Expansion and Server Problems : Case Study
See how Principal's service desk and IT support contract solved a company's server problems when they upgraded to Microsoft Server 2008.
It Could be You
Expansion and Server Problems
It's a familiar tale. Your business expands - and the company's IT systems start failing. You don't know why, but when they are restored, you just get on with your job. Until the next time... It's a story Working Partners' Operations Director Charles Nettleton knows only too well. With no dedicated technical support, IT systems were haphazard.
"These things build up gradually," explains Nettleton, "and too much time was taken up trying to get to the bottom of the problems."
Inevitably, there came "a tipping point."
Coming Apart at the Seams
Over Christmas 2008, a freelancer upgraded Working Partners' operating server to Microsoft 2008. It didn't go well. Staff returned to computers that remained dark for a week.
"The upgrade incident brought it home to us. We didn't have the expertise or resources in place. We had just one person dealing with IT, and if it went wrong, there was no one else to call," Nettleton remembers. "It was so bad, I have almost blotted it from my memory."
Tailoring a Solution to Server Failures
Working Partners hunted for proper external IT support, and Principal's proposal was successful. Principal's technical team conducted a network health-check. They began a programme of regular preventative and proactive housekeeping measures. Disruption ended. Improvements were skillfully integrated with existing systems.
A Good Fit: Principal IT Support Contract
Expertise and efficiency characterise Principal's support, Nettleton notes. "Before, we never quite knew what the day would bring, but now we don't have to worry about it." And since taking up Principal's unlimited remote support tariff, Working Partners has benefited from its silent monitoring service. "We were always dealing with things as and when they happened so this new system is a major advantage," he adds.
"The two key things we wanted were a stable and secure system, and the knowledge that help is there whenever we need it," says Nettleton. "In this, Principal has exceeded expectations. They know exactly what is what. They are very conscientious and accountable for what they have taken on."
To use an analogy," Nettleton observes, "as we were growing in size, we had an IT vehicle that was the equivalent of a moped. In the end, everyone was trying to ride on it, and it was getting top-heavy, so it wobbled and fell over. Now we feel like we are riding in a safe saloon car!
