Duncan Stewart Case Study

Creating global sales on a variety of sales platforms, finding customers has never been a problem for specialty gift retailer Duncan Stewart as the reputation and quality of its goods sell themselves. However, such was the importance of sales generated in the six-week period up to Christmas, the management and sales teams were caught up managing IT problems instead of producing more orders. IT problems impacted the ability for production to keep up with demand, forcing the company to increase order turnaround times. Their internal IT systems had become the problem and not the solution to profitability, because of a complex combination of hardware and software issues that acted as a limiting factor to their growth as a business.

A complex, inefficient IT infrastructure on-premise created lots of downtime. This was coupled with a lack of trust in IT support - created by the previous supplier - that IT can work, and scale to their company vision.

• A complex server architecture on premise
• 3 servers operating 7 virtual servers running storage area network
• Near expiration server warranties
• Low spec tech used as a server
• Antivirus not employed fully across the estate
• Single fibre broadband internet connection
• Slow running applications
• Poor Wi-Fi signal across the workplace
• Faulty cabling or UPS protection
• Basic spam protection
• Expensive back-up solution

• Loan server installed, to reveal IT issues before company’s investment and prove the concept
• Rationalised systems, and hardware migration to one server
• All systems transferred to managed back-up solution
• New server installed with solid SSD Drives for superfast loading
• Re-cabled the office, UPS added to networked systems
• Installation of faster leased broadband line, with secondary line for failover
• Managed Antivirus software installed on new server and all workstations
• Director led proactive account management with regular, structured review meetings
• Migration to 365 business premium for increased spam protection

The company installed the new systems just weeks before the Christmas period. Thanks to their trust in the new network configuration, the company enjoyed a 3-to-4-fold increase in orders on the system, without it causing them any problems.

• Cost Reduction: A huge decrease in their IT footprint, thereby reducing their costs, and performance issues
• Trust: Loan solution developed trust for what has always been a traumatic part of the year.

• Office Anywhere: Members of staff were able to stay in their departments and produce sales.

• Productivity: Improved efficiency of production staff

• Structured Solutions: Solution was structured with scale in mind, the company has now added new product lines to their portfolio, knowing they can supply them easily​.
• Wider Markets: The sales team have now been able to look at wider markets with ease​.
• Faster: Improved server speed and broadband means access to product range and application access is much faster.
• Backup: Backup broadband service and SLAs in place to guarantee as much uptime as possible.
• Reduced Stress: Reduced seasonal sales period stress company wide.
• Renewed Confidence: Renewed confidence in IT systems allowed the company to make the choice to invest into expanding their range from textiles to homeware in 2021.

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