Waterware's technical team had a problem hiding in plain sight: decades of product knowledge locked inside the heads of a few key people. If those people were unavailable; or worse, permanently gone; the business had no reliable way to access what they knew. Discover how iT360 helped Waterware build Gandalf, an internal AI chatbot trained on their own knowledge base, turning institutional expertise into an accessible resource for the entire team.

Good Seed Trust is a non-profit dedicated to helping build strong families. It runs a number of programmes including early childhood centres, the award-winning OSCAR holiday programmes and before and after school care, youth and family coaching and Fathers and Kids and SuperGrans events. It touches the lives of more than 200 families across Auckland.

Watch the video of Grace Ikiua, CEO of Good Seed Trust, as she shares the challenges they face and how migrating to the cloud helped them become more productive.

Farro is a boutique supermarket chain that started in 2006. Farro’s goal is to make your grocery shopping an experience, not a chore. They aim to provide their customers with a retail experience that ignites the senses. From a team of 10 and 1 store, they now have over 350 full-time staff in 6 different locations covering most of Auckland.

Wine Logistics is a family-owned New Zealand business that provides storage and logistics solutions to the on- premise hospitality trade and liquor retail outlets. The business was started as a direct result of lackluster services of existing logistics and freight services entities. With a simple goal to provide excellence in service, Michele, owner and Managing Director seized upon this gap in the market and today has a thriving business.

Michele Spring, Managing Director of Wine Logistics, knew the importance of quality service. Being in the hospitality industry, she knew that reliability and consistency were paramount to success. As the company grows, the IT systems running behind the scenes need to evolve as well.

Metal Image, a family-owned and operated metal printing company, is growing at steady pace in the last few years. What started in a cramped bathroom in 1974, Metal Image has now become one of New Zealand’s leading metal printing specialists.

Andrew Robbie, Managing Director of Metal Image, foresees entering new markets as the catalyst for rapid growth in the next few years. But this can’t happen without making changes to their IT infrastructure.

You know your IT provider is doing a good job if they have a plan for the unthinkable. Are you willing to bet on yours?

Pipeline and Civil is an Auckland-based, private-owned, employee-owned company specialising in building water and waste pipelines. And because the company is wholly owned by the senior management and supervisory staff, this translates into a boutique experience for their clients.

The company is growing about 50% year-on-year in the past few years. The main driver of this success is their superior client and stakeholder engagement, the retention of technically skilled staff and risk management processes.

But this growth didn’t come without its fair share of challenges. Andy Corbett, whose official title is Commercial Manager, but also oversees the company’s IT infrastructure, shares that they have a “reactionary approach to managing IT” and that they needed to change that.

Pipeline and Civil is an Auckland-based, private-owned, employee-owned company specialising in building water and waste pipelines. And because the company is wholly owned by the senior management and supervisory staff, this translates into a boutique experience for their clients.

Far too often, businesses delay switching IT providers because of the switching costs. By the time something "big" comes up, it's too late. You could have prevented that from happening. And it doesn't have to be that way.

The company is growing about 50% year-on-year in the past few years. The main driver of this success is their superior client and stakeholder engagement, the retention of technically skilled staff and risk management processes.

Pipeline and Civil was originally working with a small IT provider for a number of years. But this IT provider wasn’t helping Andy and the team focus on its core business.

Andy said “we have quite a basic maintenance/arrangement with a small IT company but we were very much driving it…I was basically trying to manage day-to-day stuff: software issues, new software, my mouse isn’t working, that kind of stuff. “ And this is taking up too much time from Andy. Instead of finding new projects and other big picture strategies, Andy is stuck solving everyday technical issues.

As with most companies, everybody will try to carry along. That this is just part of running a business. Until something big happens…

Surprises in IT are never a good thing. You want your IT to always be working in the background proactively identifying and addressing issues before they become actual problems.

Key Industries is a 100% New Zealand owned business with roots dating back to 1987. They are an agrichemical and pest control company whose products are used extensively by conservation groups, wildlife sanctuaries, and the NZ Department of Conservation and Regional Council Biosecurity teams.

Thirty years in business may look good on paper, but when you peek under the hood, you’d find that they share the same problems most small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in New Zealand have—legacy systems, outdated hardware and software, and untrained staff in terms of cyber security.

Gordon Grant, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Key Industries, shares their experience of transitioning from their previous service provider to iT360.

Traffix Limited is a New Zealand owned and operated traffic management company operating since 2002. Over the following two decades, they’ve experienced steady growth as they aim to become the preferred traffic management partner to leading utilities, construction, and event service companies across the country.

No one likes a breakup but sometimes it’s for the best in order to move forward into your desired future.

Traffix have been working with another IT service provider for a few years. They were moderately happy with them until some rather large changes occurred. We asked Cath Hart, General Manager at Traffix, to share their situation and what their experience was like when switching over to iT360.

When it comes to protecting your business’ data, it pays to be proactive. Beth Shean realised that the world changed significantly since they started. With that change came increasing security threats that, if not mitigated, can lead to bigger problems.

Beth-Shean Trust is a New Zealand-registered charitable trust set up in 1995, whose main mission is to promote hope and well-being for people affected by mental illness and emotional issues. The trust provides respite and accommodation services following the Māori model – Te Whare Tapa Wha – which encompasses all aspects of our life from physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and relational.

Just like most small and medium-sized businesses in New Zealand, Beth-Shean’s IT infrastructure and data security is put on the backburner. The day-to-day focus is mainly on their operations and caring for their guests. However, with the increasing risks of cyber security and the legislations they need to adhere to, this kind of business-as-usual approach is no longer an option. While they have not encountered any incidents or incursions as yet, it is only a matter of time until they get affected unless they assume a proactive posture.

Miriam Milson, Beth-Shean‘s Administrator and Manager, shares their journey from being completely unaware of how to tackle this big task, to having a complete roadmap of things they need to address, in order to improve their security.

DHC Consulting Group Ltd. is a structural and civil engineering consultancy that outgrew their existing IT provider. When COVID-19 hit, they needed reliable and proactive IT partner to guide them during these uncertain times

DHC Consulting Group Ltd. is a structural and civil engineering consultancy that was founded in 2005. Their broad range of professional engineering services helps clients turn their projects from concept to reality.

With the company growing and COVID-19 virtually changing how they work, DHC needed a reliable and proactive IT service provider to guide them during these uncertain times. One that has a vision. One that could cope with the constant changes happening in the market.

We ask Eleanor Lefever, Office Manager at DHC Consulting Group, about her experience switching from their previous service provider to iT360.

When COVID-19 started, Wilson Harle was forced to reevaluate their IT provider. They realised that they were receiving reactive support, rather than a proactive one. They decided to switch to a managed services provider that offers proactive support and one who understands their needs.

Wilson Harle is a specialist litigation firm in New Zealand that offers unparalleled services to its clients. They have the depth of resources found in larger commercial law firms but with independence only available at smaller practices like theirs.

The firm’s services cover all aspects of commercial disputes, from initial advice and strategy through to final resolution by negotiation, mediation, arbitration or trial.

With a growing practice, Wilson Harle requires its IT to function seamlessly. That means proactive support from its IT partner to help them achieve its business goals.

iT360 recently interviewed Ruth Moxley, Office Manager at Wilson Harle and the primary person in charge of the transition to share her recent onboarding experience.

PlumBuilt, a rapidly expanding plumbing company in New Zealand, recognised that their IT infrastructure needed to evolve in step with their business ambitions. While growth was the primary objective, they also understood the critical importance of robust security and operational efficiency. PlumBuilt needed an IT and cyber security partner who could navigate the complexities of their expanding operations and provide proactive protection against increasing cyber threats.

PlumBuilt, a rapidly expanding construction company in New Zealand, recognized that their IT infrastructure needed to evolve in step with their business ambitions. While growth was the primary objective, they also understood the critical importance of robust security and operational efficiency. PlumBuilt needed an IT and cyber security partner who could navigate the complexities of their expanding operations and provide proactive protection against increasing cyber threats.

When an organisation outgrows its current IT infrastructure, they'll definitely feel pain one way or another. It's during these times when business leaders step up and need an IT partner who can deliver.

Makita New Zealand, based in Auckland, imports and distributes electric power tools. A subsidiary of Makita Corporation of Japan operating in New Zealand since 1961, Makita has established itself as a major player in the power tools market.

Growth comes with its own set of problems. Makita NZ manages a vast network of dealers covering the entire country. From a business standpoint, these dealers are Makita NZ’s customers. On any given day, these customers send in 500 or more orders via email. In addition, end users – people who buy from the dealers and use the tools –contact Makita with product inquiries as well as warranty Issues and claims. Some of these requests Makita can answer directly, but often they must be forwarded to the relevant dealer for processing.

Sam Rakei, Makita’s Regional Sales Manager, shares how his team now handles the hundreds of emails that come In daily and how they relied on Spark’s IT Partners network to switch platforms in Makita’s busiest month of the year without any negative effect on its operations.

Because cyber threats evolve at breakneck speed, it’s important to continually ensure that your cyber security measures are effective and up to date—because for most organisations, it’s only a matter of time before they encounter some form of cyber breach. A slow or inadequate response can hurt your company’s reputation, as well as the bottom line.

Waterware, a leading wholesaler of plumbing components, realized that their existing IT infrastructure was no longer meeting their evolving needs and challenges. The catalyst for change culminated in a specific incident that prompted the leadership to approach multiple IT providers, seeking proactive support and reliable service. Eventually, they partnered with iT360, who facilitated Waterware's transformation with Azure Virtual Desktop and managed services. The migration led to a seamless transition, streamlined internal processes, and significantly improved operational efficiency that boosted productivity.

Waterware, a leading wholesaler of plumbing components, bathroom wear, kitchen tapware, and more in New Zealand, embarked on an IT transformation journey to address their evolving needs and challenges. With a focus on providing a comprehensive wraparound service to their customers, Waterware recognized the importance of robust IT infrastructure, proactive support, and streamlined processes. In collaboration with iT360, they aimed to overcome their previous limitations and enhance operational efficiency.

Kennerley Retail Investments, a small business operating multiple brands like Paddock to Pantry and The Meatbox under the leadership of CEO Wayne Kennerley for over 17 years, has recently undergone a significant IT transformation. With the pandemic, Wayne recognized the need for more proactive IT support to accommodate the rising demand for technology as well as the threats that come alone with it.

Kennerley Retail Investments recognized the need for proactive IT support in the face of a rapidly changing industry and increasing cyber threats. Previously relying on iT360 for ad hoc assistance, they decided to transition to a comprehensive managed services plan. This strategic move allowed them to focus on growing their online presence while ensuring robust cyber security measures, regular data backups, and efficient IT equipment procurement. By partnering with iT360, Wayne and his team can now concentrate on providing exceptional products and services to their customers without worrying about IT-related challenges.

Previously relied on iT360 on an ad hoc basis, the growing business required additional IT help. Previously only using a handful of computers, Kennerley Retail Investments has grown over the years and now needs support for an almost endless number of devices.

Amidst his busy schedule, Wayne took the time to share his experience with us.

‍Jay Cee Welding Limited has been in the fabrication and welding industry for over three decades. The team consists of highly skilled professionals who provide a wide range of services, including steel fabrication, welding, and erection. Their commitment to providing exceptional quality products and services has earned them an excellent reputation in the industry.

Jay Cee Welding Limited, a prominent welding and fabrication company based in New Zealand, faced a significant IT predicament that jeopardized their day-to-day operations. Their existing IT provider abruptly terminated their services, leaving Jay Cee Welding in a difficult situation. Given the critical reliance of their business processes on IT, the company urgently sought a new managed service provider to minimize downtime and ensure seamless operations.

As with any company, Jay Cee Welding’s operations have increasingly relied on IT systems to ensure smooth processes and timely project completion. Any disruption or downtime in their IT infrastructure could significantly impact their productivity and negatively affect the business. Thus, the sudden termination of their previous IT provider posed a significant risk to their business.

Despite the presence of numerous IT service providers in the market, Jay Cee Welding discovered iT360 through a recommendation from their existing provider. This recommendation piqued their curiosity and prompted the initial contact with iT360. Over time, it became evident why iT360 stood out from the rest. With several non-negotiables, which iT360 passed with flying colors, Jay Cee Welding was convinced that they had found their perfect partner.

Working with a small or solo IT provider is great when you're starting out. They cost less and oftentimes, are easier to work with. But as your business continues to grow, these pros suddenly become cons. What if your provider suddenly becomes unreachable and your server needs some maintenance? What if they go on vacation or is out sick and your entire email system stops working?

AR & Associates Limited is a New Zealand-owned and operated civil engineering, surveying and environmental consultancy that has been operating in Auckland since 2003. They work with both the public and private sectors providing their expertise in civil, water, wastewater, stormwater, environmental, roading, infrastructure and RMA planning.

However, as AR & Associates look towards growing their business, they faced the challenge of having an IT provider that was a solo provider. If something were to happen to their provider or suddenly become unreachable, AR & Associates would be left in a difficult position.

This pushed them into looking for an alternative IT partner who could provide them with reliable support in their journey as they continue to grow.

Sandy Sharp, Business Support Manager at AR & Associates, sat down with us recently to discuss the challenges the company was facing, the search process of finding a new IT provider, and detail the onboarding process after switching to one of iT360’s Managed Services clients.

Waterware's finance team was grappling with a significant challenge: a manual, time-consuming, and error-prone process for handling sales orders and purchase order reconciliations. This heavy workload not only increased the risk of inaccuracies but also diverted valuable time away from more strategic initiatives. Discover how iT360 provided Waterware with a solution to overcome these hurdles and achieve greater efficiency.

Waterware is a privately owned and run NZ family business, established in 1989.

For over 25 years they have been a specialist importer and distributor of quality bathroomware, plumbing and central heating products.

They are an established industry supplier who have built their reputation as being technical experts of what they sell.

Their full time technical team is dedicated to designing, training, trouble shooting and supporting the installer network to ensure their products get installed properly.

They offer component equipment and or packaged solutions for bathrooms, kitchens, plumbing and central heating.

Their technical plumbing and heating products come from leading European manufacturers for which they can guarantee product quality and assured after sales service.