Clarks signs IT support deal

Shoe retailer Clarks has signed a renewal deal with Getronics for IT support.

The company said the five year deal will cover its 633 UK outlets, and will assist with a planned expansion across continental Europe.

Under the contract, Getronics will manage Clarks' IT help desk, break-fix services, a printer refresh and new EPOS systems.

Clarks said that high levels of IT uptime were vital, in its back office and in stores. This includes supporting its '3D foot gauge' for children, which is often people's first experience of the stores, it said.

Alistair Smith, store systems manager at Clarks, said: "We know we're not an easy customer – we have intricate and complicated in-store technology, high standards and are, at times, particularly fussy – all in the name of improving the customer experience."

He was confident that Getronics would aid the Clarks shop openings in other countries, he said. Clarks plans to replicate the format of its flagship Germany store across Europe.