If you're a 500-strong company handling printing and print logistics for government and education, it is mission-critical for the IT systems to run smoothly—and still make sense to the bottom line. For this print company, CommArc's attention to cost-effectiveness and commitment to a win-win relationship does the trick.
If you're a 500-strong company handling printing and print
logistics for government and education, it is mission-critical for
the IT systems to run smoothly-and still make sense to the bottom
line. For our client, it was this attention to cost-effectiveness
that drove the CIO to CommArc for a better solution.
"We were looking for an IT partner who could bring costs down
while providing a solid base for future growth," he remembers.
"Someone I respect had recommended CommArc, and I was really
impressed by [CommArc CEO] Phil Johnson."
The brief from the client was broad yet simple: improve the
effectiveness-and cost-effectiveness-of their IT support. In order
to figure out how to deliver on that challenge, CommArc Business
Development Manager and project lead Simon Thomas invested plenty
of time up front to really understand their business.
CommArc staff looked at the client's core business applications
to understand how they fit together, how information flowed, what
the infrastructure was like, and how much of their IT was local
versus server-based. As many as four CommArc team members visited
the premises, working hard to tailor the ultimate solution to the
actual environment.
"Even though we're not responsible for all of the applications
they use, we still need to understand the complete picture," says
Thomas. "That way we can make sure we're maintaining the integrity
of the system while we resolve individual issues."
CommArc's initial draft structure for the help desk served as a
starting point to develop a partnership that would always be in the
client's best interests. The CIO was keen to manage cash flow and
limit the financial risk of unlimited IT support, so CommArc worked
out the ideal solution: the help desk contract would be capped at a
maximum amount per month. If the hours came in under, they would be
charged less, but CommArc was responsible for any overages.
This structure ensures that both parties are motivated in a
common direction. CommArc is incentivised to make sure the system
is as robust as possible and issues are resolved the first time
around, thereby minimising the load on the help desk. At the same
time, the less often the client uses the help desk, the more
economical it is for them.
In the end, the up-front effort paid off. CommArc was given the
keys to the system on a Friday-and was supporting it on help desk
the very next day. In addition, even though the infrastructure
hasn't changed, within just four months the number of faults
recorded per month has gone down by 45%.
The client couldn't be happier. "The shift to CommArc represents
a change for the better in every way. Our staff actually seek me
out, on their own initiative, to tell me how happy they are with
the help desk. And dealing with the CommArc people has been a
delight. They stand by what they say and I feel like they've become
a real partner in the continuous improvement of our business."
Services supplied:
- Infrastructure consulting and support
- System support plan
- Managed help desk
- SQL consulting and services
- Server and workstation security
- 24x7 pager support
- Weekend help desk