Richard Body Law
Richard Body Law are an established, local legal firm with decades of experience practicing criminal, family and civil litigation across East Sussex from their St Leonards-on-Sea base. The friendly, hard-working team have represented clients in high-profile cases faced with the most serious of charges, as well as being continually available to advocate for local people charged with traffic offences, handling the fallout of divorce or in need of legal support in the workplace.
Company Requirements
Richard Body Law Ltd were beginning to experience challenges with their ageing IT, which they feared was fast becoming obsolete. To ensure that they could continue to work with the utmost sensitivity for client data – and to be compliant with key industry standards such as Cyber Essentials – they needed a fast-moving, well-planned series of IT upgrades.
First Steps
inTEC reviewed the existing infrastructure in place, identifying a Windows 2012 R2 Server as a key barrier to achieving Cyber Essentials, which the firm had recognised as a high priority. The infrastructure review also identified a range of end-of-life networking hardware, as well as a series of devices which would not be compatible with Windows 11. Off the back of this review, we pulled together a single proposal outlining the work needed to obtain Cyber Essentials.
Our Solutions
The existing Windows 2012 R2 Server was removed and replaced with a Cloud solution, enabling colleagues to work securely and collaboratively on documents as well as addressing a key point of non-compliance with Cyber Essentials. The improvements to day-to-day working brought about through the Cloud solution represented a significant value-add to their Cyber Essentials pathway.
To ensure that the firm’s connectivity could support a Cloud solution, we replaced their existing SoGEA line with a Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) internet connection. The FTTP connection would benefit internet speeds, as well as the quality of their 3rd party telephony system.
The end-of-life networking equipment was addressed by upgrading to UniFi networking hardware, which enabled us to remotely monitor and manage access points. This would allow for clear tracking of network demand and performance toward achieving improved system up-time. Lastly, we have recently agreed a plan to replace the existing hardware which will not be compliant with Windows 11 ahead of Windows 10 going out-of-support in October 2025.
The Outcome
Richard Body Law Ltd are now compliant with Cyber Essentials and have achieved this through a journey which has generated significant additional value through wider improvements to their operational efficiency and collaborative working potential. Throughout our work together, inTEC have been consistently available to support users at Richard Body Law to ensure that all of this change has been effectively managed.
“All the staff at inTEC are very professional and helpful. We are a not very tech-savvy firm and everyone at inTEC is very patient with us, assisting us with any queries that we have. They have also been amazing communicating with a third party that we use, to ensure that we get the best operating system for our firm. We would definitely recommend inTEC to other businesses needing IT support.” – Donna Foster, Richard Body Law Ltd
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Case Study: St Leonards Motors
St Leonards Motors transforms its IT infrastructure,
hardware and processes with a comprehensive
company wide move to the cloud and adoption of
Microsoft365 suite of applications
ABOUT
SLM are a successful motor dealership which began trading in 1959 and as of 2022, the family group consists of 12 sites across East Anglia, Sussex and Kent.
The business runs franchises with Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Fiat and Vauxhall, and includes two body shops and Sussex Used Cars.
BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS
Historically, both hardware and software had grown organically and without structure. Cloud technology was not integrated into the environment, limiting flexibility and capability. The SLM board felt it was time to take a more progressive approach and needed a solution to allow their team to work collaboratively in a secure and safe environment from a range of devices. Reliability and consistency for users was a key requirement, as was the need for centralised management and strategic development to support the future ambitions of the business.
SOLUTIONS
inTEC worked closely to understand SLMs’ specific challenges and future plans, allowing us to develop a robust IT strategy using technology road mapping. This process helped us to build and create a reliable, efficient platform which would enable the group to take full advantage of the benefits of a Microsoft cloud environment.
Microsoft 365 was key to this approach and as a Microsoft Gold Partner with competencies in Cloud Solutions, inTEC were able to work with SLM to unlock the value in the Microsoft 365 suite.
Cloud
Cloud technology was at the core of this digital transformation project. Although the existing servers were replaced with current generation hardware for on-premise management of Active Directory, these integrate with a Microsoft Azure cloud Active Directory environment, creating a hybrid cloud environment and joining all SLM sites into one centrally managed structure. SLM’s print management solution was moved into a Microsoft Azure hosted environment, for centralised management and control across the whole group. inTEC moved SLM away from their existing legacy mail solution into Microsoft 365 to provide not only hosted email but a consistent, up to date desktop and cloud application suite.
Sharepoint Zone
SLM’s SharePoint Zone, which inTEC developed as SLM’s central platform for business operations. Everything runs from here, shared internal document access, access to external cloud applications and it is all secured and centrally managed based on an employee’s job role, giving them access to everything they need for their job. This allowed fully collaborative working across every dealership.
Infrastructure
SLM’s data cabling infrastructure and wireless networking was brought up to standard. The legacy wireless networks was replaced with a modern group wide, centrally managed Wi-Fi solution, providing a robust, reliable, secure and fast internal communications infrastructure.
Annual Leave
A custom built Annual Leave Management solution was built into the Microsoft environment allowing for simple and easy leave management across the whole group providing a transparent and frustration free process for the team.
Hardware
Desktop and laptop hardware across the group was replaced with fast, new technology, removing performance bottlenecks previously experienced by end users and providing robust and warranted devices to ensure maximum uptime and interruption free working.
inTEC also deployed Microsoft Enterprise Mobility and Security (EM+S) suite to provide a range of security solutions to protect critical customer data and help protect devices and user environments from malicious attacks and data leakage.
With the new system deployed, inTEC now deliver their PromisePlus IT support and managed services agreement which gives all users a best in class central, friendly point of contact for all technology issues and saving the group £70,000 + per annum in internal staff costs. All technology is now centrally managed and pro-actively maintained on behalf of SLM and inTEC continue to work with the board in developing and implementing a technology roadmap to support the ambitions of the group.
OUTCOMES
Significant performance improvements across the whole business were immediately noticed and
previous system reliability issues disappeared. SLM’s staff now access their shared data online from within their inTEC designed ‘Zone’ where their data is safely secured on Microsoft servers in the Cloud and is accessible from anywhere with Internet connectivity. A customised navigation structure makes getting to relevant information easy and logical. Staff can easily share and co-author live documents and collaborate effectively across the organisation regardless of their location.
Staff now feel that the technology is there to aid them in their role rather than being a hindrance to them. Combined with rapid and friendly support provided when issues or queries arise, a hugely positive impact on morale has been seen. Efficiency and productivity has improved as systems work as expected, every time and the workflow processes implemented reduce manual effort and wasted time. Data security is greatly improved and as a result inTEC were able to deliver Cyber Essentials accreditation for SLM Group following completion of the project.
There is a confidence in the environment and peace of mind for the board now that SLM has a partner that has taken away the technology headaches and is helping to drive the future strategy. But this is still only the beginning of the journey as inTEC work with SLM to further leverage the investments made to date.
“The decision to reform our IT was a big one, but it was the right decision, and getting inTEC on board was the right decision also. They share our goals, they share our ambitions, and with inTEC as part of the team we are thinking positively about SLM Group’s future.
From the very first meeting with inTEC they seemed to have an innate understanding of our business and our IT needs. The inTEC people were so reassuring, and it was quickly apparent that these guys were at the absolute top of their game.”
Mark Phillips, Managing Director, from SLM Group commented.
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Interested in finding out how we can help your organisation work smarter through tech? Contact us now.
