Weber-Stephen lays the groundwork for digital transformation

If you’re familiar with the iconic round, red kettle Weber Grill, you know that Weber-Stephen Products is a company that has a fiery passion for putting innovation into everything they do. The company was built on the bootstrap spirit of founder George Stephen and that same attitude is alive in the company’s IT department. Much like a grill master, their Vice President of IT Global Infrastructure is tasked with keeping Weber ready to serve up innovative products that whet the appetite of digitally-savvy BBQ lovers. His IT imperatives include laying the groundwork for digital transformation and preserving the company heritage by protecting its information.

Amidst a growing global footprint and increasing demands for mobile applications, cloud applications, and new ecommerce websites, the previous corporate network struggled to uphold advanced IT development. A former consultant for Accenture, the VP isn’t new to leading digital transformation initiatives. His prior experience informed his new search for a strategic partner that could help Weber evolve as a whole, but still have a laser focus without taking on too many projects at once. The VP began searching for a partner that could connect multiple sites across the world, support his cloud migration strategy, and close security gaps.

“Getting the priorities straight was extremely important in order to realize value as early as possible. Putting the network technology in place first allowed us to open paths again for other digital imperatives while still maintaining control. Then, we could shift our focus to the next steps in our transformation journey,” The VP said. “But first, it was important to remediate our global IT infrastructure and address security—that’s where Masergy came in.”

Recognized results

• Increased application visibility/control
• Strengthened network foundation for digital transformation
• Increased agility and flexibility
• Improved security posture
• Optimized security resources

Solution: global connectivity with Managed Security in one partnership

After an RFP process that included review by an outside consulting firm, Weber ultimately selected Masergy. Deciding factors included Masergy’s global managed network services and performance guarantees to deliver a consistent network and application user experience across Weber’s 40+ locations, including 31 international sites and 37 network circuits.

“They really care about Weber and our business goals,” the VP noted, explaining how Masergy has created uniquely customized solutions for each location, application, and user group.

Network visibility and control was also a key decision point. Masergy’s Network Analyst service provides advanced analytics and deep application performance metrics from a single online dashboard. Additionally, last-mile-provider flexibility and network-based firewalls offered value for Weber, as did the opportunity to tap into Masergy’s managed security services with detection and response capabilities.

Results: a transformation foundation

With Masergy, Weber was able to achieve a deep restructuring of its IT architecture, infusing software-defined networking capabilities that enabled agility, customization, and security. The overhaul reduced multiple global network providers into a single partnership with fully managed services for all locations. With the help of Masergy’s network platform and solution architects, Weber recognized vastly improved international network reliability with no jitter and optimized quality of service (QoS). “Masergy has allowed us to demonstrate a great deal of technology maturity at the board level,” Weber’s VP of IT said.

With an advanced and extremely agile network infrastructure in place, Weber now has the foundation it needs for transformation. Plus, it has gained management simplicity and efficiency that allows Whitney and the IT team to stay focused on the next stage of Weber’s digital journey—security. And again, the Masergy partnership will play a key role.

Weber is exploring Masergy’s Managed Security solution with a comprehensive managed detection and response ecosystem, machine learning-based security analytics and 24/7 continuous monitoring by tenured experts. As digital visionaries, Weber and Masergy are championing the investments needed today to help Weber reap the brightest competitive advantages of tomorrow.