessed first-hand how highly effective collaboration between knowledgeable companions and visionary clients can unlock new alternatives. Our latest venture with Focus Group and Mitchells & Butlers (MAB) stands as a main instance – a narrative of belief, innovation, and shared ambition throughout greater than 1,700 venues all through the UK.

Focus Group: A Trusted Cisco Associate with a Imaginative and prescient Focus Group has constructed a popularity as one in every of Cisco’s most forward-thinking companions within the UK and EMEA area. Their dedication to an automation-first method, deep funding in technical experience, and dedication to operational excellence have set them aside. Over the course of 18 months, Focus Group invested considerably in presales and technical sources to put the groundwork for the MAB venture. Their imaginative and prescient extends nicely past deployment, with specialised groups in place to handle operations, governance, and safety for the long run.

What distinguishes Focus Group is their potential to see the larger image. They don’t simply ship Cisco options; they combine complementary applied sciences – resembling Microsoft Azure, M365, and managed backup and restoration providers – making them a real strategic accomplice for purchasers in search of a holistic digital transformation.

““This collaboration with Mitchells & Butlers represents precisely what we attempt for at Focus Group, combining innovation with real-world impression. By bringing collectively the most effective of Cisco know-how with our experience in automation, cloud, and safety, we’re not simply delivering a community — we’re constructing a digital basis that can empower MAB’s manufacturers, groups, and clients for years to return.”– Neil Corridor, CEO, Focus Group

Mitchells & Butlers: A Hospitality Chief with Ambition Mitchells & Butlers is without doubt one of the UK’s largest and most recognizable operators of pubs, eating places, and lodges, representing 18 well-known manufacturers and supporting round 6,000 customers throughout the nation. As a enterprise, MAB is not any stranger to innovation. With a big and various property, MAB wanted a know-how refresh that will not solely modernise its infrastructure but in addition create a basis for progress, safety, and distinctive visitor experiences in a quickly evolving market.

When it got here time to pick a know-how accomplice, MAB sought an answer that would transcend connectivity. The aim was a seamless, safe, and future-ready digital setting that will empower their groups and delight their friends for years to return.

“Partnering with Cisco and Focus Group marks a significant milestone in our journey to rework the digital infrastructure throughout 1,700 Mitchells & Butlers areas. By embracing next-generation Cisco applied sciences (Wi-Fi 7, SD-WAN, and Safe Join), and main with Focus Group’s automation-first method, we’re constructing a community that won't solely be safe and resilient, however able to develop with us. The unified, cloud-first method is simplifying how we function, unlocking value efficiencies, and most significantly, empowering our groups to ship constant and excellent experiences to our friends. It’s a daring step towards future proofing our enterprise and staying forward in a fast-moving digital world.” — Andrew Benson, Mitchells & Butlers

Coming Collectively: How Cisco, Focus Group, and MAB Constructed the Future The collaboration between Focus Group, MAB, and Cisco started with a easy ambition: to ship a next-generation digital platform at scale, with flexibility and safety at its core. What adopted was one in every of Cisco UK’s largest-ever business offers – a $17 million settlement that grew far past its authentic scope due to the shared imaginative and prescient and arduous work of all three organisations.

A cornerstone of the venture was Focus Group’s automation-led method, which delivered vital value efficiencies. As an alternative of pocketing these financial savings, Focus Group labored with MAB and Cisco to reinvest them into increasing the venture scope – including extra websites, customers, and superior options than initially deliberate. This spirit of partnership and transparency enabled everybody to purpose greater and obtain extra.

Over the course of the engagement, the answer developed from an preliminary give attention to Meraki SD-WAN and Wi-Fi to a complete digital platform, together with upgraded LAN infrastructure, Safe Service Edge (SSE), Endpoint Detection and Administration (EDM), and the transition to Benefit licensing throughout all Cisco product suites. Crucially, the answer additionally paved the way in which for an entire safety transformation, with plans to deploy Safe Entry and Entry Supervisor to strengthen MAB’s zero-trust posture.

All through, collaboration between groups has been key. Common communication, data sharing, and the involvement of Cisco’s technical and account specialists—resembling Ben Bodinham and Ben Jones—helped make sure the venture stayed aligned with MAB’s enterprise goals and delivered most worth.

“We're thrilled to accomplice with Mitchells & Butlers on this transformative journey to futureproof their enterprise with next-generation Cisco applied sciences. This vital funding marks an thrilling subsequent stage in our relationship, the place along with Focus Group, we'll ship a safe, resilient, and scalable community that empowers their groups and enhances visitor experiences throughout 1,700 areas. We're grateful to Focus Group for his or her invaluable partnership in bringing this joint imaginative and prescient to life and look ahead to driving continued innovation and success alongside Mitchells & Butlers.” – Ben Jones, Cisco Business Director UKI

Wanting Ahead: Lasting Affect Because the rollout continues, lots of of MAB websites are set to learn from a contemporary, safe, and versatile community. With Wi-Fi 7, multi-gigabit switches, and cloud-managed providers, MAB will be capable of adapt rapidly to business adjustments, help new digital initiatives, and ship even higher experiences for friends and employees.

The success of this collaboration is already being acknowledged past the venture itself. Plans are in place for a fireplace chat at Cisco Stay 2026, a long-form case research, and inner enablement supplies to encourage different Cisco groups and clients.

The partnership between Focus Group, Mitchells & Butlers, and Cisco is a testomony to what will be achieved when experience, innovation, and a shared dedication to success come collectively. As MAB’s transformation progresses, we look ahead to sharing extra tales of how know-how helps to redefine hospitality for the long run.