- proludic.co.uk
- No. of users: 40
- Main office: Bunny, Nottinghamshire
Proludic have designed, manufactured and installed play and sports areas for over 30 years. With an international presence, they are the recipients of several industry awards. Proludic work with local authorities, housing developers, schools, leisure providers, community groups and various other organisations to provide people of all age ranges with a friendly environment in which to play and keep fit.
Technology is critical to Proludic’s everyday operations – from computer-aided design, to manufacturing, to communicating with clients – so it’s imperative that their IT strategy works effectively for all employees, no matter where they’re based.
Key Outcomes
- Quickly pivoted to remote working to maintain essential operations
- All devices and systems updated to Windows 10
- Cyber security measures implemented to mitigate risk of cyber attacks
- Assistance with setting up IT systems during office migration
- Access to remote and onsite IT support for end users
- Regular meetings and service strategy reviews
The Challenge
At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, remote working was essential due to a nationwide lockdown. Proludic needed to quickly pivot from office to home working and, as their trusted IT partner, they knew they could count on us to help.
Several Proludic employees use CAD software and only had desktop computers, so these had to be brought home and adapted for remote use.
Telephone diversions were also required, so that staff could take calls as usual and continue to be there for customers.
All of this needed to be done as quickly as possible, with minimal interruption to staff and customers.
Proludic are also conscious about cyber security and, having already invested in their cyber defences, wanted to ensure the security of their network was as strong as ever whilst working from home.
As a creative, design-led company, Proludic has a complex need for IT support & services. Traditionally having relied upon multiple IT partners, it was a
challenging, inefficient experience at times. Since partnering with Air IT in 2014, we have increased our efficiency, reduced downtime and they have invested in understanding our business needs, helping us develop a proactive IT strategy. This has resulted in us giving our customers the best possible experience, innovative solutions and better access to us. Our partnership with Air IT also demonstrates to our valued employees that we invest in market-leading tools and first-class support, enabling them to deliver their full potential.
Rob Baker
Managing Director, Proludic UK Ltd
The Approach
We oversaw the correct setup of users’ laptops and gave guidance to desktop users with various considerations, such as whether they needed wireless adapters or not. Some desktop users migrated to mobile working, giving them the functionality of working from a laptop where they were using a desktop before.
We assisted with deploying VPN access to all users, giving them guidance on how to connect, so that they could work remotely via a secure network. Proludic did not need to worry about cyber security when working remotely, as their existing Cisco Umbrella package continued to provide suitable filtering devices, whether connected to the network or not.
As Proludic’s telephony provider, we also ensured that calls to the office were diverted to staff at home. This meant that the company’s clients were still able to get in touch as normal and they could operate the business as usual without being based in their offices, The Play Hub.
With the size of the company in mind, all of this was done with a limited number of tickets, to ensure that updates were clear for all users and did not get lost or diluted amongst other issues.
The Outcome
The project was a success, and the quick turnaround meant that Proludic could quickly and seamlessly continue their day-to-day operations from home with no effect on their customers.
CAD users can now rely on up-to-date machines that can keep up with demanding software.
Employees also benefitted from up-to-date guidance and best practice regarding the new systems and working from home in general. This made it easier for them to adapt and continue their work with minimal interruption.
Proludic could also be safe in the knowledge that they were using a secure VPN and cloud network security which would help mitigate the cyber security risks that come with working from home. They have also invested in their cyber security strategy, making use of services such as user awareness training, multi-factor authentication and Mimecast email security. This has helped them reduce the risk of cyber attacks – Covid-19 has seen a significant increase in home workers being targeted.
Special Projects
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Proludic needed our help upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10. This needed to be done for both office-based machines and remote employees based across the UK. Almost all users and machines were affected, many needing to be replaced completely, so we worked with Proludic to meticulously plan the deployment and ensure a seamless transition for users.
We worked closely with Proludic to organise the deployment of machines by certain dates, sometimes sooner than planned. Throughout the process, there was little interference to users and, in turn, minimal effect on productivity.
The new devices, powerful enough for those using CAD and other design software daily, deliver an outstanding user experience with greater mobility and flexibility. This was hugely important to the company – although they are an outdoor play manufacturer, everything starts with the concepts and designs that are done in house, so providing the best quality devices is crucial for staff productivity and overall quality of service.
Since completing these projects, we have continued to provide managed IT support for Proludic and work closely with them to develop their future IT strategy during regular meetings and service reviews.
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