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After facing a range of support and system challenges that affected users, Knight Frank wanted to establish a device program that would equip their teams with modern technology while providing an efficient service and excellent value.
Most of Knight Frank’s 1,000-strong workforce is accustomed to working on the go, so their laptop is a vital tool. The business had been working with multiple providers with inconsistent support and faced challenges resolving device servicing needs. The business was keen to maximise the benefits from its investment in Microsoft Intune, making its device service seamless for users and reducing touchpoints for the busy IT team.
Now that we have Microsoft Intune implemented, we can wipe and deploy machines anywhere with an internet connection. A complex and lengthy process has been replaced by a simple sequence that offers a greater experience to our end users.
John Walton – Director, Head of Service Delivery, Knight Frank
Knight Frank Australia is part of a global consultancy that has been matching families and businesses with their perfect properties for more than 125 years. The 1,000-strong Australian team works from 20 offices around the country, and prides itself on combining innovation, industry knowledge and traditional service to give clients the best possible outcome.
As frustration grew from dealing with support challenges from multiple vendors, the IT team was keen to consolidate their supplier list to a single provider that could offer more personalised support that the business needed. By choosing a consistent device type designed to work well in a Microsoft environment, a smoother, more efficient experience could be offered to users.
Knight Frank’s IT team is dedicated to providing customers and colleagues with a high-quality service. To achieve this, they strive to continually improve processes and work as efficiently as possible. Providing users with reliable, appropriate laptops empowers them to work at their best, but Director, Head of Service Delivery, John Walton, said that the device program in place had proven to be problematic.
“This came about as we sought greater asset control, and also for better security and business continuity.”
Working with multiple device types from two different vendors had led to a number of support challenges. Aside from the cost of running multiple systems, the IT team found itself spending additional time troubleshooting and managing device issues, which took time away from other important tasks.
“We experienced frustration. Especially when it comes to service delivery, we need quick, responsive action. We had situations where people were without a functional laptop for a couple of days – this was a big part of the experience – this needed to change” explained Walton.
Deploying new devices had been another bugbear in the past, with both IT team and users taking more time than they would like to transition data and applications to a new machine.
“Our aim is to keep things simple, keep staff happy, and provide a device that’s ready to go,” outlined Walton.
Support coverage was important also as many Knight Frank offices do not have IT staff on-site to deal with new deployments or the day-to-day management of devices. This had proved difficult in the past in situations where no local support was available, with pandemic-related restrictions amplifying the limitation of the previous arrangement. Repairs were on occasion untenably slow.
“We’ve experienced delays of up to a month and a half to get one user’s device fixed, which significantly impacts our team’s productivity.”
Data#3’s Device as a Service (DaaS) includes device procurement bundled with a choice of services, such as deployment and management services, analytics, security and eventual end of life recycling. Companies choose a length of service, typically three years and pay a consistent monthly cost per device.
Knight Frank opted for a full device as a service (DaaS) and modern management, including a detailed rollout schedule and support agreement. This would give users modern, well-maintained Microsoft Surface devices while minimising touchpoints for the busy IT team.
“We looked at the offerings from three providers, following our acquisition process. We knew from experience that Data#3 was a good technology partner, and from there it was about process and finance. Data#3 had the trust factor, the communication channels, and the resourcing, and we knew they could manage our workload nationally,” commented Walton.
“We are juggling time zones, resources, and capacity for 20 offices nationally and Data#3 has that national coverage. It’s critical that our devices were being as well controlled as possible in every location, with us leveraging Data#3 resources to sites where we have no direct IT staff.”
Another important factor was Data#3’s partnership with Microsoft. Knight Frank had invested in several Microsoft technologies and sought to gain maximum value from this commitment.
“We looked at what leverage Data#3 had in terms of their partnership with Microsoft, and this was a big factor. From there, Data#3 assigned a dedicated team member to help us build our environment from start to finish which was most beneficial,” said Walton.
“We were attracted to Microsoft Surface devices because we are a very heavy Microsoft-focussed organisation. Their hardware leverages modern technology and is designed to fully integrate with Microsoft security features. Security is a huge aspect for us – and we knew that Microsoft Intune would work best with our devices, leading to a lower chance of issues. We didn’t have the same integration worries that can crop up, and we knew that Microsoft software always plays well with Microsoft hardware.”
The combination of Data#3 and Microsoft proved to make deployment a less stressful experience, and Walton said that users are efficiently transferred onto their new Microsoft Surface devices and quickly enjoying the benefits.
“Before deploying the devices, we heavily pushed Microsoft Teams and Microsoft OneDrive across the business, and this helped make the rollout seamless. Consolidating where staff kept their date definitely minimised complications and increased our ability to support staff remotely, reducing the need for such a heavy office IT presence.”
True to the IT team’s aim of providing the best service to users, the process of receiving an updated machine, and of seeking help, has been made more efficient.
“This time, there has been zero manual work for the user in getting their device set up. They just need their username, password, and to sit tight for a few minutes. Now that we have Microsoft inTune implemented, we can wipe and deploy machines anywhere with an internet connection. A complex and lengthy process has been replaced by a simple sequence that offers a greater experience to our end users.”- recounted Walton.
“Our teams appreciate the new system; the feedback has been very positive about how seamless the process is now.”
For the IT team, knowing that any support needs can be ably handled by Data#3 specialists means that they can concentrate on their important work of guiding the business through digital transformation. Walton said that knowing user devices are well-managed is a critical element of security at a time when cybercrime is a highly challenging issue in the property industry.
“It has been much easier to deploy further application and Microsoft updates using Microsoft Intune, and we know that updates are pushed out to devices within seven days of release.”
The cost benefits, too, have been notable, with the Knight Frank team still counting the savings.
“A big part of why it is cost-efficient has been our ability to reduce the number of systems required to maintain our legacy fleet of devices. Once we are 100% deployed, which we are really close to, we will be able to shut down other systems reducing our expenditure even further and we’ll have the added assurance of knowing that we have modern devices at our disposal,” explained Walton.
“Once complete, the entire onboarding process for staff will be simplified as we train people on the same standard operating environment (SOE) nationally. It adds up in an environment of 20 offices.”
As one of the most trusted names in the property sector, Knight Frank knows the importance of good relationships in business. Just as they put enormous effort into building relationships with their own customers, they value the same in their suppliers. Knowing who they were dealing with and having a dedicated contact has saved the IT team from the time-consuming process of chasing down support after explaining the same issue to multiple staff as they get passed around from person to person.
“With Data#3, we know they have the right communication channels, we get the advantage of having local support for our offices across Australia, all backed by the global expertise of Microsoft,” outlined Walton.
“If a device is damaged, we just raise a ticket with Data#3, and they take responsibility from there. We have the backing of a team of Data#3 resources that can be deployed where they are needed and know they will provide a good service.”
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Knight Frank is in the process of digital transformation to maintain its position as a leader of innovation in its industry, and the business wanted to work with a highly experienced technology services provider to ensure a smooth transition to cloud.
With end of life approaching for much of its data centre infrastructure, and an organisational shift to operational expenditure (OPEX), Knight Frank knew the timing was right to transition to the cloud. The IT team considered multiple proposals and chose to work with Data#3 because of a trusted existing relationship. Data#3’s position as Microsoft’s largest Microsoft partner in Australia and proven expertise in Microsoft Azure were key factors.
We believed we had good performance before, but then we migrated to Microsoft Azure. Suddenly, we had departments commenting on improved system performance internally and external clients also raising positive performance gains.
Craig Holt – Head of Information Technology, Knight Frank
Knight Frank Australia is part of a global consultancy that has been matching families and businesses with their perfect properties for more than 125 years. The 1,000-strong Australian team works from 20 offices around the country, and prides itself on combining innovation, industry knowledge and traditional service to give clients the best possible outcome.
Technology plays a key role in supporting the business. Knight Frank’s modest, busy IT team is ably guiding the business through digital transformation. Transitioning to cloud was central to this process, and as data centre infrastructure neared end of life, the time was right.
The property industry is highly competitive, and Knight Frank has maintained a leading position for more than a century thanks largely to a desire to continually innovate and improve service. Technology has played an increasingly key role and Head of Information Technology, Craig Holt, said the business saw digital transformation as a necessary process to stay at the forefront, with a cloud implementation central to this process.
“The biggest reason for our timing was the fact that we were running legacy hardware in our two data centres. To replace that legacy equipment would require substantial capital expense, and we leaned strongly towards an OPEX model that made costs more manageable. We knew it would be hard to ask for substantial capital expenditure (CAPEX), and we had to ask ourselves whether we wanted to carry two data centres of legacy equipment for the next five to seven years,” explained Holt.
In the time since the last major data centre refresh, it wasn’t only technology that had moved on. The way the business operates, and the expectations of users and clients, have also profoundly changed.
“We’ve had a real move towards 24/7 operation from our clients, and that means we can’t just schedule outages as we have once done in the past,” said Holt.
The IT department and Knight Frank leadership group had strong ideas that could bring competitive advantage, whether by new service offerings or by supporting users to work more efficiently. With the on-premises environment, though, Holt said rolling out new ideas was frustratingly slow and costly.
“In the physical data centre realm, we invest large sums of money for equipment to run a test, and then shut it down a week later if it didn’t work. Infrastructure is a big commitment.”
Security was also a consideration. The property sector is heavily targeted by cybercriminals, with losses from payment redirection scams reported in the first half of 2022 increasing by 124.4 percent over the previous year, according to REINSW. The responsibility towards clients and staff is one that Knight Frank takes very seriously, and data protection was high on the agenda when considering how to progress.
“We always want to reduce risks, and the security landscape had changed. We saw the potential to improve security with a transition to the cloud. The measures that a provider like Microsoft has in place go way beyond what most companies could realistically put in place themselves,” outlined Holt.
To get a clearer understanding of their situation, Knight Frank opted to undergo a free Data#3 Cloud Migration Assessment with Turbonomic to assess their environment and user needs. This helped to narrow down the best cloud choice to Microsoft Azure, with Microsoft Azure BI and Analytics to gain a level of clarity that the on-premises environment had lacked.
“The project gained traction via the expertise from the Data#3 consultants, and we felt confident it was the right choice to migrate our systems to Microsoft Azure,” commented Holt.
As a modest IT team with branches around the country, it was important to Knight Frank to get trusted help with the planning and workload migration from data centre to cloud. A series of workshops and preparation activities helped to fine-tune the plan and prepare for success.
“We sat with Data#3 and audited all of our production systems using a Microsoft assessment tool to find out exactly what we had in place. During these sessions with Data#3, we investigated everything we wanted to move – there were some easy pickings that we could just lift and shift, then we looked at machines that we could decommission and move to Microsoft Azure appliances, away from a server architecture and into Platform as a Service. For example, we reduced our SQL estate heavily, with a reduction in licences to match.
“We divided it into four transitions, carried out over 18 months. The great thing about Microsoft Azure transitions is that we were able to migrate systems, test over the weekend, and make sure everything was right before committing – we were able to roll things back if we felt they were not right. Fortunately, we only did a couple of minor roll backs, and it went smoothly,” explained Holt.
It wasn’t only the data centres that were no longer needed. Previously, site equipment was needed in every Knight Frank office, most of which did not have a dedicated IT resource in place, which was challenging for the IT team.
“This has allowed us to move away from having any server hardware in any office and will finish the decommissioning of site hardware in early 2023. One, we no longer have to spend time upgrading hardware, two, we have less licences to pay for, three, we have less software and four, we have been able to consolidate all data to one location, instead of all over the place. It is huge for security because we don’t have to worry about physical security any more on those sites,” outlined Holt.
Flexibility has been a big winner from the transition to Microsoft Azure. Where once, changes would require lengthy planning, acquisition of equipment, and resource-intensive implementation, now, Holt said, the business can try out new ideas almost instantly.
“We have the capability to stand up a whole environment for testing and fail fast, then start again. That was something we couldn’t do with physical equipment, which was a real commitment. We don’t have to worry about hardware specs anymore either – if we want to try something, we can just crank up the dial, then switch it off if it is no longer needed.”
While the Knight Frank team remains ever vigilant, the security advantages of the transition to Microsoft Azure have been keenly welcomed.
“It has reduced our security risk because of the standards that Microsoft have. They have skilled people constantly monitoring their environment, with both physical and virtual security more advanced than we could provide in our old on-premises data centre. We were able to review our security with Data#3 as part of our migration, and the data centre closure saw our score improve substantially on an external security assessment.”
The Knight Frank IT team has a strong focus on delivering a superior service to their users and the flexibility they gained contributed to successfully delivering on their project outcomes. There were also some less anticipated gains that caught user attention.
“We believed we had good performance, then we migrated to Microsoft Azure. Suddenly, we had departments commenting on improved system performance internally and external clients also raising positive performance gains,” recounted Holt.
The direct and indirect cost benefits have been significant for Knight Frank. What Holt described as a “flexible commitment to resources” enabled by the cloud environment mean that the business only pays for the resources it uses, when it uses them, without the waste of on-premises hardware sitting idle when it is not needed. That was only the start.
“We have office moves coming up and we don’t have to worry about provision of server rooms, so it is less hassle and expense. No special air conditioning and heat control are needed for sensitive equipment, which is another huge benefit,” said Holt.
“The development team can stand up equipment and, more importantly, stand it down when they are not using it, with auto shut-down reducing energy usage and cost.”
A reduction in energy consumption also serves to support environmental initiatives within the business, something that Holt has seen resonating with the Knight Frank client base.
“Another benefit is to our environmental, social and governance reporting. When we complete the move, we will be able to accurately report on our environmental footprint, where previously we had no way of getting a complete picture of our energy usage. There are tools in Microsoft Azure to make the process easier to see our environmental footprint. This is very much inline with supporting our journey to Net Zero.”
Transitioning to cloud has clear advantages in terms of flexibility, performance, and both financial and environmental cost but to gain full benefit, Holt said it is necessary to choose the right technology partner.
“It can be daunting, and it required a huge change in skills. Find a partner who is going to assist in building those skills through show and tell, and skill share sessions. We now have a team who are super-proficient with Microsoft Azure, and this came from Data#3’s knowledge transfer,” recalled Holt.
“They have a huge depth of resources, people of all skill levels, and they are backed by Microsoft supporting them. We had Microsoft on our fortnightly calls to go through any challenges we had and help us with any unknowns.”
Transitioning to the Microsoft Azure environment has freed Knight Frank from the usual hardware upgrade cycle, something that Holt described as “stressful” and “always involving risk”. Instead, the team can concentrate on the innovation and attention to detail that has given the business its highly regarded reputation.
“Replacing hardware in a data centre is fraught with potential problems but it will never again be a problem for us. There’s no way our internal team, no matter how good, could maintain an environment like Microsoft can because they have the resources. The way we look at it, if a system has a problem at Microsoft, they have got thousands of people to fix it – here we have a modest team.”
“Things are vastly different now. We have unlimited flexibility, if we need a sudden increase, we have the capability to provide it. The flexibility is the biggest thing.”
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Objective
The Knight Frank team in Australia sought to reduce its on-premises data centre footprint and create operational efficiencies by moving to the cloud. Aside from increasing resiliency and capacity, it was intended for the new process to pave the way for a smarter use of data and provide the foundation for Knight Frank to offer exciting new services for customers.
Approach
Initially, Knight Frank considered a number of major cloud providers. As they narrowed down the options, Microsoft Azure emerged as the platform that would best suit their needs. Knight Frank had an existing relationship with Data#3, built over the course of many successful projects. Knowing that Data#3 is Microsoft’s largest Australian business partner, and an Azure Expert MSP, meant Knight Frank was confident in their abilities to deliver the solution.
IT Outcome
Business Outcome
We accelerated in our team, and cloud was a critical part of that. We became a more agile organisation that could move as quickly as our clients needed us to.
Craig Holt – Head of IT, Knight Frank Australia
Background
Knight Frank is a highly respected global property brand, with 22 of its 488 offices located in Australia. Headquartered in London, the business has built its name on quality and service. Today, Knight Frank’s Australian business marries this tradition with a technology-forward approach that gives customers access to modern capabilities and service excellence.
In the past, the Australian team managed on-premises infrastructure, supported by colleagues in the UK. The time difference often made interactions challenging, and the team saw the potential to modernise its service while escaping support challenges by moving to the cloud. This transition would set the foundation for a digital transformation, enabling new services to continually improve customer experience.
The Challenge
For Knight Frank Australia, it knew that it was top their top priority to assess the current situation, and identify opportunities that would better align the business as it moves to forward. As part of that process, Craig Holt, Head of Information Technology looked beyond the IT environment, and investigated Knight Frank’s overall strategic direction.
“First, I looked at where we were succeeding, what business gaps existed, and where the organisation needed to go. We did an assessment of our existing footprint, and discovered that a lot of machines were at, or approaching, end of life. It was important to take that step back and ask ourselves, where do we want to go?”
The planned transition to cloud was about far more than merely addressing any support challenges. It would allow the Knight Frank team to focus more on building services and advancing the business, because less of their time would be poured into infrastructure matters. It would also provide a modern, agile platform for digital transformation that keeps the business at the forefront of the property industry.
“Cloud would give us better security, flexibility, and agility, but for Knight Frank, it was also around the transformation of apps and workloads, collaboration, and remote working. It was also about how we were engaging with the customer. We wanted our cloud journey to be an enabling force,” said Holt.
Knight Frank enlisted Data#3 and Microsoft to help with a cloud migration assessment, followed by a three-phase project to migrate their data centres to Microsoft Azure.
“For us, the focus was on the next phase of where we were going as an organisation, and what we would be bringing to market. We developed a ‘cloud-first’ strategy as a result. After we did benchmarking on what our environment could look like on each of the major cloud platforms, we settled on Azure. We worked closely with Microsoft and Data#3 to build in more detail about what that would look like,” explained Holt.
Knight Frank was keen to avoid simply relocating their IT ecosystem ‘as is’ to the cloud, and instead wanted to employ Software as a Service (SaaS) alternatives to existing applications where possible.
IT Outcome
Data#3 and Microsoft specialists worked closely with Knight Frank to draw up a detailed transition map to the Azure platform.
“From our initial business case, we built the move as much as possible around cloud. We started moving to cloud for traditional reasons, like wanting to shut down our data centre, but as we drilled into the apps we used, and those available with the new platform, we broke into smaller groups, and looked at the longer-term opportunities for cloud. It is not a static solution – even today, we continue to evolve and build new things,” outlined Holt.
Initially, work followed a planned timeline, but all that changed when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Overnight, remote working became essential for the entire business, while many services were brought forward to help Knight Frank’s customers to adjust to the sudden changes they faced.
“COVID-19 accelerated much of our work. It meant we had to roll out the project, and get the work done quickly. Part of our cloud story is the ability to scale, build and run services quickly. Twelve months ago, we would not have been able to roll out toolsets as we have; we built and deployed our cloud platform in three months,” stated Holt.
While Holt had worked with Azure before, for some of his team this was a new experience.
“Many of the team members had not worked with Azure, but Data#3 and Microsoft facilitated both formal and informal training. We wanted Data#3 to involve us in the process throughout, so we could upskill on the platform as we went. I saw this as key to our success.”
Business Outcome
The Knight Frank team saw cloud as an enabler, rather than a destination in itself. True to their traditions of service, when the pandemic struck, they worked to find meaningful ways to help customers in their time of need. The ability to harness data assets was a cornerstone of the initial plan, using Power BI and Analytics to create insights that would hold meaning and value for customers.
“Working with data analytics aligned closely to our cloud project. We were able to take data coming from the cloud and visualise it,” said Holt.
“We manage portfolios like office buildings and shopping centres, and were able to use financial data around rents, outgoings, and electricity and water utilities, and analyse sustainability goals, in a number of initiatives. We could share that data with customers. For example, one large shopping centre owner now has a tenant portal, where retailers can administer their leases, make payments, and use a messaging platform behind that. Retail has had a tough time through the COVID-19 pandemic, but our customer has a whole engagement platform, which means they are getting paid quicker, and have access to better, up-to-date communications with retailers, giving them better visibility.”
Bringing forward these initiatives involved a frequent reworking of the planned rollout, and Holt said highly valued the approach of Data#3 and Microsoft. It was all about getting the job done.
“The flexibility of Data#3 and Microsoft was a highlight. The goalposts changed as we went along, and they accommodated us every time,” said Holt.
The availability of local support has not simply been a matter of convenience for Knight Frank. Holt said that the relationship with Data#3 and Microsoft has been all-important.
“This has really been a transformation project, rebuilding and reworking workloads, and rolling out new services for customers. It helped that Data#3 has a view of our organisation in terms of where we want to go, they understand our direction. They are not treated as a vendor, but as a partner that understands the bigger picture, and this leads to better results.”
Conclusion
For the team at Knight Frank Australia, the planning and preparation for their cloud transition and subsequent analytics projects paid off when facing the unexpected. At a time when many organisations scrambled to take an unplanned leap, Knight Frank was positioned to capitalise on the work they had already done.
“We accelerated in our team, and cloud was a critical part of that. We became a more agile organisation that could move as quickly as our clients needed us to. Our industry is in various stages of digital transformation, but we have been more agile with our speed to market,” highlighted Holt.
“We were able to take advantage during the COVID-19 pandemic of the work we had put in. It levelled the playing field in some ways. Technology has been a bigger factor since COVID-19, and with customers now discussions are no longer just about the traditional service we provide, but about our technology platform.”
The response from customers has been positive, concluded Holt.
“Customer engagement with the new services is fantastic. The data analytics is changing how they forecast, what their portfolio looks like, their view of how their assets are performing. This will change the way they do business – we are invested in making our client’s live easier by putting the power of data back in their hands, so they can make better decisions.”
Source a strategic partner with the managed services capability to support the McGrath brand and maintain its competitive advantage through the provision of 24×7 ICT services including user-based support and infrastructure and applications management.
Design an integrated managed service to deliver the technical capabilities, coverage and service management functions to meet McGrath’s requirements and defined budget.
“They were very accommodating to our needs, which made the transition process very smooth. Data#3 has demonstrated precisely the process maturity I was looking for, and they have made my job a lot easier.”
Brett Kelly, ICT Operations Manager, McGrath Estate Agents
The Background
The business began in 1988 in a small office in Paddington, Sydney, where John McGrath developed a real estate philosophy based on integrity and transparency, and a process to deliver outstanding results for clients.
Since then, McGrath Estate Agents (“McGrath”) has grown to be one of Australia’s most successful residential real estate groups. The McGrath network currently has 93 offices throughout the East Coast of Australia. It has an established market presence in NSW, QLD and the ACT, and has now expanded into Victoria.
An integrated real estate services business, McGrath operates five business units providing residential property sales, property management, mortgage broking, auction services and career training.
The Challenge
McGrath’s contract with its existing managed service provider was due to expire imminently, and they took the opportunity to go to the market to seek alternate options. Brett Kelly, ICT Operations Manager for McGrath, had a number of specific business requirements that needed to be fulfilled.
The scope for a potential new managed service included everything from service desk to server support, through to backup and recovery management. Key to the success was the ability to leverage the chosen provider’s level 1 to 3 support capabilities. Anything bespoke or above level 3 support would be performed in-house – in particular, application development and support.
Of vital importance to Brett was the skillset of the successful provider. “I was looking for a partner with strong ITIL skills, one that had the capability to manage high volumes, with good structure and good references,” he said.
In addition to seeking a provider with credibility and process maturity, Brett anticipated that the provider would be able to strike a suitable balance between risk and service performance in being able to meet the tight timeline for transitioning to the new service.
IT Outcomes
Data#3 used its own service design methodology to collaborate with McGrath in the development of an integrated Managed Service. The new service delivered to the technical capabilities, support hours required, including governing processes, and SLA requirements, within McGrath’s budget.
The approach used a tool, which mapped McGrath’s service requirements against their IT landscape. The output was then used as the basis for further refining which functions would be performed by Data#3, and which would be retained by McGrath. This provided McGrath with the visibility of service accountability across its vendors, and served as a roadmap for the future.
McGrath leveraged Data#3’s ITIL-aligned processes and integrated ServiceNow platform to receive consistent and controlled IT services. Brett stated that “McGrath now has more mature processes than previously. Data#3 also helped us develop a better understanding of what we wanted and needed.”
When IT services are implemented using ITIL processes, the results tend to be dependable and predictable. As a result, there are no “surprises” that consume IT and management time and attention. This leads to an environment where user experience is greatly improved, and IT can turn its priorities to activities that help the business grow.
Data#3 now provides managed services for all McGrath offices and users consisting of the following services:
To meet McGrath’s requirements and to demonstrate flexibility when transitioning to the new services, Data#3 devised a phased approach, which would ensure core services were delivered ahead of the holiday shutdown period. The remaining non-business critical services were agreed to be implemented at a later date.
Business Outcomes
Data#3 has delivered on Brett’s challenge to bring a high degree of structure and process to McGrath’s operations environment. The Data#3 team ensured the continuity of business as usual during the transition for both staff and customers.
Now with 24×7 user support and proactive infrastructure management in place, user satisfaction has improved and the reputation of IT within McGrath is stronger.
From the outset, Data#3 promised to work in partnership with McGrath to deliver business transformation– and this has already been achieved, and more. A practical but non-technical benefit to the efficiencies created as part of the journey, is that McGrath has enjoyed cost reductions within the contract. The early delivery also meant that a partnership built on trust was established, enabling the right environment to drive future conversations and better outcomes.
McGrath now has a contract with Data#3 that establishes a foundation for continued and further success. There is a continuous cycle of review to ensure that service management continues to deliver to the evolving requirements of the business.
Conclusion
From the beginning, McGrath set out to source a partner with the capability to provide user support and infrastructure management services. The challenge for Data#3 to be that partner was to demonstrate to McGrath that they could bring increased rigor, tools and process to the very critical task of supporting the core McGrath infrastructure and its users. That was demonstrated through the transition to Data#3 and is substantiated by improved user satisfaction.
Brett was asked whether he has observed increased user satisfaction as a result of the Data#3 engagement. “We haven’t formally measured that yet, but my strong gut feel is that user satisfaction has definitely ticked upwards.”
Meanwhile, the two parties are carrying out a continual service improvement process for further enhancement of the Data#3 Managed Service.
With respect to the overall experience with Data#3, Brett commented, “They were very accommodating to our needs, which made the transition process very smooth. Data#3 has demonstrated precisely the process maturity I was looking for, and they have made my job a lot easier.”