Ormiston Families

From Crisis to Confidence: How Croft Supported Ormiston Families After Their IT Reseller's Collapse.

Ormiston Families is a charity supporting children and their families to see a brighter future. Working in the East of England to take early and preventative action to create safe, healthy and resilient families.

The Challenge

Ormiston Families initially joined the Croft customer base as a Unified Communications customer, relying on an on-premises system installed before 2007. This legacy system presented challenges, and in the summer, we upgraded some of their telephony to 3CX to address issues with their existing Samsung service.

However, a significant obstacle arose when Ormiston Families' existing IT reseller went into administration in August. This left the organisation, with over 200 employees, at immediate risk of losing critical IT support.

Before this, our relationship with Ormiston Families was mediated through their incumbent reseller. This created an extra layer of complexity, as we reported back to the reseller rather than directly to the client.

The Solution

Recognising the urgent need, Croft swiftly intervened. We convened an immediate meeting with key stakeholders, including Karen (Director of People and Technology), the Financial Director, and the CEO. This facilitated direct communication, allowed us to build trust, and demonstrated Croft's value proposition.

Croft offered Ormiston Families IT support on a trial basis to alleviate immediate concerns during this critical period. Simultaneously, we negotiated a new, comprehensive managed services contract to better align with their needs, including the management of their Microsoft licenses, resulting in significant cost savings compared to the previous year. We are also building out their Joiner Mover Leaver process, which is crucial for Ormiston considering their organisational structure.

Throughout this process, we maintained close communication with Ormiston Families, conducting regular weekly check-ins to understand their ongoing needs and address any emerging issues. This collaborative approach fostered a strong client relationship. Karen emphasised the importance of direct support, stating, “It’s so reassuring to know we will have support there as soon as we need it. It really feels like we're never going to be put in this predicament again where we don't have support.”"

The Results

Ormiston Families now benefit from a tailored managed services solution encompassing connectivity, telephony, and comprehensive IT support. This solution has been specifically designed to accommodate the flexible needs of their diverse workforce, which includes full-time, part-time, and zero-hour contract employees.

Croft has also taken over the management of Ormiston Families' mobile contracts, addressing concerns with their previous inflexible arrangements.

I am delighted with the strong, collaborative working relationship we have built with Croft. In particular, I find them to be exceptionally customer-centric and willing to work with us to design bespoke, yet cost-effective solutions, mindful that we are a charity. I have had such positive feedback from my colleagues about their technical expertise, speed of response and customer service skills.

Karen Moore ,
Director of People and Technology

Moving Forward

Recognising the importance of a robust and reliable infrastructure, Croft is conducting a thorough review of Ormiston Families' existing connectivity estate and business mobiles. This includes assessing their legacy equipment and identifying potential upgrades to ensure optimal performance and security.

This successful engagement underscores the value of Croft's customer-centric approach. By actively listening to Ormiston Families' specific needs and challenges, Croft tailored a solution that not only addressed their immediate concerns but also provided long-term peace of mind and enhanced operational efficiency.