In need of more than an infrastructure refresh? Taylor Walton uses Quiss

I’m both impressed and gratified that Taylor Walton, with the help of Quiss, has travelled so far on its journey of digital transformation, in a relatively short time, says managing partner Dermot Carey.

Taylor Walton is a renowned professional law firm, with more than 150 dedicated professionals, working from offices in Luton, St Albans and Harpenden, providing a full range of legal services for businesses and individuals.

A familiar situation had developed over time, with IT systems and infrastructure creaking to maintain pace with growth of the business, despite significant investment in on-premise server infrastructure. Growing demand from users wanting to do more, the need to introduce new applications, and clients wanting closer collaboration drove the desire for change.

Technology being represented at board level, which is typically the second point on any agenda, reflects  just how important digital transformation is for the firm. Technology is now seen as a key driver of firm’s development rather than a stumbling block, in need of constant maintenance.

In the market for change

Taylor Walton decided to seek a fully managed IT service, integrated with the existing on-premise server infrastructure, to ensure maximum flexibility and agility of the finale outcome – while extracting maximum value from the existing assets.

Although the need for change was urgent, the firm spent an appropriate amount of time evaluating all the available offerings of the main providers in the market, with a view of working with a business experienced in the legal sector and the unique challenges it faces.

Like many firms, Taylor Walton uses a range of solutions providers to manage and maintain its IT resources, supported by a small in-house IT team. In this case, the Quiss technical teams worked hard to understand how best to design a solution that delivered a more streamlined, efficient IT system.

Integrating the on-premise physical server architecture with a public cloud to create a hybrid solution proved no difficulty with our service, which is renowned for delivering what’s best for each client rather than what’s easiest for us to provide.

The cloud solution we specified for the disaster recovery and backup service, used to complement the on-premise server infrastructure, is Microsoft Azure, with Office365 implemented for email, Teams, security and so on.

The installation of all the new equipment, including laptops, desktop PCs, network switches and so on, took place over a single weekend to minimise disruption to Taylor Walton and the work it undertakes for its clients – even an hour’s downtime could be critical.

Solid technology at heart of holistic considerations

Taylor Walton will imminently achieve the Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation, a Government-backed, industry-supported scheme designed to help organisations protect themselves against the growing threat of cyberattacks, which involves a rigorous examination of their security systems.

Reflecting the growing importance of cyber awareness when renewing mortgage panel memberships, or negotiating insurance policies, the firm recognises while technology and cloud-based solutions drive greater efficiency and agility, all potential risks must be addressed.

The transformation has so far taken just 12 months from the initial assessment of the market for suitable service providers, with the pace quickening once the advantages were recognised, and Quiss was identified as a trusted partner that could help visualise the route of change.

With almost prescient foresight, the transformation into a more efficient and flexible business, preceded the global pandemic by a few months, the collaboration between Quiss and Taylor Walton enabled the business to power through the recent lockdown – with little impact on productivity or client relationships.

The firm is embracing new technology as a driver to streamline the business and its activities, from reducing the paper used in the office to becoming more client-focused, it all adds to the success of the firm now and for the years to come.

Lexcel appreciates the important changes

Lexcel is the Law Society’s legal practice quality mark for client care, compliance and practice management. Taylor Walton received an outstanding result in its recent assessment, being commended by the assessor for having the most comprehensive set of documents and processes he had witnessed in 25 years undertaking his work.

A large part of the glowing report was linked to the technology, with Lexcel recognising the firm had implemented a number of key software and hardware projects since the last assessment, which had been opportune in facilitating remote working during the lockdown.

The report notes the practice had coped very well in relation to the restrictions imposed by the lockdown with the initial, near-total shift to home working, accomplished with a minimum of disruption.

Disaster recovery and business continuity, both improved and enhanced by the use of Microsoft Azure, also contribute to the picture of a robust, resilient law firm – confident in the knowledge its IT systems and infrastructure will drive the growth strategy, not hold it back.

Key business takeaways

• Digital transformation is a mindset and a journey. It’s not a destination, and strong leadership from all parts of the business underpins its success.
• It’s important to select a partner with a business model that aligns to your goals.
• Understand what can be achieved and what success looks like at points on the journey.
• You’re entering into a partnership with your managed service provider and you must trust that they are doing what is right for the business, not what’s easy for them.
• The importance of IT needs to be understood across all departments and building an inclusive holistic approach will support this.
• Make sure whatever technology you choose is right for your business. Don’t be forced down a path that potentially could be more damaging than the status quo.

Some technical highlights

In terms of the technical elements, Quiss deployed and managed the following:

• Hybrid cloud solution – on-premises infrastructure (to maximise return on investment of existing equipment), aligned with Microsoft Azure disaster recovery and business continuity
• Microsoft 365 (for email, Microsoft Teams and security)
• Refreshed 3 LAN, with newly installed wide area network
• Big-Bang install weekend – 105 HP laptops, 83 HP desktops and associated equipment deployed with a project manager in each office and 15 technicians on site
• The Taylor Walton business supported by Quiss technical account manager
• Quiss managed service wrap.

“I’m both impressed and gratified that Taylor Walton, with the help of Quiss, has travelled so far on its journey of digital transformation, in a relatively short time. The hybrid solution that makes the most of our on-premise server environment, while combining disaster recovery and business continuity solutions in the Azure Cloud. And it ensures we have confidence in our technology as we look to develop our growth strategy and become an even more client-focused business,” says Dermot Carey, managing partner, Taylor Walton.

“The success is largely down to the time we spent at the start, specifying a solution that worked best for the Taylor Walton business model. We believe our approach, including a single weekend rollout, with 18 technicians across the firm’s three offices and floor-walking Monday and Tuesday to resolve minor issues, has inspired confidence across the firm. Everyone now recognises when the solution is tailored exactly to the business and supported with the appropriate resources, technology is an enabler for business, not a stumbling block,” says Clive Taylor, operations director, Quiss Technology.