Helping Bucks & Berks recruit the best

“We entrust our IT network to ramsac, a company with specialist knowledge in its field, so that we can concentrate on our core business. They offer a professional and approachable service.”

Company Secretary at Bucks & Berks Recruitment, Peter Hamilton

In the fast paced world of recruitment finding the right candidate for the client is of paramount importance. A recruitment agency must work as a focused team to share knowledge and resources. Bucks & Berks Recruitment Plc is the Thames Valley’s leading specialist in the permanent and temporary recruitment of office personnel. It operates through a network of five offices located in Marlow, Maidenhead, Slough, Windsor and Wokingham.

“The key to offering clients exceptional service is the effective management of information,” explains Company Secretary at Bucks & Berks Recruitment, Peter Hamilton. “It is therefore essential that we are supported by a robust and tailored IT system that meets the requirements of an information rich company.”

Hamilton continues; “We need to ensure that our IT infrastructure, which includes our email system, main database, accounts package and security elements, is maintained, monitored and updated throughout the day.  Delegating these IT requirements to ramsac gives us the time to deal with our core business. This means that up-to-the-minute information from new and existing clients and our permanent and temporary candidates is readily available to all members of staff across each of our offices without interruption or down time.”

Already aware of the benefits that an outsourced IT company could provide, Bucks & Berks had employed the services of an IT support company for a number of years in an effort to maintain the focus of the company on the business of recruitment, without being inhibited by IT issues.

As Bucks & Berks continued to expand, it realised it needed to outsource its entire IT requirement, as well as devise and execute a pro-active strategy to meet its growing needs.

After an in-depth review of tenders from three IT consultancies, Bucks & Berks chose ramsac, IT outsourcing specialists for the SME market. “We were extremely impressed with the level of knowledge ramsac demonstrated and their competency, speed and accuracy,” comments Hamilton on his reasons for hiring ramsac.

“Our faith in ramsac’s abilities to deliver a high level of support and service was further cemented by its ISO9001:2000 accreditation,” continues Hamilton. “We are also proud to hold this accreditation through BSi and it demonstrates that ramsac is as committed to delivering quality within the IT Industry as we are to the recruitment sector.

Bucks & Berks were using five separate networks for each of its five offices and were maintaining a third more computers than staff. ramsac advised that an IT network infrastructure that would reduce the amount of redundant hardware clogging up office space, whilst creating a secure company wide platform for sharing and storing information was required.

It was clear that the five separate networks were stifling communication and information sharing. It was ramsac’s task to enable Bucks & Berks to perform as a unified team, supported by one common network that could be securely hosted and maintained by ramsac.

The gradual introduction of a Citrix Enterprise network was initiated. Technical Consultant at ramsac, Paul Mew explains; “We wanted to provide a cost efficient answer to Bucks & Berks’ IT requirements that would make the best use of existing hardware and software.”

The use of Citrix has enabled Bucks & Berks to utilise its existing IT equipment, as it is able to operate on even the most basic PC specification. Any web-enabled computer in any location can quickly and securely access the information stored on the Citrix network, whether in the office, at home or on the move.

The introduction of the new Citrix network was phased into each site at two-week intervals to limit disruption to the day-to-day business, “We have seen a notable improvement in the stability, security and speed of the network and are now able to share real-time information across our entire operation,” explains Hamilton on the benefits of the new network.

Mew adds; “The Citrix network makes software management a simple and quick process. By patching the master terminal, all subsequent PCs connected to the network receive the most current updates. This has significantly reduced the downtime previously experienced by consultants.”

In addition to telephone helpdesk support, ramsac also provides Bucks & Berks with an on-site consultant for two days each month to ensure that the system is operating efficiently, to answer any questions and identify areas for development.

“ramsac provides us with a tailored solution that meets our needs,” Hamilton concludes. “We entrust our IT network to the skills and ability of ramsac so that we can concentrate on our core business. ramsac is a company with specialist knowledge in its field, offering a professional and approachable service for companies in a similar position.”