Relocating is problematic for most businesses, let alone for those in the public sector often called on to be available around the clock. When The Bond Board, a charity that assists people to find accommodation in the private rental sector, merged two offices into one to reduce overheads it asked Smarter Technologies, its IT consultancy for several years, to carry out the IT relocation to ensure a smooth, fast and cost-effective process.
Despite prior planning, Smarter Technologies and the charity found that a phone line had not been fitted in its new premises by another contractor as requested, leaving The Bond Board without essential communication channels such as email – a vital tool for liaising with service providers, current and potential tenants and landlords. Smarter Technologies resolved this setback quickly and inexpensively by linking a router to the line at the previous office and connecting the server there, allowing access to emails. At the new office, a mobile broadband device was provided, which enabled The Bond Board to use the internet so it did not miss out on potential funding opportunities and so it could continue to help people who may otherwise have become homeless.
An additional problem at the new office was that the existing IT infrastructure had been severed, which could have meant that all the cabling had to be replaced. Again, to keep costs to a minimum, Smarter Technologies repaired the damage, saving The Bond Board over £1,500.
Andrew Beeput, chief officer of The Bond Board, explained: “The only thing about the move that wasn’t stressful was Smarter Technologies! Working with vulnerable people means that we couldn’t afford to be offline in case they needed us – Smarter Technologies ensured that we were able to continue with our services as normal and no one noticed the glitch. John Miller, director of Smarter Technologies, really understands the pressure charities are under and always considers this when making recommendations. He has saved us so much money – I can’t put a price on his help. It is invaluable.”
