IT Systems helped Imagination Gin expand nationally

What was the issue?

At ImaGINation we were experiencing rapid growth within our business.  “When you are starting a biz the last thing you want to think about is the technical things”

• The initial systems that had been set up to support our business were no longer able to cope with the increasing demands, and there was concern that the current IT structure was holding business progress back. 

• Email and documentation were initially just set up to get us going, but as the business rapidly grew, communication issues started to arise. 

• For example: the email was not always reliable, mailboxes were full, we were getting bounce-backs, and problems with storage. 

• Mailing documents to each other was creating issues with versions, lost time, frustration, and lack of access control/security.

• Different team members using different systems that were “all over the show” creating a lack of continuity and efficiencies across the business. 

What needed to happen? 

• We needed to get better systems in place to improve reliability, and enable the team, rather than hold them back.  

• Create a foundation, and a system that can handle continued rapid growth and flexibility to changing needs as they happen.

• I wanted this done easily and effortlessly with minimum time involvement and an easy process. 

Action steps:

• We contacted GTB and they made it super easy for us to get this all sorted. 

• GTB suggested Microsoft 365. Email was put in place for the team, migrating some user’s emails from the old system.

• Shared mailboxes for emails needing more than one person to access, for example [email protected] were included. 

• This meant that they worked reliably across the different computers used by the team members - PCs, macs, ipads, phones

• Improved security with 2FA on email accounts

• Moving documents to a shared workspace (OneDrive)

“The shift to office 365 was really affordable and I was surprised at the low cost” 

Result:

• No more staff complaints. 

• Staff don’t have to contact me to get access to documents as we use the shared workspace and shared documents. We have a folder for marketing, sales and manufacturing and have set up access so that those that need it can access those files easily. 

• Moved our paper documentation on to the cloud. 

“We look way more professional, emails are not going to junk mail, and we are way more efficient”

Imagination

https://imaginationgin.nz/

Chris Charteris