As a small IT provider of just three people, priding themselves on providing a high-standard of IT solutions, they found themselves very busy servicing the needs of their clients to the detriment of some vital business processes, such as managing payments. The company was looking to trump competitors by gaining an industry standard that would give them the differentiation they were looking for in the market.
The company’s director, Wendy Kirkman, sought the help of Software Alliance Wales. “The team became so dedicated to delivering our services to customers that some of the back office stuff had began to slip, we knew that if we let this continue that this could end up having a detrimental impact on our operations and stunt our growth as a company,” she said. “We had already done a number of training courses with the Software Alliance Wales team and were delighted when they said that they could help us streamline our business processes with a CompTIA Accredit UK Trustmark+.”
GiaKonda worked closely with Software Alliance Wales and an independent assessor to go through a comprehensive assessment of the company’s back office processes. They were then offered an improvement framework that would allow them to make gradual steps towards more flexible business processes that worked for them and their business.
“The support from Software Alliance Wales and CompTIA throughout the whole accreditation process was great. We were set realistic, achievable goals and deadlines and having a third party on board meant we had the discipline we needed to meet them.”
Upon completion, GiaKonda was recommended to CompTIA by the assessor to be recognised by CompTIA as a “best in class” IT provider and was awarded an IT Business Trustmark in 2013. The company then went on to earn an Accredit UK Trustmark+ in 2014, and is now one of an elite but growing number of accredited companies in the UK.
They are now confident that their business processes are sharp enough to cope with the day-to-day demands of running a small IT business, as well as feeling confident to take on more clients and larger projects moving forward — now that they have the competitive differentiation they were looking for.
“We now have a stringent structure in place that will allow us to operate effectively as a business and grow sustainably,” Kirkman said. “We also have foundations to take on bigger projects and the confidence that our clients have faith in our capability to deliver.”
Are You Ready for Accreditation?
CompTIA offers the opportunity to earn an IT Business Trustmarks or Accredit UK Trustmark+ to UK IT companies that can demonstrate sound business best practices while providing quality IT services.
For clients and customers, it demonstrates a commitment to excellence and that the company pledges to follow a robust code of practices that meet or exceed the industry standard level of service their customers will receive. To enjoy the same benefits, submit an application today or get in touch to set up a meeting with an adviser.
