"Our IT works, we are kept up to date with new technologies and the service is excellent. We have the freedom to focus on our own business."
Dylan Byne, Partner, OSK Business Consultants
Persuasion Case Study
Persuasion, a busy development consultancy which advises clients on business, people and organisational development matters, has switched its entire IT setup to IT Forces Hosted Microsoft Exchange solution. The solution, based on the software as a service model, was IT Force’s most in-demand service offering during the month of January.
Aine Maguire, principal at Persuasion, was attracted to the significant cost benefits of the solution. Persuasion receives a complete IT infrastructure and applications, including Microsoft Exchange, for €75 euro a month. “Agility” was the other main motivator as the solution enables her to access her office anywhere.
As Maguire explains: “After six years in business, I had inherited a complex suite of applications and hardware which was not only difficult to manage, but costly to maintain and somewhat unreliable. From time to time, unexpected IT problems were cropping up and taking me away from focusing on my clients and my business. I needed a streamlined and efficient service with guaranteed reliability, enabling me to provide a similarly high standard of service to my own clients.”
Pictured: Aine Maguire, Persuasion and Joe Molloy, IT Force
“I approached IT Force who outlined a number of options and showcased how their hosted Exchange solution is best suited to me given my requirements. I would recommend it to anyone running a small business that is reliant on secure, fast, flexible and affordable technology.”
IT Force advised that the company should replace its cumbersome server and instead rely only on a laptop for mobility and one docking station in its offices. All files and emails are securely backed up and stored electronically off site. This means there is a watertight disaster recovery plan for IT.
“For a modest initial outlay and an ongoing maintenance contract, I have a full suite of software solutions, total security of data, full backup solutions and a help desk that sorts out any problems almost before I am aware of them,” says Maguire. “My IT requirements, which used to cause me huge headaches, are now simply on tap – as are upgrades, license compliance, and security worries. In addition, my spend on IT is agreed upfront is considerably smaller than previous years and is predicable. It’s a very powerful solution.”
Persuasion has offices in Dublin city centre but Maguire often travels to client offices, to overseas meetings as well as working from home. Her IT office is independent of physical location and she can access all her files securely, once she has her laptop and an internet connection.
As Joe Molloy, director of Managed Services at IT Force comments: Hosted Exchange is a very powerful solution for someone like Áine who needs flexibility, consistency and continuity. It also provides a low cost, high service option. While Áine may be a one person consultancy, her clients demand the highest level of support and a guaranteed confidentiality with regard to their data. Áine needed a robust, secure solution that was flexible and we are certainly able to provide that on a day to day basis.”
“The solution delivers a number of the key benefits to small businesses”, adds Molloy – “it saves on money, secures your data and makes it easy to scale up you business. You can also access support when needed and its carbon-neutrality makes its more sustainable and green-friendly”.
Maguire has found the additional benefits of greater efficiency with her IT solution. “I can access client files from home or from any office or indeed hotel with internet access. This means I am always on top of my game: a very important feature for my clients.”
Security is not an issue for Maguire as all communication is encrypted with government level encryption algorithms. Communication is done via 128 bits SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption with certificates from one of the world’s largest certificate authorities, Thawte.
Molloy also points out that the service includes anti virus and anti spam features, automatic software patching and data backup.
“It’s a ‘no brainer’ for me,” says Maguire. “My IT needs are met at an affordable predicable fee, I am assured of continuity of service and if I need any upgrades or new applications added, I just have to ask.”
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