A project management firm improves client service by moving from legacy infrastructure to an “office-in-a-box” remote-work model using cloud-based solutions.
Ranbury is a specialist project advisory and delivery firm offering bespoke project management services. Based in Brisbane, Australia, Ranbury employs over 100 experienced project professionals to help their clients achieve successful project outcomes.
A significant number of Ranbury’s projects involve active on-site management services. While the company is capable of providing these services from any of its five offices – Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Mackay, Townsville – many clients appreciate Ranbury’s capacity to offer their management services directly on the site of the project.
"Ranbury had ageing on-premises ICT infrastructure and wanted to move to a cloud setup that would enable our people to work and collaborate more effectively."
Most of Ranbury’s specialists enjoyed meeting with their clients on-site and Ranbury was keen to see how a new ICT infrastructure might enable these kinds of remote working arrangements.
However, their infrastructure at the time was causing a bottleneck, as many digital assets were stored locally. Staff members had to visit the office to download the assets they needed before a meeting. They then repeated the procedure whenever they needed to update internal documents.
Ranbury’s Project Management Office General Manager, Mike Wells, said he found the whole process inefficient and a source of frustration for many users.
Mike stated: “Ranbury is a project management consulting firm with a wide-spread client base, so keeping our people connected to the business and each other is important to us.”
Business drivers
- Client demand for better response times.
- Increased maintenance costs for legacy infrastructure.
- Inefficient communications processes hurting project returns.
- IT bottlenecks impeding access to internal assets.
- Ageing infrastructure not supporting preferred methods of service delivery.
The plan
Mike felt that moving to a cloud-based setup that supported a mobile workforce was the right move. The ideal was an environment that let Ranbury visit client sites with all their assets on hand. Dubbed the “office in a box” this project required professional planning, and Mike was keen to have a transparent, collaborative relationship with an MSP that exhibited a similar mindset to the culture found at Ranbury.
With these requirements in mind, Ranbury began searching for a like-minded service provider to dovetail into their project management operations and deliver ongoing support.
The solution
Ranbury chose to invest in an IT refresh project that included a range of cloud services and secure remote solutions. The aim was to produce an “evergreen” ICT environment that would give authorised personnel anywhere access to sensitive data and resources, while requiring minimal in-house management. This project was backed up by ongoing IT support and cybersecurity solutions from our team at First Focus.
Outcomes
"We now have a robust cloud-based ICT environment."
Ranbury now enjoys a protected, scalable ICT environment that works with and supports remote project management delivery. Users can access sensitive information remotely via secure channels, speeding up decision making and service delivery while also enhancing the quality of services provided.
- Secure, scalable ICT environment
- Supports remote work and site visits
- Faster decision making and enhanced service quality
The new ICT environment follows employees wherever they need to go. This environment enables better site visits and client meetings while also facilitating work-from-home arrangements – without requiring additional infrastructure or support.
Cloud storage and cloud apps help ensure the mobile workforce is no longer bound to the office while also ensuring sensitive data is backed up securely. Essentially, Ranbury’s people can work from anywhere with an internet connection, securely and with 24/7 IT support.
The result? Better site meetings and more productive remote visits, as employees are not stuck with the assets they have on hand. And if they need help, it’s available on demand.
Personal Benefits
"Our team are not bound to an office and have the freedom to work effectively from anywhere."
With technology that empowers people to make a difference, Ranbury employees feel supported by their IT solutions. The team is now confident that they can be contactable from anywhere, letting team members respond to changing project demands quickly and efficiently.
This level of responsiveness means smoother project delivery – no more driving back to the office to grab a file or check internal documents. Everyone is now able to participate in business decisions, as the environment keep people in the loop even when they’re away for extended periods. As a result, employees are more connected with decision-making processes and empowered to do the work in a way that suits them.
The impact of this project is wide-reaching. Employees are now free to engage with clients on-site, secure in the knowledge that they can alter plans or access details on the road.
These outcomes have substantial knock-on effects with clients, who appreciate the speed and efficiency of Ranbury’s project management services as well as the confidence it delivers.
What the client says
Mike Wells says that the business’s relationship with technology now feels fresh and customer-focused. Interactions with IT support deepens this relationship, with users appreciating the breadth and capacity of expertise available. If they need help, they know who to call.
Ranbury’s people now trust their IT to support their work as intended, rather than fearing process bottlenecks and relying on in-house workarounds to get the job done. This project has scaled back the level of IT pain from the boardroom to the client site, resulting in better workflows and fewer tickets across the board.
“This new way of working enables a more productive and flexible workforce, which translates to better levels of service to our clients,” said Mike.
"Our tech isn’t a bottleneck holding us back. Now it supports our business and our people."
Want a guided approach to your ICT infrastructure refresh? Talk with First Focus today!
