Insight Associates Case Study
Sharepoint migration and shared history. The History: For over 20 years, we’ve partnered with Insight Associates to ensure their technology evolves with their business. From providing fully managed support and enhanced security to projects to migrate to the cloud, improve document management, and setup a leased line, we have worked with their team to make sure they always have everything in place so they can focus on supporting their clients. One challenge involved syncing files from an on-premises server, which was causing inconsistent document access, VPN headaches, and mounting security risks. With hybrid working here to stay, they needed IT solutions in Essex that could truly support their way of working so we worked with them on a SharePoint migration project. As one of our oldest and most loyal clients (we’ve even shared office Christmas parties back in the day!), Insight Associates rely on us to solve challenges like these, keep their systems up to date, secure their infrastructure, and provide the best advice to help them scale their business. We love building relationships like these with our clients and truly getting to know their systems, needs, and goals. The Solutions: Insight Associates is a well-established proactive financial management team based in Stansted Mountfitchet, providing intelligent financial management for ambitious businesses across the UK. With a team of 11 staff working in a hybrid way, sometimes from the head office, sometimes on-site with clients, and other times from home, they need expert IT solutions in Essex and a flexible and secure IT setup that supports this dynamic work environment. When businesses come to us for IT solutions in Essex, we go above and beyond. How? We take an holistic view of the challenges a business is facing, applying our SPACE framework to deliver five key areas of improvement: Support, Protection, Assurance, Confidence, and Efficiency. Here’s what we have delivered for Insight Associates, for over two decades, to ensure we save them time, reduce their security risk, and help them get the best out of their IT: Support: A single point of contact for all IT needs, with a dedicated account manager and access to our talented helpdesk engineers who jump on issues within 30 minutes. Protection: Fully managed cyber security services and project managed improvements such as blocking access to malicious websites no matter where staff were working and setting up a Managed Detection and Response (MDR/SOC) platform to provide round-the-clock monitoring of their entire IT estate. Assurance: Robust backup and disaster recovery systems were installed to ensure business continuity even in the face of cyber incidents or hardware failure. Confidence: Regular meetings with our vCTO that helps them plan and implement IT projects, such as hardware upgrades, software deployments, and network optimisation such as their migration to SharePoint. Efficiency: We helped migrate their file storage to SharePoint, making full use of their existing Microsoft 365 Business Premium licence. This provided seamless, cloud-based access to files and documents from any location or device. All underpinned by our focus to always provide a client with the confidence and peace of mind that their IT is always moving in the right direction, because the best IT solutions in Essex aren’t just about technology, they’re about strategy. The Challenge: Our SharePoint migration project was delivered through a combination of remote and on-site support, depending on the specific task and team needs. Our team, who have a deep understanding of their infrastructure (thanks to our long-standing relationship), worked closely with Insight Associates every step of the way. We used our ticketing system to track every milestone, ensuring transparency and open communication at all times. Our service promise meant that every issue was actioned quickly, and we were always available to explain options in plain English, never upselling, just recommending what was genuinely needed. As we keep in regular communication with our clients, a key part of our IT solutions in Essex – we get to know both your systems and your team personally. It’s this blend of tech knowledge and human connection that sets our Essex IT support apart. The Outcome: The results have been transformative. Improved Productivity: Staff can now work securely and seamlessly from any device or location, without worrying about VPN issues or slow access to files. Reduced Costs: By consolidating services and fully utilising their existing Microsoft 365 licences, we’ve helped them reduce infrastructure costs and avoid paying for unnecessary extras. Enhanced Security: With our layered approach to managed cyber security, they’re protected against threats around the clock and fully aligned with modern compliance requirements. Peace of Mind: Insight Associates enjoys a reliable and proactive IT partner in TechWyse. They know that if something goes wrong, there’s a friendly expert who can deliver them the best IT solutions in Essex, just a call or email away. And it’s not just us saying that. Here’s what Garry from Insight Associates had to say: “We have entrusted TechWyse with the responsibility of our IT Infrastructure for over 20 years. This is testament to the quality service, trust and strong relationship we have with the team. They have helped us streamline our IT operations, improve our productivity, and secure our data, and continue to help us improve our technical infrastructure. Having the reassurance of a stable and reliable IT platform is critical for our business, but with TechWyse by our side that is one area we no longer have to worry about! We would highly recommend them to anyone looking for reliable and professional IT support in Essex.” Garry, Insight Associates Why This Project Stands Out for IT Solutions in Essex It’s testimonials like this that back up our claim of delivering the best IT solutions in Essex. We’re proud to be part of the furniture at Insight Associates, supporting them with the confidence and care with a team that genuinely has their back. This wasn’t just about fixing a few niggles. This was a strategic project designed to give Insight Associates the headspace to focus on what
Contamac Case Study
A partnership for simplified cloud services. The Challenge: An ageing IT infrastructure was reliant on multiple on premises servers, applications and platforms. They wanted to modernise their infrastructure, improve their security and scalability, and streamline their workflows. They faced several challenges: They had a mix of on-premises, physical and virtual servers, at a single location, which meant a reliance on services such as power and internet connectivity to enable the company to function. They had multiple Microsoft licenses and subscriptions, but needed to assess if these were the right ones for their needs. With multiple company locations, as well as remote workers, they needed to optimise access to files and applications to create efficiencies in the way the business operated. They needed a partner who could help them migrate to the cloud, optimise their Microsoft services and enable them to use SharePoint effectively. The Solution: Contamac is the world’s largest manufacturer of contact and intraocular lens materials and a leading innovator in the development of specialist polymers and biocompatible materials for medical applications. Their headquarters in Saffron Walden features state of the art manufacturing and laboratory facilities. Contamac chose TechWyse, a Microsoft Partner that specialises in cloud services, Microsoft 365 and SharePoint, to provide a comprehensive solution that included: A cloud assessment and migration plan that analysed the client’s current IT environment and identified the best cloud strategy and solutions for their goals. A Microsoft 365 optimisation service that reviewed the client’s Microsoft licenses and subscriptions and recommended the most suitable and cost-effective ones for their needs. A SharePoint implementation and training service that helped the client to set up and customise SharePoint sites, libraries and workflows, and trained their staff on how to use SharePoint for collaboration and document management. The Results Contamac was very satisfied with the solution and the results. They achieved the following benefits: They reduced their IT costs by moving to the cloud and consolidating their Microsoft licenses and subscriptions. They improved their security and scalability by using Microsoft’s cloud services, which offered advanced protection and backup features. They increased their collaboration and productivity by using SharePoint, which enabled them to share and access information, documents and workflows across their teams and projects. The client also appreciated the ongoing support and guidance from TechWyse, which helped them to maximise their return on investment and leverage the full potential of their cloud and Microsoft solutions. What Contamac say… TechWyse was instrumental in helping us to migrate to the cloud and optimise our Microsoft services. They were very knowledgeable, responsive and reliable. They helped us to simplify our IT infrastructure, reduce our costs and improve our collaboration. We are very happy with the results and we would highly recommend TechWyse to anyone looking for a trusted Microsoft Partner. Jon, Contamac Ltd
How TechWyse Helped Peartree Wealth Management Strengthen Cyber Security Without Slowing the Business Down
How TechWyse Helped Peartree Wealth Management Strengthen Cyber Security Without Slowing the Business Down Financial services businesses face a unique challenge when it comes to cyber security. Clients trust them with highly sensitive personal and financial information, regulators expect robust governance and compliance, and employees need to access that information quickly to provide an excellent service. Finding the right balance between security and usability isn’t always straightforward. When Peartree Wealth Management approached us, they weren’t looking for technology for technology’s sake. They wanted to strengthen their cyber security, support hybrid working and give both clients and regulators confidence that sensitive information was being protected appropriately. Rather than recommending additional products or unnecessary complexity, we looked at how their people worked, where sensitive information lived and how Microsoft 365 could be used more effectively to deliver stronger protection without creating unnecessary barriers. This project is a great example of how the right cyber security strategy isn’t always about adding more tools. Sometimes it’s about making better use of the technology you already have. Understanding the challenge As a regulated financial services business, Peartree handled highly confidential client information every day. Protecting that information wasn’t simply good practice; it was fundamental to maintaining client trust and meeting regulatory obligations. The business wanted to: Strengthen the protection of confidential client and financial information. Support secure hybrid working. Reduce the risk of unauthorised access and data loss. Improve compliance with Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) requirements. Work towards achieving Cyber Essentials Plus. Give clients confidence that their information was being managed securely. Like many growing businesses, they also wanted to avoid making life harder for their team. Security measures needed to enhance protection while still allowing advisers and support staff to work efficiently. That’s often where businesses find themselves stuck. Many assume stronger cyber security means introducing more restrictions or buying additional software. In reality, the best security strategies are the ones that protect information while allowing people to continue doing their jobs effectively. Looking beyond technology One thing I often tell clients is that good cyber security starts with understanding the business, not the software. Before recommending any changes, we spent time understanding how Peartree’s team worked, where sensitive information was stored, how it was shared and which risks were most significant. Only then did we begin designing a solution. Rather than introducing multiple standalone security products, we built on the Microsoft 365 Business Premium platform they already had in place. It’s an approach we take with many clients. If your existing technology can achieve the right outcome, we’ll always recommend making the most of it before suggesting additional investment. Delivering a practical Microsoft 365 security framework Working closely with Peartree, we implemented a Microsoft 365-based information protection and data classification framework tailored to the way their business operated. Information was classified according to its sensitivity, allowing different levels of protection to be applied automatically. Lower-risk operational information remained readily available for day-to-day work, while confidential client and financial information was automatically protected through policy-based controls governing: Access permissions. External sharing. Downloading. Email transmission. Data movement. The project also introduced a Zero Trust-style approach using Microsoft 365’s built-in security capabilities, including: Sensitivity labels. Outlook email encryption. Conditional Access policies. Mobile Device Management (MDM). Information protection policies. Access governance. Enhanced monitoring. We also restricted the use of unapproved file-sharing platforms such as Dropbox and WeTransfer, ensuring sensitive information remained within approved and governed systems. By making full use of Microsoft 365’s native security capabilities, we were able to significantly strengthen protection without introducing unnecessary complexity or additional software. Supporting people as well as technology Cyber security projects aren’t just technical exercises. They’re also about helping people adapt to new ways of working. One area we paid particular attention to was the rollout of mobile device management. Rather than introducing changes overnight, we worked closely with Peartree to explain why the changes were being made, what staff could expect and how any temporary disruption would be kept to a minimum. Taking the time to communicate clearly helped ensure the project was adopted smoothly while allowing employees to continue supporting clients throughout the rollout. For us, successful cyber security is as much about people as it is technology. The outcome The completed project delivered far more than stronger technical controls. By introducing consistent data classification and automated policy enforcement, Peartree reduced its reliance on individual users making manual security decisions. The organisation also gained significantly better visibility over how sensitive information was being accessed, shared and protected. The result was: Stronger protection of confidential financial information. Improved support for FCA compliance. Helping the business meet Cyber Essentials Plus requirements. Better governance and auditability. Reduced opportunities for unauthorised data movement. More resilient business systems. Greater confidence in day-to-day operations. Secure hybrid working without unnecessary barriers for advisers or support staff. Perhaps most importantly, the solution gave Peartree confidence that security controls were working quietly in the background, allowing employees to focus on delivering excellent service to their clients. Key project outcomes ✔ Microsoft 365 security framework tailored to a regulated financial services business. ✔ Improved governance of sensitive client information. ✔ Automated information protection using Microsoft 365 Business Premium. ✔ Enhanced support for FCA compliance. ✔ Helped meet Cyber Essentials Plus requirements. ✔ Secure hybrid working. ✔ Reduced reliance on manual security processes. ✔ Practical implementation with minimal disruption. Why this matters for other financial services businesses Financial services organisations are under increasing pressure to demonstrate strong cyber security while maintaining excellent client service. Finding the right balance isn’t always easy. Security that is too restrictive can frustrate employees and reduce productivity. Security that is too relaxed increases business risk. The right solution sits somewhere in the middle. That’s why we believe every cyber security project should begin with understanding how a business operates before recommending technology. For Peartree, that meant creating a practical, proportionate security framework that reflected the way the business worked, protected sensitive client information and supported long-term compliance objectives.
Baileys Horse Feeds Case Study
A partnership for better technology and connectivity. The Challenge: The team at Baileys Horse Feeds were facing several challenges with their existing technology and connectivity, such as: Hardware and software that required upgrading Poor network coverage and bandwidth Lack of visibility and control over business processes These challenges had begun to affect Baileys Horse Feeds’ productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction. They turned to their trusted IT support partner, TechWyse, who worked with them to come up with a plan to modernise their technology and connectivity. The Solution: Baileys Horse Feeds is a family-owned business that produces high-quality animal feed for the UK market. They operate a large factory site in Essex, where they process raw materials, mix formulas, and package products. The factory site has multiple buildings, machines, and systems that need to communicate and coordinate with each other 24/7 365 days a year. Baileys Horse Feeds met with their TechWyse account manager to conduct a thorough assessment of Baileys Horse Feeds’ factory site and worked with them to identify the areas that needed improvement. They proposed a comprehensive plan that included: Replacing old hardware with new, high-performance, and secure devices. Installing a wireless mesh network that covered the entire factory site and provided fast, reliable, and seamless connectivity. Providing training and support for the Baileys Horse Feeds staff on how to use the new technology and connectivity. Continuing to provide the Baileys Horse feeds team with quality IT support to monitor and maintain this new infrastructure. The Results: We already had a good relationship with Baileys Horse Feeds, having supported them with their IT requirements for a number of years. It was very important to us that we gave them the best advice and solutions as they moved forward with this project. The solution that TechWyse provided for Baileys Horse Feeds resulted in significant improvements and benefits for the company, such as: Increased productivity and efficiency, as the new technology and connectivity enabled faster and smoother operations and communication. Improved quality and consistency, as the new data platform enabled better monitoring and control of the factory processes and performance. Enhanced customer satisfaction, as the new technology and connectivity enabled faster and more accurate delivery and service. Reduced costs and risks, as the new technology and connectivity reduced errors, downtime, and maintenance. We look forward to working with Baileys Horse Feeds on further projects and continuing to support them with all their day-to-day IT needs. What Baileys say… As our existing IT support provider, TechWyse understood our business, systems and challenges and delivered a solution that was perfectly tailored to our needs. As always, they were professional, responsive, and supportive throughout the project. We would always highly recommend them to anyone who needs support and advice for their business. R. Knowles, Baileys Horse Feeds