Case Study: BAR Organisatie achieves fast desk-finding and flexible working with HPE Aruba Networking

Aruba Beacons create location-based tracking to empower flexible working at Dutch local government

BAR Organisatie, a 2014 collaboration of the Dutch municipalities Barendrecht, Albrandswaard and Ridderkerk, needed to consolidate three separate IT networks and enable flexible working and hot-desking for 1,200 staff to save costs and improve service delivery. Early trials showed employees were spending up to 15 minutes each morning searching for a free desk, so the organisation required a centrally managed, location-aware solution that would let staff find colleagues, desks and meeting rooms quickly.

The solution consolidated networks and deployed Aruba 802.11ac access points, Aruba Beacons, Analytics & Location Engine and the Meridian platform, while Dutch developer XS2 built the BAR Connect app (Android/iOS/web). The app lets users locate and reserve desks or rooms, find colleagues and navigate building maps; as a result the 15-minute search is gone, productivity and collaboration have improved, building management and duty-of-care are enhanced, and BAR now has a scalable platform for future IoT and digital services.

BAR Organisatie

Robert de Winter

Automation Department Manager