An existing client asked us if we wanted to pop in for a chat about cloud options for the business. Nothing we like more than a bit of a strategy talk, it allows us to share our expertise and work out if we can do anything to help the client improve business.

We had a great session with the management team and staff, lots of sharing, aspirations, plans and business needs, with us throwing in possible solutions, different avenues to explore and how cloud working could deliver many more options than mentioned.

A couple of outline proposals later, we were fleshing out the start of an 18 month business change project to move to collaborative cloud systems. Meanwhile, the first European reports of COVID 19 were emerging. We talked to the client about accelerating the timescales but the costs were sitting in next year's budget and the risk seemed to be fairly low, so the original timeline held .

Business risk increased very quickly and as we talked more with the client about what was needed, we focussed on what the business and its people required, not how it was going to be paid for! After some further discussion we started implementing the project one day before the Government lockdown for the Arts sector. We effectively transferred all internal systems, data and staff to the cloud in 11 days and continue to tune the system for further productivity gains.

From Accounts to the Z: drive on the server, everything was moved to Google and Other Cloud Platforms. The first key systems were available on day one of the lockdown with increased staff access, systems and data becoming available as each hour passed for the next 11 days.

We supported all the staff and the business during the transition and the client is now fully operational in the cloud. What about the budget, I suspect you might be asking? How did we square that circle? Quite easy in the end: we respect our client and what they do, so we decided to hold the project cost as an investment in them. When they are fully operational in the next normal, we will agree with them on how we can begin to add the cost back into their future budgets.

When we say we partner, we do mean “partner”. We have worked with this client for many years and have made this investment in time and money for our relationship. Because no matter the outcome, it's the right thing for us to do as a professional trusted partner.

For ourselves and our client we look forward to their business returning after the lockdown and we will support them as much as we are able, to help improve their chances and through them our joint business futures.

Photo by Ana Georgiana on Unsplash

We have been engaged by another of London’s premier theatres to reimagine, improve and transform the system infrastructure and business support operations. Our brief has been to stabilise the existing systems first and to rebuild an eroded staff faith in internal systems.

We have focussed almost exclusively on stabilising and improving the current infrastructure in order to increase its effectiveness for the business. This involved placing a dedicated client facing team into the business to instill confidence and build relationships for our planned systems changes.

Like many plans, our change project was disrupted by the COVID 19 pandemic and its consequent impact on the Arts Sector and our clients. The disruption for this client meant we had to plan and execute moving the entire business to home working over a few days. We achieved this with no additional investment or time to make changes to the existing systems, and little knowledge of what systems the disrupted staff would be able to use when they reached home.

Our deliberate investment of time for trust building during the first few months of our engagement let us respond in a timely, caring and professional manner to this potentially fatal business disruption.

We developed and applied novel solutions, worked out different methods of working and improved communications, to enable all staff to work from home within a few days. We believe this would not have been possible unless we were trusted by our clients and all of their staff to get them working. We can't deny it took innovation, lots of our resources, flexibility and sheer hard work to achieve the result for the client, but we believe it has allowed us to prove it’s people that make the difference.

Our client trusted us, we trusted them, and together we achieved a result in days - one that normally takes multiple months of planning and implementation. The CEO believes their previous partners could not have achieved what was needed. Most importantly for us, it's helped us build even better relationships and new skills that we can use for all our clients as we all work through this pandemic and its consequences.

Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash

We are delighted and proud to announce that we have recently led and installed the IT systems for the capital’s first new commercial theatre build in 80 years. As well as using our wealth of experience and know-how to design a flexible network to cater to our partners’ needs, we have implemented innovative solutions that offer us and the theatre team complete and easy control of the network at the touch of button, and a revolutionary wi-fi based hearing loop for its guests.

Our Partners are reviewing a major London Theatre’s IT Systems.  As part of the engagement we are producing a comprehensive IT Management Handbook, together with systems documentation and the development of internal IT department.

The majority of the client's current systems are provided by a hosting supplier.  The systems provided are a legacy of previous ad-hoc arrangements and have an uneasy fit within the current organisation.  Lack of responsiveness and some poor technology choices have led to us being contracted to provide a thorough review.  

On completion of our engagement, the client will have comprehensive documentation and internal staff will be able to make use of the information to improve the management of the theatre’s IT systems.

We provide IT operations and consulting for one of the UK’s leading Independent Cinema chains, across all its UK venues.  We helped plan and implement its Vista box office deployment and now support its day to day operations.  We are experts in deployment and support of all aspects of the Vista software including: Vista Cinema, Digital Signage, Cash Desk, Kiosk, InTouch, UsherPoint, Staff Scheduling, Projection, Air Con, Head Office, Vista Analytics, Loyalty, Vouchers, Film Programming, Group Sales, Vista Web, Call Centre, Telephone Ticketing, VIsta Connect, Service Site, Circuit Manager, Language Manager, MACCS.

We also support all non cinema operations using an innovative hybrid solution of Cloud, Hosted and Onsite technologies.  This bespoke solution integrates all aspects of the business from HQ to ushers.  Our Partners’ IT delivery skills have allowed us to combine with the client's team of: architects, digital projection, auditorium sounds engineers, developers, builders, project planners and fit-out specialists to deliver nine new cinema sites, with a total of twenty six screens, in a four year period.

Our client had a smart early concept idea for a singles dating app and, over 24 months ago, commissioned a developer to deliver his idea.  The app was produced late, with perceived deficiencies.  This late development cycle has led to the app not being first to market, thus making it harder to reach its intended market entry targets.  Relations between our client and the developer were breaking down and definitive testing of the app was needed.

We provided a team, test hardware, multiple locations, social media accounts and technical skills.  We assessed the products on IOS, Android, and hosted server along with its API links to Foursquare and Facebook.

We tested, correlated and reviewed multiple interactions against the agreed specification.  A fully documented report on all aspects of the app’s deficiencies and faults was produced, along with a general overview of the app’s suitability for market release.

This report is now forming the basis of a new concerted drive by the developer and our client to correct the faults and move forward to an agreed product release.

Our client is a major new player on the London Theatre scene which is going from zero to a 900 seat purpose-built state of the art theatre in 2017-18.  Our engagement is to supply the systems and technical staff from startup to full theatre operations.

We are delighted to be working with some of the most creative people from contemporary theatre and the arts on this engagement and are looking forward to delivering new and creative technology to support the business's vision.

We provide operational support and consultancy for a specialist precision manufacturing company in the Luxury sector.  We designed, implemented and continue to provide operational consultancy on a integrated manufacturing system.  The system incorporates, CRM, Accounts, JIT Stock Replenishment, CAD, Assembly Lines, Logistics, Staff Rosters, Payrolls, Web Site and Physical ordering systems.  The system links all its multinational sales operations to its warehousing and manufacturing facility in the UK.

This system has allowed the company to become more efficient and increased its capacity to be more creative and flexible.  The system has supported increased sales in the company's target markets of choice for its Luxury products.

Our Partners work with several leading London Theatrical Agents and their teams.  We provide a complete discrete consultancy and operational services for all of their needs from: digital showreel production systems, business operations using Agentfile, InEntertainment or Tagmin to two stage secure mails systems.

Our clients value our ability to provide agile bespoke IT that meets the unique cultures of each of the agencies whilst providing secure client confidentiality for their world-renowned clients.

Validation and testing work for a United Nations (UN) program for secure money transmission system for the Somali diaspora.  We tested and reported on the software system being developed for the UN to replace traditional xawala or xawilaad systems.  The Somali Money Transfer Association (SOMTA) were a UN funded initiative to record and control the unregulated transfers of money from Somali citizens worldwide.

Our Senior staff consulted, operated and implemented all IT systems for one of the UK’s leading producing theatres, with an international reputation for artistic excellence, winning over 100 major awards during its 24-year history.