Getronics inks €200m deal with DIY retailer

IT services company Getronics has inked a five-year, €200m deal with an unnamed international retail chain, its biggest deal ever.

Getronics will serve as a single point of contact for all of the retailer's outsourced IT maintenance services and provide support for network automation.

According to a research note from Ovum analyst Kate Hanaghan, the customer is a 'high growth' home improvement company.

Klaas Wagenaar, Getronics CEO, said the deal marks "a new phase for the company".

Ovum's Hanaghan agreed it could but only if the company proves it can run with the global services big boys. "One of the most significant challenges will be the management of the multiple vendors. Getronics will have to prove to the customer that it can improve the delivery (in terms of quality and value for money) of these services.

"The key will be bringing down costs for the customer without eroding its own margins - a real challenge," she said in a research note.

But, she added, if all goes well the deal could be a big boon to the IT services company, if only as "a great reference point for other potential customers".