Reliable IT for a business that never stops moving
How a multi-site removals and storage group eliminated unnecessary IT complexity and gained the round-the-clock system reliability their clients depend on.
A UK and European removals and storage group operating across 17 sites
AGM Group is predominantly a removals company and storage facility, operating 17 sites across the UK and Europe. The group moves clients both domestically and internationally, operating through a number of specialist brands, some focused on domestic removals, others specialising exclusively in international moves.
Moving home is one of the most stressful experiences in a person’s life. The fears clients bring to every move, that belongings will be broken, that items will be left behind, that things won’t be waiting for them at the other end, make reliability and care central to everything AGM does. Success, for AGM, means a client installed in their new home, everything unpacked and placed where they want it, ready to get on with their new life.
The challenge
Overly complex IT holding back a data-driven, multi-site business
As a group operating across 17 sites with multiple specialist brands, AGM relies heavily on data to run effectively. Decisions need to be made quickly, and that means systems need to talk to each other and deliver information at the touch of a button. The IT environment AGM had in place was unnecessarily complex and keeping it working was a significant task in itself.
An unwieldy system that was difficult to maintain
AGM’s existing IT setup had grown into something more complicated than it needed to be. Breaking it down while keeping it operational was a considerable challenge, and the business needed specialist expertise to move to something more stable and manageable without on-site IT resource.
Unpredictable project costs in an ever-changing environment
AGM operates in a fast-moving environment where new projects and requirements arise regularly. Under their previous arrangement, each new project brought additional costs that were difficult to anticipate. For a group managing multiple sites, brands, and software platforms, spanning removal CRM systems, finance software, and a range of cloud-based portals, cost predictability was essential.
The solution
The ASCEND model, delivering simplicity, cost certainty, and 24/7 reliability
AGM’s IT manager had prior experience with Utilize and, when approached, Utilize were proactive in putting together a proposal. The solution centred on the ASCEND model, eliminating the need for on-site IT presence, covering all engineer time, effort, and cost within the agreement, and providing the round-the-clock system availability AGM’s clients depend on.
ASCEND: no on-site IT required, no surprise project costs
The ASCEND model removed the need for AGM to maintain an on-site IT presence across their sites. Critically, when major projects arise, as they regularly do in a business of AGM’s scale and complexity, all associated engineer time and cost is covered within the agreement. In an ever-changing environment, that predictability is a significant benefit.
A stable platform for a data-dependent operation
AGM uses a range of software services, some cloud-based, across different functions, from removal CRM to finance systems. Utilize supports the infrastructure that ties this together, ensuring systems are available 24/7 and that the group can access up-to-date information when they need it. With cyber threats an acknowledged risk in the removals industry, and a number of high-profile cases already in the sector, the security element of the partnership is an increasingly important part of the relationship.
Results
On-site IT resource eliminated
The ASCEND model removed the need for AGM to maintain on-site IT presence across their sites, simplifying operations across 17 locations.
Full cost coverage for major projects
All engineer time, effort, and cost for projects is covered within the ASCEND agreement, removing the unpredictable additional costs AGM had previously experienced.
24/7 system availability
Utilize keeps AGM’s systems up around the clock, giving the group the reliability their clients depend on day in, day out.
A cyber-aware partnership built for the long term
With the removals industry acknowledged as vulnerable to cyber threats, AGM relies on Utilize to protect their systems, and expects that involvement to grow as both businesses evolve and technology continues to change.
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