Founded in 2000 by Keith Wickham, Gate 7 specialise in the supply of decals and printed components for construction equipment, agriculture and the industrial market. Committed to delivering exceptional products alongside outstanding customer service and value, the organisation relies on their digital systems to ensure it can continue to meet customer demands.
After an error from a previous supplier saw their servers go down and cause significant disruption, we were approached by Gate 7 to get them back up and running.
“Gate 7s mission is to enhance global customers’ products using industry expertise with an absolute commitment to providing outstanding customer service and value, delivering a quality product, first time, every time.”
Chris McGough, Operations Manager, Gate 7
The Challenge
We were contacted by the team at Gate 7 to help them rectify issues created by their previous supplier. At the time, they were looking to undertake a server upgrade; however, their current partner had made a huge mistake by trying to upgrade a Windows 2012 Server direct to Server 2022. This not only led to several days of downtime where no devices could be used within the business, but when trying to restore some incomplete backups, it only delayed things further.
With their focus on providing incredible customer service, this downtime was seriously detrimental, and the longer it went on, the more reputational damage was being done. Coupled with the downtime, it was also clear that the level of IT support that Gate 7 was getting was not meeting their requirements.
“When we first contacted Smart IT, we were in desperate need for an easy solution to get our business back up and running. Our business is built on providing exceptional customer service so any business downtime could have resulted in serious reputational damage.”
Chris McGough, Operations Manager, Gate 7
The Solution
It was clear that Gate 7 was in desperate need of help when they came to us. We had previously quoted for support, so we knew what their requirements were, but after they reapproached us, our team sat down with them again to understand their challenges and what steps were needed to resolve the issue.
It was clear that the primary objective was to get them back online and upgrade their current SQL Service, as they were currently reaching the limits of the free version they were using. Thankfully, our specialists operate across a vast range of fields, far more than most competitors, which meant we were able to offer a unique solution that ensured all of their server issues would be resolved quickly and simply.
We used a swing migration from the old server to the new server, syncing up all of the data and migrating all of the existing roles to ensure a smooth and efficient transition. While we were undertaking the migration, we also optimised its performance, ensuring that it can continue to meet its customer’s demands and provide the exceptional service that they have become renowned for.
After completing the process and getting Gate 7 back online, one of our 3rd Line Engineers visited the site to ensure everything was in order and that the team were happy with the results. They confirmed to us that everything had gone smoothly and was in working order, and they were really pleased to be back online.
Support
Due to the low levels of support that they were receiving from their previous supplier, it was clear that Gate 7 needed more, and we were happy to provide them with our expert knowledge. Unlike the traditional 9-5 operating hours that most support services provide, we believe in doing things a little different, which is why our team of over 60 IT experts are on hand to support our clients from 7 am to 7 pm, ensuring that we are always around when they need us, and we can provide rapid support to minimise disruption and downtime.
“The solution that Smart IT offered us gave us everything we were looking for as well as an additional level of support that ensures help is always on hand. This new solution resolved all our previous issues and got us back up and running quickly.”
Chris McGough, Operations Manager, Gate 7
Conclusion
Any downtime can be very costly for a business, especially one such as Gate 7 where customer service is their primary focus. Thanks to our help, they were able to enjoy seamless operations that upgraded their servers and gave them a significantly improved working environment.
Our experienced team was able to implement a solution that greatly improved stability and performance, creating a server that that met their requirements and allowed for efficient handling of their SQL service. Their newly upgraded infrastructure was also able to help them with smoother operations that helped boost productivity and customer satisfaction.
As Gate 7 grows and evolves, they will also be able to rely on our help desk support, ensuring they can enjoy ongoing assistance to help keep their IT systems optimised. This will help to empower the team, allowing them to deliver exceptional service to their customers and continue to achieve their business goals.
“Gate 7 highly recommend Smart IT for any businesses looking to change their IT infrastructure. Since the installation of our new server and our new support contract we have had constant smooth uptime on our services allowing us to maintain our fantastic reputation.”
Chris McGough, Operations Manager, Gate 7
For information how Smart IT can help your Business contact us today.
