Case Study Robsons Chartered Accountants
Robsons Chartered Accountants deliver a range of accountancy services including compliance, accounting, bookkeeping and taxation, as well as detailed business planning and tax mitigation planning.
They work closely with their clients to get a true understanding of their personal aims, objectives and business goals, to ensure they provide the best advice tailored to their individual circumstances. By making the most of current technology Robsons run a cost effective business and so, as a result, pride themselves on offering services at very reasonable rates.
Why we chose GoCloud
Simon Smale, Director, Robsons Chartered Accountants:
“We were opening up a new office in Bridlington and needed a solution which would provide us with I.T. storage without us having to buy our own additional server.
We wanted the ability to access our data from anywhere, not just when we were in the office, and we wanted to pay for the service monthly.
We were aware of the services GoCloud offered and knew they provided a quality service, so it made sense for us to go to someone we knew, rather than look elsewhere."
The hosted desktop solution
GoCloud provide 2 hosted desktops and a hosted exchange server to Robsons’ Bridlington operation. Software is upgraded when necessary “in the cloud”. Round-the-clock I.T. support is also given to ensure that any technical problems are ironed out immediately.
Simon Smale said:
“We saved money straightaway by not having to buy our own server. We can also spread the cost of our I.T. requirements by paying monthly and on a usage basis. It’s the flexibility that’s really good.
The hosted desktop means that I can access my desktop wherever I am. It doesn’t matter if I’m in our Beverley office, our Bridlington office, at home or ultimately Hong Kong (!), I still have access to everything I need and so can work more efficiently.
We’re also looking forward to the new platform so that we can access our files via our iPads as well as our laptops.”
Benefits
Simon suggests the key benefits of cloud computing and the hosted desktop are:
- The flexibility to work from anywhere.
- Having 24/7 I.T. support. It’s really useful and reassuring to know that we have an expert on the end of the phone at any time of the day. We don’t have to buy in a consultant on an hourly rate if we have a problem or a five minute question, because it’s all included in our monthly fee. We haven’t had many problems, but when we do have issues, GoCloud’s support desk can usually sort them out there and then.
- Being able to get on with our jobs, rather than worrying about technology.
- No set up costs in terms of having to buy an expensive server, plus easy-to-budget monthly payments, so we don’t get a “shock” bill.
- It’s good for the environment and is cheaper to run. The hosting takes away the need for us to run our own server, plus any air conditioning relating to the server. We only need electricity for our laptops. It’s something we’ll consider for our Beverley office when we get to the “end of life” of our server there.
Matt Nunns, Managing Director of GoCloud, said:
“Robsons Chartered Accountants is a good example of how the hosted desktop can be an ideal solution for an expanding business. There’s no expensive layout for a server and our monthly payment plan covers everything, including 24/7 I.T. support. The flexibility of working from anywhere is clearly a benefit, particularly working between two offices.
We have a longstanding relationship with Robsons and we look forward to working with them for many years to come.”
