A call out of the blue from Exponential-e proved just the solution IT and technology recruitment group InterQuest needed

THE CHALLENGE

IT and technology recruitment firm InterQuest counts itself among one of the largest IT staffing groups in the UK since its launch over a decade ago in 2001. Growing both organically and through the strategic acquisition of niche market firms, the group has recently gone through a rebranding exercise, where the 15 distinct divisions now incorporate the InterQuest (IQ) logo or name.

Chris Dunham, IT manager at InterQuest, told Recruiter that although growth was obviously a good thing, the challenge was how to merge each new office with the group’s IT systems and ensure they were linked to each other. “We’ve gone from 40 staff when I joined seven years ago to around 240 staff today,” Dunham said. At that time, the firm was using an ADSL-based system, a data communications line that allows faster transmission than over telephone cable. “When we had three or four offices it was OK,” Dunham explained, “but as we got bigger it started to groan. Any breakdowns took time to fix. In the past we lost connections in one office for a whole week. It was fixed but then it went down again. The system was not fit for purpose.”

As InterQuest grew, the need for a new network was becoming more pressing. Any down-time was costing the firm money, as well as affecting its brand perception to both clients and candidates. Many sites had started to experience performance issues and so were becoming increasingly dependent on InterQuest’s London head office. Dunham decided it was time to look at a new system. As well as the incumbent provider, two others were sought in the tendering process. “Out of the blue we got a call from [cloud and IT provider] Exponential-e,” Dunham told Recruiter. “It made me pay attention. We looked at the offering and we were impressed with the company.” In fact, Dunham said it was the initial call that made him take notice of Exponential-e, explaining that it didn’t really sound like a sales call at all. 

The result of the tendering process was that Dunham’s initial gut feeling was correct and InterQuest chose Exponential-e to solve its inter-company network problems.

THE SOLUTION

John Kyrillou, head of direct sales at Exponential-e, explained that “we ask the right questions and do consultancy” from the very first phone call. “We talk about what Exponential-e can do for the company, offering them a better way,” he told Recruiter. “We went through a bit of a discovery exercise,” added Dunham. “We sat down with Exponential-e and mapped out our entire existing network.” 

Having redesigned InterQuest’s existing infrastructure, what was most important for the recruiter, and what the previous network didn’t offer, was a system that was future-proof. For example, to have the option of video conferencing and rerouting internal voice traffic, so that it becomes free between sites. 

As well as offering this, Kyrillou explained that database security was another important factor — as it would be to any recruitment business. Previously, InterQuest’s DSL connection, which runs via telephone lines, and therefore outside the in-house network and into the outside world, was not as secure. With Exponential-e’s solution, “InterQuest manages its own data through a private connection”, Kyrillou said. “It doesn’t go out into the internet — so it won’t creep out. It’s a closed/private network taking traffic to many different sites in a quick and efficient way.”

Although Dunham admitted “it wasn’t the cheapest solution but we’re getting a lot more for our money”. He continued: “The benefits far outweighed the price difference.” As part of the future-proofing options, Exponential-e has routed phone calls internally, which means calls between sites are free, offering InterQuest cost savings already. There are possibilities of expanding the network to include the Singapore office, and discussions are underway.

For Dunham, reliability was key. “If things don’t work, we don’t make money,” he said. “Since its initial installation, I can’t honestly think of any ‘outages’.” In fact, at a recent seminar which Exponential-e laid on for various customers, one of the provider’s managers had to apologise to a client for not recognising them. He explained: “It’s not that we don’t like talking to you, it’s just that we haven’t had to!” 

With options in the future of increasing bandwidth or adding new lines — should InterQuest expand their offices — and implementing video conferencing, Dunham is enthusiastic in his praise. “You just know it’s going to work,” he said simply.

Key Lessons 

Good customer contact is key to any business relationship. “Even when we got bad news — like when Camden Council told us we could not dig up the road to install new cabling, which held up the roll-out — Exponential-e assured us it would run smoothly. And it did!” Chris Dunham

Would you like to be involved in The Challenge? Contact Vanessa Townsend at [email protected]