Outsourced IT Support case study: QCL Ltd

“We have been working with AJT since June 2024 and we’re very pleased we chose them for our IT support. Matt and the team are very knowledgeable and helpful, with a personal approach to IT management often lacking in outsource companies. Since they started managing our IT, response times have been excellent and they have helped with our future strategic plans too.”
Jamie Duncan, Managing Director, QCL

QCL Ltd is a UK distributor of scientific equipment that has been supplying analytical testing products for a wide range of industries to scientists for more than 40 years.

Based in Forest Row, East Sussex, QCL needed to change how its IT support worked after an MBO. Previously, a consultant who had been part of the QCL in-house team provided IT support.

Although the consultant had the skills and knowledge to support QCL, other work commitments meant QCL’s IT issues were resolved out of hours via remote access to devices left on overnight. This caused delays in resolving problems and prolonged downtime, and so prompted QCL to look for alternative IT support options.

Both being local businesses, the QCL and AJT teams were introduced to each other at a Sussex business event. After learning more about AJT Managed IT Services’ approach to IT support and the benefits it could bring at a price which also offered potential savings, AJT now provide QCL with:

• Workstation & server support
• Microsoft 365 licences at a lower cost than going direct
• Bitdefender cyber security
• Savings on firewall software renewal

As part of their partnership, the AJT team visit the QCL office every two weeks to carry out maintenance checks and any remedial work that needs doing. A benefit of both businesses being local to the Brighton area!

Of course, as well as this, all QCL employees have direct access to quick support from the AJT experts. Clearly defined SLAs have been agreed and are always met, with almost all queries receiving a response within 15 minutes.

Since working with AJT, QCL employees no longer have to wait for fixes to be implemented overnight. Gone are the days of lengthy back-and-forth waiting for further instructions or actions to be carried out. Instead, responses are often issued by AJT technicians within 15 minutes.

As well as this, there’s no pressure on anyone in the QCL team to try and fix IT issues even if it’s not their true area of expertise. Instead, everyone can focus on their core business duties, knowing that all things IT are in safe (and secure) hands with AJT.

Finally, QCL can look beyond the ‘now’ and work with AJT to determine the best IT strategies to support the business’ future. Current discussions include migrating an extensive onsite server setup to reduce costs and downtime risk.